SWISS WINES
We carry about a
dozen different wines from Switzerland, a
wonderful country with an economy which is amazing. We used to go cross-country
skiing in the Engadiner Valley and I can say that the price of everything is high. A
few years ago a dozen eggs cost something like $9.00 !!!
Swiss wines are equally pricey. I recently tasted a flight of
extraordinarily expensive Merlots from Ticino. I know the cost of the wine
is inflated with the importer and distributor mark-up, as well as that of the
shop, but it's safe to say Swiss wines are not for the economy-minded wine
consumer.
I was amused (some years ago) when the Wine Spectator did a cover story on Swiss wines, since these are not
much in demand in the U.S. marketplace. While publisher Marvin Shanken has succeeded
brilliantly with bringing cigars back into style for a brief period, I'm afraid he didn't have the same
effect on the sales of Swiss wines.
Most people are simply preparing a Raclette or Swiss Fondue
and are looking for something in keeping with the theme of the evening.
There's a quotation from Eunice Fried on Swiss wines which we appreciate:
These wines attract the kind of consumer who loves to explore the next frontier before others know there is one.
THE REGIONS
THE VALAIS
The center of this region is the town of Sion, which is a
name you might encounter on a wine label.
The primary white grape is called
"Fendant" (known as Chasselas in other parts of the world) and its wine is dry,
a bit low in acidity and it's a bit subtle in terms of its
character.
Sylvaner is also grown in this region, but it's known as
"Johannisberger," despite the presence (in tiny quantities) of Riesling.
Marsanne is cultivated here and is called "Ermitage," while Pinot Gris is
disguised as "Malvoisie."
Other grape varieties to be found include
Amigne, Arvine, Humagne and Païen (known as Heida in the Haut-Valais).
The Païen (Heida) is said to be the Savagnin of France's Jura region and this
is somehow related to Traminer.
Humagne is thought to be the most "typical" ambassador of the
Valais. It's described as having aromas reminiscent of lime blossoms and
experts will tell you it ages magnificently.
Arvine is a well-regarded variety and that variety has been planted in northwest
Italy where it makes some marvelous dry whites in the Val d'Aosta.
The Amigne grape was sparsely planted some years ago, but vintners seem to be
increasingly enamored with this variety. There's a tangerine/orange fruit
sort of character, typically and there are both dry and sweet versions.
The Sauvignon Blanc grape finds a place in the Valais and you'll find the
Rhone's Viognier here and there, but mostly in the town of Fully.
Chardonnay is planted hither and yon, but it's scattered and accounts for a tiny
percentage of the region's grape vines.
The upper Valais has a few curiosities, too...Lafnetscha, Himbertscha and
Gwäss can be found if you look diligently.
In red wines, Pinot Noir is the predominant variety, with Gamay also
being cultivated here. Typically wines labeled Dole are 2/3s Pinot Noir and 1/3
Gamay. As these tend to be chaptalized (sugar added to the unfermented
juice to make up for the natural lack thereof), the wines are usually a bit on the
light side.
Syrah now is making inroads in the region. In fact, Syrah seems to be an
ideal variety for this region and top growers are making some stellar
wines. Production, though, is limited and they seem to have difficulty
supplying their home market, so these are not easily found outside of the
country.
Cornalin is another interesting red variety. It also goes by the name
Humagne Rouge, but it is not related, apparently, to the white version of
Humagne. Cornalin is found, as well, in the Val d'Aosta. It typically
offers a cherry-like fruit quality.
Diolinoir is an oddball...it's a cross of Pinot Noir and Rouge de Diolly (or
Robin Noir, if you prefer).
Gamaret, anyone? This is a hybrid of Gamay and Rechsteiner (a white grape)
and it now covers close to 1000 acres of vineyard land. There's even
another variety of the same parentage called Garanoir, though it's less
widely-cultivated.
Carminoir is a crossing of Cabernet and Pinot Noir...it's a relatively new
variety, so the jury is out on this one.
Eyholzer Roter is mighty obscure and it's found in the Upper Valais.
There are about 22,000 grape growers in this region, tending but 5,200 hectares of
vines. Only 700 produce and bottle any wine commercially, so the bulk of the
production is handled by cooperatives or negociants.
THE VAUD
This region includes the vines on the north shores of Lake
Geneva and the Rhône Valley. Chasselas is grown here (of course). It is in
the Vaud where you'll find the prestigious white wine called Dezaley where Chasselas is
said to be at its best.
