Swiss Wine

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Switzerland is a country of rugged mountains and lakes in Western Europe, with its people sharing the cultures and languages of Italy, Germany, France, and Austria. Its wines reflect this blend of ancestries, with grapes saluting all these nationalities. Wine grape seeds were found dating as far back as 3000 BC around Lake Neuchâtel, although it is unknown whether these were ever cultivated as wine. What is known is that the Romans brought vines into Switzerland some time around 100 BC and produced wine in the Valais area, planting Amigne, Arvine, and Rèze grapes. In the Middle Ages, Cistercian monks from Burgundy, France settled in Switzerland and established vineyards in Vaud. They studied soil types, and which grapes would be most suitable to Alpine climate conditions, though the wines they produced were often supplemented with mulling spices and honey. International trade had stepped up by the 17th century, with French wines, especially those from the Rhône, the most sought after Read more »

The late 1800s Phylloxera crisis hit Switzerland quite hard. Efforts to replant were mostly thwarted with more emphasis placed on property developments and industrialization. Wine production was forced farther into the Alpine areas. More recently, efforts to promote high quality wines from Switzerland have had some international success. The OIC (certification of origin inter-canton, translated into German, French, and Italian) has regulated the Swiss wine appellation system (as does the AOC in France, DOC in Italy, etc) since the 1980s, outlining its viticultural areas and emphasizing quality control measures. As with their watch-making, the Swiss are very precise when it comes to wine. Yields are controlled down to the kilogram per square meter (the French go by hectoliter per hectare), and sunlight averages are factored in mathematically to each canton’s ripeness potential.

The dominant grape in Switzerland is Chasselas, which is referred to in different languages according to the region’s national affiliation. It has three French names besides Chasselas: Fondant and Perlan, Dorin when crossed with Chardonnay. In German parts it may be Gutedel. Other popular white grapes are Pinot Gris, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Müller-Thurgau, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Semillon.

In some areas such as Valais, Vaud, and Neuchâtel, identify with Burgundy, and this shows in their choice to grow Pinot Noir (Blaugurgunder) and Gamay. The Bordeaux grapes Merlot (especially in Ticino), Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc are also popular, as are the Rhône varietals Syrah and Marsanne.

There are dozens of Swiss OIC in all. Most of the wine is produced within the south and south-west cantons Geneva, Neuchâtel, Ticino, Valais, and Vaud. Some quality wines are emerging from the North-east cantons Aargau, Schaffhausen, Thurgau, Zurich, and St. Gallen, among others. ~Amanda Schuster

– Description from Amanda Schuster (hide)

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Popular wines made in Switzerland under $20

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Varietals Produced in Switzerland View all

Merlot

The Occitanian word “merlot” translates to “young blackbird.” An accurate description for this popular, early-budding...
Chasselas

Chasselas maintains a very modest acreage in North America. It is most associated with Switzerland, where it is by fa...
Gamay

History of the grape: Legend has it that it was brought over by the Romans in the first century BC to the town of Bea...
Chardonnay

British wine writer and critic, Jancis Robinson, once noted that throughout the 80’s and 90’s in the United States, C...
Pinot Noir

“With so voluptuous a perfume, so sweet an edge, they make the blood run hot,” Joel Fleischman, wine columnist at Van...

Subregions of Switzerland

Valais

Valais is Switzerland’s largest wine region, located in the Southwest portion of the count...
Aargau
Geneva

Popular Wineries in Switzerland View all

New Hall Vineyards

The first English Vineyard in Purleigh was planted back in 1120 and according to the local Paris...
Domaine de Maison Blanche

The de Mestrals came originally from Savoy and were first mentioned in Mont in 1258. At the time,...
Angelo Delea

The company Angelo Delea was founded in 1983, inspired by the „Bordeaux“ wine-making with the ref...
Caves des Perrières

Two milleniums old, vineyard development in our region is the result of a long tradition. In th...
Château d'Auvernier

This estate which is located on the shores of the Lake of Neuchâtel, currently markets the produc...
Domaine de Vy Granges

Thirty-five kilometres away from Geneva, the Domaine de Vy Granges can be found in the quaint vil...

