Suisse

Between rivers, lakes, mountains, the plateau and the Jura, with an escape route to the south, the Swiss vineyards are distinguished as much by the beauty of their wine-growing landscapes as by the diversity of the wines produced there. Although Switzerland sometimes prides itself on cultivating a large number of grape varieties (75 are listed by the FSO, but nearly 240 different varieties are grown), this varietal abundance raises questions rather than admiration. It is as if, beyond the geological and climatic diversity of the different wine-producing regions, it reflected the quest for identity of a vineyard reduced to a lilliputian rank at the global level: with a surface area of around 15,000 ha, Swiss winegrowing represents, for example, only 1.6% of the surface area of the French vineyard. However, it should be noted that the four main grape varieties (pinot noir, chasselas, gamay and merlot) represent more than 70% of the grape varieties cultivated. This wide range of grape varieties is perhaps a godsend. Many wineries have been transformed into wine laboratories and pride themselves on offering an almost infinite range of wines. No doubt with the hidden (and now outdated) desire to keep their market captive and to dissuade wine lovers from looking elsewhere? But this short-term vision is an illusion. Even if one can concede a certain technical virtuosity, this multiplication of vintages within the same domain is a major concession to the "varietal everything", yet the potential of great wines is there: a certain number of Swiss wines have their place in the concert of great international wines. But the potential of great wines is there: a certain number of Swiss wines have their place in the concert of great international wines. These wines will always be in the minority, but - and this is reassuring for the future of wine in Switzerland - their aura is now recognised by many tasters around the world.GenevaWith a surface area of just over 1400 ha, Geneva is the third largest wine-producing canton in Switzerland. The vineyards surround the city of Geneva and are divided into three main regions:The right bank with the Mandement constitutes the important part (790 ha): it extends from Collex-Bossy to Dardagny (without forgetting the enclave of Céligny).The median part situated between Arve and Rhône is represented in particular by the wine-producing communes of Lully and Bardonnex.The part known as "Arve et lac", which includes the vineyards of Hermance, Anières, Choulex and Jussy.The grape varieties of the Geneva vineyards, which produce slightly more red wines than white, are still dominated by Chasselas and Gamay, which - although decreasing - each represent a little more than 20% of the total. In addition, grape varieties such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon and Pinot Noir have demonstrated their perfect adaptation to the local soil and climate. In recent years, we have also noted the meritorious efforts of a certain number of dynamic winegrowers to acclimatise the great international grape varieties such as Merlot, Cabernet and even Syrah.VaudThe second largest Swiss vineyard with 3,775 ha, Vaud comprises six wine-growing regions: the Côte, Lavaux and Chablais following the arc of Lake Geneva from west to east and, further north, near Lake Neuchâtel, the Côtes de l'Orbe, Bonvillars and Vully. Classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007, Lavaux, in addition to its terraced landscape between sky and lake, boasts two great wines: Dézaley and Calamin. In addition, a little over twenty lieux-dits, châteaux and clos have been classified as Premiers Crus to date. The vineyards of Vaud are still dominated by the Chasselas, which currently occupies a little over 60% of the wine-growing area, and whose origin is precisely in the Lake Geneva region. Its implantation in Dézaley by the Cistercian monks dates back to the 12th century and the relationship that this grape variety has with the slopes of Vaud can only be passionate and fascinating. As for the white "specialities", they only occupy a little more than 4% of the vineyard. The rest of the production is oriented towards red wines with a predominance of pinot noir and gamay (a little more than 21% of the vineyard surface).Geologically, the canton of Vaud, like the Valais, was largely shaped by the Rhône glacier. Thus, nearly 60% of the wine-growing land comes from morainic deposits. Beneath this moraine cover are the 15 to 35 million year old pre-Alpine rocks, such as sandstone marl, pudding and sandstone. These are all different. As for the limestone scree resulting from the erosion of the cliffs, it forms a covering mantle and is particularly present in the Chablais. Perhaps only a grape variety as discreet as Chasselas was capable of translating the nuances of the different slopes of the Vaud region with such subtlety and elegance.ValaisWith 4,700 hectares of vines, the Valais remains the most important Swiss wine-growing canton, accounting for 33% of its surface. Production is currently divided as follows: 61% white and 39% red. In terms of grape varieties, the Valais is also undergoing a transformation: pinot noir, gamay and chasselas are in sharp decline (especially for the last two), while petite arvine, savagnin, cornalin, syrah, red humagne and merlot have made significant inroads over the last thirty years. As is the case in many other cantons, the vineyard area in the Valais is slowly being eroded. In thirty years, the Valais vineyard (from 1991 to 2000) has lost more than 500 ha of vines. Let's not forget that if the Valais has a little more than 400 wine producers, 22,000 Valaisans own 80,000 plots of land spread over the 65 