The complete guide to Swiss wine: Regions, varieties, flavours

Thanks to the great difference in altitude between the country's vineyards, Swiss wines are characterised by a wide variety of profiles. Swiss wines are experiencing a new life. This country, riddled with Alps, produces attractive wines in a wide variety of terroirs, the main drawback of which is that they are little known. The Swiss confederation has as much wine-growing land as Alsace: 15,000 hectares of vines. But in this small vineyard, the wines suffer from a major problem common to countries rich in diverse terroirs.

The geography, divided by the Alps, divides the vineyards to the west and south of the country, in the catchment areas of major European rivers: the Rhine in the canton of Grisons in German-speaking Switzerland; the Rhone from Glacier in Valais to Geneva via the canton of Vaud; and, south of the Alps, the Ticino. From this point on, reasonable vineyard sizes, which seemed an advantage when it came to understanding Swiss wines, became a difficulty: not to mention that Switzerland is a veritable geological mosaic, from schist and gneiss in Valais to limestone and granite in Ticino.

The mosaic of terroirs in Swiss vineyards

In addition to these challenges, other factors strongly influence the flavour and characteristics of Swiss wines: the altitude differences, the proximity of the lake, thanks to which the grapes receive triple sunlight (direct sun, reflected by the lake and reflected by the stone walls), and the warm wind that sweeps through Valais and gives the region its alpine character. Added to this is the great variety of grape varieties in the country - there are around 250 of them. As well as well-known varieties such as Syrah, Gamay and Pinot Noir, local varieties such as Divico, Gamaret, Garanoir and Fendant are also grown here.

To avoid getting confused by the variety of Swiss wines, it's worth starting with proven wineries that export their products, as 99% of Swiss wines are consumed domestically. It's important to remember that Swiss wines are grown on a wide variety of soil types, which also affects their unique flavour.

Swiss white wines

Valais, Switzerland's largest wine region with 4,600 hectares of vineyards, is not only known for its fandan, a young white wine made from Chasselas grapes that is popular all year round. This variety, which is the symbol of the country and the most widely grown white grape in Switzerland (it occupies 879 hectares or 18% of all vineyards), acquires a special finesse if it is grown on granite or limestone soils and under strict yield control. In Valais, the Fully vineyards are worth a look, producing the light and crystal-clear wines of Domaine de Beudon, as well as the elegant and refined wines of Marie-Thérèse Chappaz.

Chasselas also dominates the neighbouring canton of Vaud, especially in the prestigious wine regions of Desaley and Calamine. These two neighbouring vineyards are located on a geological plateau formed after the retreat of the Rhone glacier, and the wines produced here differ markedly in their characteristics. For example, below the village of Epesse, on soils formed 700 years ago by the collapse of a mountain, Calamin produces sunny, full-bodied wines with a subtle bitter aftertaste.

In Desaley, in the commune of Puidou, the wines get their unique character from the limestone deposits of Mont Pelerin, exposed after the glaciers melted. These soils give the wine smoky hues, flavours of almond, honey, floral and fruity notes. One of the region's most famous wineries is the Dubois brothers, producing an impressive Chasselas that combines maturity and elegance. Further north, in the Chablais region, where the Rhône River makes a bend, Chasselas from Yvorn and Egl takes on a distinct mineral character.

However, the Lake Geneva region is rich in other winemaking treasures. For example, the arvignon of Christophe Abbé, a prominent winemaker from Martigny, and the rare amigné made famous in Vetrosa, where 33 of the world's 40 hectares of this varietal are concentrated. The Cave de la Madeleine is home to some of the finest examples of amigné. Hermitage, another famous wine region, produces Marsanne, which opens up with age with aromas of white truffles, especially in the wines of Gérald Besse.

Swiss red wines

Few people know, but the Swiss canton of Valais has much in common with the northern Rhone Valley in France, despite the border and distance between them. These regions share similar geology and identical or related grape varieties. For example, the name Hermitage hides marsanne, while heyde, also known as payen, is called savagnin in Valais.

This Franco-Swiss kinship is particularly evident in some varieties of syrah. The vineyards in Chamoson, located in the centre of Valais, produce syrah that ripens slowly due to the cool temperature range, giving it a similarity to wines from Côte-Rôtie or Saint-Joseph. An example is Syrah Vieilles Vignes from Jean-François and Axel Maye (Domaine Simon Maye & Fils), with pronounced fruit notes complemented by hints of bacon and pepper.

The German-speaking part of Switzerland, in the canton of Graubünden, produces excellent examples of pinot noir, especially appreciated by Daniel and Martha Gantenbein. Their vineyards overlook the Rhine Valley, which creates ideal conditions for this varietal. In the south of Switzerland, in the Ticino region near the Italian border, almost the entire vineyard (1200 hectares) is occupied by merlot.

Thanks to the high altitude and the abundance of sunshine, the grapes here ripen slowly and retain their freshness. Two wine-growing areas stand out in Ticino: Sopraceneri near Bellinzona and Sottoceneri towards Lugano. Domaine Gialdi, famous in Ticino, produces first-class, complex merlot wines with precise aromatic characteristics, as does Sassi Grossi, grown in the Tre Valli region in northern Ticino.

Conclusion

Swiss wine impresses with its diversity and unique flavour profiles. It is the result of a harmonious blend of nature and tradition, where each bottle reflects not only the terroir but also the winemaker's soul. Let this be an invitation to a journey into the world of Swiss winemaking, where behind every sip is a unique blend of cultural heritage and natural beauty.