The vineyards in the Côtes de l'Orbe, Bonvillars, on the shores of Lake
Neuchâtel and in Vully comprise about 10% of the Vaud. La Cote covers a
bit more than half of the Vaud, including the Morges region (Chasselas in white
and Gamay in red are the major varieties there).
Lavaux covers around 21% of the Vaud and some very important appellations,
including Dezaley and St. Saphorin.
The Chablais region tallies to 15% of the region's grapevines and here you'll
find the well-regarded Aigle area...the white wines are said to have a flinty
character.
GENEVA
This is Switzerland's third largest viticultural region and there
are close to 100 wineries within the area.
Conventional wisdom says Chasselas is cultivated here, but goes under the
name "Perlan." This is simply to confuse outsiders. Other
white grapes cultivate in the area include Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc,
Müller Thurgau, Sauvignon blanc, Gewürztraminer, Scheurebe and Aligoté.
Gamay is the red wine leader in the area, though there's Pinot Noir, a tiny bit
of Merlot and some lovely, world-class Syrah.
NEUCHÂTEL
This appellation comprises three sub-regions and you
may hear people refer to this as the Three Lakes region.
In terms of grape varieties, Chasselas is king and the white wine bearing the Neuchâtel
name is quite famous.
Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc also find a home in Neuchâtel, along
with Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay, Müller-Thurgau and
Viognier. Charmont and Doral are grown there, both being a cross of
Chardonnay and Chasselas. The "new" red varieties of Gamaret and
Garanoir are cultivated, as well.
You'll find some pale "blanc de
noir" wine which is typically called "Oeil de Perdrix" (eye of the
partridge). This term may have originated in Switzerland, it's said, but
it was not trademarked and so the term is found on bottles of French Champagnes
and other pink wines.
BERN
This is a wine area around Lake Biel, with sub-regions including La
Neuveville, Ligerz, Schafis, Schernelz and Twann. About half of the wine
in Bern is made from the Chasselas grape, with about one-third being Pinot noir,
Müller-Thurgau, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Gewürztraminer account for most of
the rest of the production.
TICINO
Here's an Italian-speaking part of Switzerland, just north of Italy and Merlot is the primary wine.
As noted above, these can be rather expensive and they find a receptive audience
on their home turf. The grape seems to have arrived from Bordeaux back in
the early 1900s. It proved well-suited way back when and today something
close to 80% of Ticino's vineyards are planted with Merlot.
However, there are a few vines of Pinot Noir, Cabernet
Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Gamaret, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon, Semillon and Pinot
Gris. Not to mention "nostrani Americani" (even the curiously foxy grape
called "Clinton" is cultivated here!).
There is a current fashion of vinifying the red Merlot grape as a white wine,
too. The use of small, French oak barrels is fashionable, too. Some
producers are making blended, barrel-aged whites, as well.
SWISS WINES IN THE
SHOP
Prices are current as of December 2021
The Swiss franc is rather strong and stable, so it's been a common occurrence
for importers to adjust pricing based on the currency exchange rates. A
few years ago the pricing seemed to change with each new shipment and
vintage. We do not import these and are at the mercy of those who do...thanks for your
understanding...
- ROBERT GILLIARD
The Gilliard family has more than a century of experience in
growing vines and making wine...theirs are our most popular Swiss selections
as the firm's products are routinely of good quality.
The firm began in 1885 and the family running it today is named Haller,
though related to Gilliard by marriage.
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Gilliard makes a wine called "Les Murettes" which is a "Fendant
Pétillant" and bottled from the lees (spent yeast), somewhat like a
Muscadet from France's Loire Valley.
The vines are grown in slate and granite and you'll find a minerality in the
wine as a result.
$35.99 a bottle.--2019 vintage at the moment.
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- A good red wine called "Dôle des Monts" is available. It's
a blend of about 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Gamay. The Pinot
component dominates and this shows a nice cherry-like character. It's
a smooth, medium-light bodied red.
$34.99 presently.
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Leyvraz makes a wonderful dry white of the St. Saphorin
appellation. This is made of the Chasselas grape coming from several
parcels owned by Leyvraz. It's vinified in stainless steel and undergoes a
secondary, malolactic fermentation. He matures it on the spent yeast
sediment for some months before bottling.
It's fresh, dry, crisp and mildly minerally with a faint appley quality.
Very fine and well-priced.
Medium bodied,
fairly delicate little dry white wine. The wine comes from a vineyard
site overlooking the Lake of Neuchâtel. The soils are of limestone
and the wine is slightly reminiscent of a delicate white from Burgundy.
The
Rouvinez family owns numerous vineyard sites in the Valais region.