wine-producing communes of the canton. A whole generation of "Sunday winegrowers" has largely reached retirement age and the new generations are sometimes struggling to take over, especially for the vines on the slopes, which are more demanding to work. This is the first explanation. The second is linked to the difficulty of adding value to the grapes, in connection with the difficulties of Provins, which recently passed into the hands of Fenaco and which intends to regain the market shares lost in the "first price" segment. In other words, the circle has been squared. And yet, the potential for top-of-the-range wines is there with a high percentage of old vines: nearly a quarter of the Valais vines are 40 years old or more and 8% are over 50 years old. Not to mention a favourable climate and an impressive geological mosaic. From the steep slopes of Visperterminen to Vouvry, the Valais wine region is characterised by an exceptional variety of exposures and terroirs. Indeed, there are rather chalky soils in the region of Sierre in particular and in the central Valais. From St-Léonard onwards, following the course of the Rhône, these soils are mixed with gypsum, quartz and schist. These schists are found in the Sion and Vétroz region, with alluvial zones at the bottom of the slopes. Chamoson benefits from diversified terroirs ranging from alluvial soils to more schistous areas. The vineyards of Leytron and especially Saillon are located on very gravelly alluvial cones. With the exception of the Ardève area, which is the hard core of the Dent de Morcles fold (schistose limestone from the Lias and Aalenian periods). The Fully vineyard is also unique in the Valais because it is located at the crossroads of two geological formations. One is an extension of the Chamonix granite massif with gneiss, and the other is from the Bernese Alps. A great diversity of soils and subsoils for a myriad of plots scattered on often steep hillsides, this is the Valais vineyard which also constitutes a sort of living conservatory of very old varieties such as amigne, petite arvine, white humagne, traminer (pagan) or the confidential lafnetscha, himbertscha for the whites, red humagne and cornalin for the red wines. At the same time, the Valais vineyards are in a way the living laboratory of the future and many grape varieties have acclimatised remarkably well. First and foremost are the great Rhodanian grape varieties (Syrah and Marsanne): the Valais can indeed be considered as the first Rhodanian vineyard. In all, more than 60 different grape varieties are cultivated in this land with a hot, dry climate (between 500 and 700 mm of water per year, depending on the region), even though the "Valais" appellation d'origine contrôlée is only awarded to 48 varieties.TicinoThe vineyards of Ticino cover barely a thousand hectares, but the dynamism of a certain number of winegrowers has already earned it international recognition.Thanks also to the good services of a shock ambassador, the Merlot grape variety: at the beginning of the 20th century, it found a particularly favourable area of acclimatisation in Ticino and currently covers 85% of the wine-growing area of Ticino. The geography here determines the wine landscape and the differences between the vintages. Divided by Monte Ceneri, Ticino is articulated around two main regions and divided into 8 districts: the Sopraceneri in the north (Bellinzona, Blenio, Riviera, Leventina, Locarno, Vallemaggia) and the Sottoceneri in the south (Lugano and Mendrisio). To these regions, we can add the Mesolcina, an Italian-speaking but Graubünden valley, which includes about fifty hectares of vines.Blessed by the gods with an annual sunshine of a little more than 1000 hours per year, the Ticino vineyard is influenced by the Mediterranean. However, the Ticino vineyards are also subject to significant rainfall, with almost 1600 mm per year. These brief but violent rains make the task of the Ticino winegrowers, especially those who have turned to organic viticulture, more difficult. Fortunately, the Ticino vineyards are largely planted on porous soils with a high drainage capacity, especially in the Sopraceneri where acidic soils such as granite and gneiss are predominant. In the southern part, the morphology is more complex with numerous glacial deposits, volcanic sediments (San Salvatore) and, in the Mendrisiotto, which represents more than a third of the Ticino vineyards, calcareous sediments alternate with heavier soils with clayey matrices.NeuchâtelThe Neuchâtel vineyards are part of the Three Lakes region and form a long narrow strip covering an area of about 950 ha. The vine has been part of the landscape since the Roman colonisation and has expanded steadily since then, mainly due to the work of the monks. With a total surface area of 1400 ha, the vineyard reached its peak in the 17th century. As everywhere else, the phylloxera crisis, followed by land pressure, led to a significant reduction in the vineyard area. Discreet in size, the Neuchâtel vineyard nevertheless has solid assets. The first is linked to the grape variety, which benefits from a relatively dry, well-ventilated, sunny climate, with the lake as a thermal regulator and the Jura mountains as a protector against the Atlantic currents. The stony, chalky soils of the coastal Jurassic are particularly well suited to this grape variety, which can find here some of the most complete and subtle expressions of the country, and whose reputation has for some time now crossed the borders, following the example of the wines of Domaine de la Rochette.In white wines, Chasselas is the main grape variety (about 30% of the production) and gives here wines oriented towards freshness and dynamism.