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Wine Portfolio
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Swiss Wines -
An Introduction
Switzerland is best known for its chocolate, watches, banks, machine
industry and tourism, but this little country also produces great wines. The
wide range of flavor and styles reflects the incredible variety found in
exposure, soil composition and the micro-climates of Switzerland's numerous
vineyards. Getting to know Swiss wines means discovering these subtle
differences in terroir and taste.
Approximately 75% of the
production occurs in the vineyards of western Switzerland, along Lake Geneva
and south of the lake along the Rhône valley.
Other vineyards are found around Lake Neuchâtel in the
northwest, in Ticino, south of the Alps, and in eastern and northeastern
Switzerland, mainly along the Rhine valley. Total vineyard surface is
approximately 37,000 acres with a production of over 34 million gallons, of
which roughly 49% are whites and 51% reds.
Very few foreigners know about
Swiss wines, the reason being that although Switzerland has been producing
wines since the Roman era, its production covers only roughly 30% of the
domestic consumption, therefore there is very little incentive to export. In
fact, only 1-2% of its wine production is exported yearly, and the bulk of
it to the European Union. If you are unfamiliar with
Switzerland, the map below will help you locate Switzerland in Central
Europe, along with its main vine growing regions.
The most common varietals
include the Chasselas (white), the Pinot Noir, the Gamay and the Merlot.
Switzerland is home to some unique varietals, such as the Chasselas, the
most important white and cultivated in western Switzerland. Other
specialties include the Petite Arvine, Amigne and Malvoisie (whites), Gamaret,
Garanoir, Humagne Rouge and Mondeuse
(reds).
Varietals
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Chasselas: this
is the most important white grape in Switzerland, although it is only
cultivated in the West. This varietal is sensitive to both soil and
situation and produces wines with subtle yet distinctive difference in taste
and style. Two Chasselas wines made of grapes grown just a few miles away
from each other may have very different characteristics. Also called Fendant
in the Valais region.
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Petite Arvine: a
wonder of Switzerland, it has a strong rhubarb flavor and salty finish. Only a few acres are cultivated, which makes it a very
rare white.
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Müller-Thurgau:
cultivated in eastern Switzerland, it is an aromatic white varietal.
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Pinot Noir: most
important red grape produced in a variety of style. In most of the country,
it is produced as a single varietal, but in the cantons of Vaud and Valais,
the 2 largest wine regions, it is also blended with other varietals and
produces some great wines, such as Dôle (in Valais) and
Salvagnin (in Vaud).
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Gamay: second
most important red grape, it is grown only in western Switzerland. A popular
blend of Gamay and Pinot Noir is the Salvagnin (see our
Oenoline Salvagnin),
a specialty of the canton (a state in Switzerland) of Vaud.
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Merlot: the only
grape cultivated in Ticino, the Italian-speaking region in the south.
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