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September 2012

Christophe Laurent Valais Petite Arvine 2012

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Wine review by Christophe Laurent
September 2012

Christophe Laurent Valais Petite Arvine 2012

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Wine review by Christophe Laurent
September 2012

Christophe Laurent Valais Petite Arvine 2012

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Wine review by Christophe Laurent
September 2012

Pinot Noir Chevaliers Aoc Salquenen 2010

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Wine review by martins2002
September 2012

Arca Rubra Merlot DOC 2009

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Kellerei HuberKellerei in Hermann Hesses WahlheimatDegustieren Sie diese Woche die Weine von Matteo Huber. Am besten rufen Sie einen Tag vor ihrem Wunschtermin an, um die köstlichen Weine Hubers zu probieren. Der Architekt lebt seine Leidenschaft für die edlen Tropfen in einer Kellerei in Montagnola aus. Dort wo auch der Schriftsteller und Maler... Read More

Wine review by matteo huber
August 2012

Valais Aoc Heida Bibacchus 2011

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Wine review by martins2002
August 2012

Epesses Aoc Lavaux Rives d'Or Grand Vin Vaudois 2011

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August 2012

Humagne Rouge Aoc Valais Bibacchus Terrasses Do Rhone 2011

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Wine review by martins2002
August 2012

We invite you to experience true creativity and magic of ... district, and now a based in Switzerland where she engages in digital wine communication.&nbs Read More

Forum post in the topic The Magic of the Bubbles Pop...
August 2012

There are certain wine appellations that are cursed by thriving tourism, ... such as Tete-du-Moine from Switzerland, marked by delicious notes of beef consommé, or Pyrenees Agour, a full-flavored savory cheese from the Basque region of Spain. Bandols with some age can be quite a meditative experience without food.Here are a few sampled recent... Read More

Forum post in the topic The Gem of Provence: Bandol

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Swiss wine ratings and reviews

Winery:	Domaine Rolet
Region:	Switzerland » Jura
Varietal:	Pinot Noir
Type:	Table Wines

Winery:	Domaine du Mont d'Or
Region:	Switzerland » Valais
Varietal:	Sylvaner
Color:	White Wines

Winery:	Frederic Fourre
Region:	Switzerland » Thurgau
Varietal:	Riesling

Winery:	Frederic Fourre
Region:	Switzerland » Thurgau
Varietal:	Pinot Grigio
Type:	Table Wines

Winery:	Xellent Vodka
Region:	Switzerland
Type:	Table Wines

Winery:	Domaine de Montbourgeau
Region:	Switzerland » Jura
Varietal:	Chardonnay
Type:	Table Wines

Region:	Switzerland » Vaud » Lavaux
Varietal:	Gamay , Pinot Noir , Syrah
Color:	Red Wines

Winery:	Blauburgunder
Region:	Switzerland » Graubünden » Buendner Herrschaft » Malans
Color:	Red Wines

Winery:	Castle Rock Winery
Region:	Switzerland » Vaud » Yvorne
Type:	Table Wines

Winery:	Association Vinicole d'Aigle
Region:	Switzerland » Vaud » Aigle
Color:	Red Wines

Winery:	Gérard Raymond, Cave Gérard Raymond, Saillon, VS
Region:	Switzerland » Valais
Color:	Red Wines

Winery:	Cave des Rois
Region:	Switzerland » Valais
Color:	White Wines

Winery:	Jean-René Germanier
Region:	Switzerland » Sion » Dôle
Color:	Red Wines

Winery:	Weingut Kopp
Region:	Switzerland » Svizzera Italiana
Color:	Red Wines

Winery:	La Grillette
Region:	Switzerland » Neuchatel
Color:	White Wines

Winery:	Schloss Proschwitz
Region:	Switzerland
Type:	Sparkling Wines

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Varietals Produced in Switzerland View all

Subregions of Switzerland

Popular Wineries in Switzerland View all

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