Switzerland Wine Notes — 11/11/2008

< Show all Wine Notes

At first sight Switzerland would seem to be an odd wine country. Even low lands are high and temperatures look too low for viticulture. But special sites tell a different story. These are steep terraced vineyards facing due south, warmed by Lake Geneva or hot winds known as ‘Foehn’.

Grapes & Wines

Chasselas is the main white grape, but this large bunched, large berried grape is no Riesling. In France it goes into basic wines like Edelzwiker or is eaten. What is remarkable is that the wines made from it in Switzerland are as good as they are. Look out for ‘Grand Cru’ versions from Lavaux. Perhaps don’t rush to buy a case, but they are certainly worth trying.

Petite Arvine, Amigne, Humagne Blanc and Reze are rare ‘one off’ white grapes. Petite Arvine and Amigne make super Vendage Tardive, there are also desert wines made from dried grapes. Amigne makes a lovely dry white with a flavour, I thought, of tangerines! Petite Arvigne dry wines tend to be distinctly medium dry. Very attractive but often misfiring with food.

Alsace varieties such as Gewürztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Gris & Muscat can do well when in good sites.

Marsanne, Roussane, Viognier, Chardonnay & Sauvignon Blanc are planted too. Results are very encouraging.

Pinot Noir: Some, especially in Valais, are doing a very good job, but most offerings are weedy, acid and light. Pinot is difficult, perhaps it’s the clones.

Syrah: The surprise is, that this can be very good. The Valais is hot and dry enough. The best are forceful, on the herby-side rather than robust, but they are good news and could become big news.

Cabernet, Merlot and ‘Bordeaux’ blends, sometimes with local grapes can be good. Cornalin and Humagne Rouge are good local reds.

The Regions

Valais: The Rhône valley is the top Swiss region. The climate is hot and dry in summer, with irrigation being necessary! The central Vétroz, Sion, Sierre sector has steep south facing slopes withhot ‘foehn’ winds. Great Syrah, good Cabernet, very good Pinot and interesting speciality wines are made. White Rhône varieties are successful. Dôle, the basic Pinot / Gamay blend can be good. Fendant, it’s white Chasselas equivalent is OK.

Chablais: The Rhône just above the east end of Lake Geneva has beneficial effect of neither the lake nor foehn wind. Sparkling is good, Chassellas is fairly full, most reds are weak, and Vendage Tardives and Barrique wines are worth a whirl.

Lavaux: Eastern Lake Geneva, from Lausanne to Montreux, has beautiful lakeside châteaux, steep walled vineyards, the warmth of the lake, a fair bit of sun and the tail end of the ‘foehn’ winds. You might expect a lot here and generally you’d be disappointed. Mostly, the Chasselas is fruitless and the reds are feeble. The best producers and ‘Grand Crus’ such as L’Arbalete and Dézalay do produce much more interesting wines though.

La Côte: Less impressive than Lavaux, further from the lake and exposed to a cool north winds which the Lavaux terraces are protected from. Wines are uninteresting with the honourable exception of some Pinot Noir.

See all tours to Switzerland

© Arblaster and Clarke Wine Tours. All rights reserved. These notes may not be copied in whole or in part without express permission.