Definition: Blending (Swiss wines)

From 2006 onwards, there will no longer be a drop of foreign red wine in our indigenous reds and rosés in Switzerland. This provision of the first set of measures under the Bilateral Agreements, which came into force in June 2002, has already taken effect for white wines. After ten climatically favourable vintages, our wine-growing community believes it can cope with this new situation for our red wines. This guarantee of authenticity offered to consumers has been welcomed with enthusiasm.

In 1994, the prospect of ending the right to blend with foreign wines was controversial. It must be said that the 1994 vintage, which was mediocre, came from grapes whose skins had been damaged by grey rot. Its colour was inevitably pale.

Blending with foreign 'medicine wines' was seen as a necessity. Now, the situation has changed since we have new grape varieties available that give the wine a deep colour. The abolition of the right to blend with foreign wines is to be applauded. It forces Swiss viticulture to re-evaluate itself. This measure will have a beneficial effect, forcing a reduction in yields in order to obtain more colourful wines. This will enhance the value of Swiss products and reduce imports of cheap bulk red wines. It will therefore be doubly positive for indigenous viticulture.

It is surprising that, under pressure from Europe, Switzerland has had to give up these medicinal wines, whose main suppliers are Italy and Spain, with colourful wines from less prestigious regions, or even the South of France. At the time of the negotiations, the issue concerned 5 to 6 million litres per year for blending alone. These litres were purchased cheaply abroad and resold at the higher price of domestic wine, in derogation from the rule that the contents of the bottle must correspond to the label.

In terms of blending, the canton of Vaud had complied with the federal standard, sticking to 10% blending for category I wines and 15% for category II wines. The Neuchâtel region adopted a stricter standard in the form of a blend of 5% foreign wine and 5% Swiss wine. As for the Valais, the new legislation stipulates that first category red wines may only be blended with AOC red wines from the canton. Until now, the standard for first category wines was 5% and 15% for second category wines (Goron).

From 2006 onwards, each canton in French-speaking Switzerland will set its own percentage for authorised blending, but foreign wine will be excluded. This allowance is expected to remain at 10% for category I and 15% for category II, and will probably not include wines from Valais or Geneva, whose quotas will be used by the respective cantons. Taking into account the new Gamaret and Garanoir grape varieties currently in production, the proportion allocated to blending is already sufficient. This explains the lack of enthusiasm among the people of Vaud for the conversion of vineyards financed by the Confederation. From a strictly oenological point of view, it is the Gamaret and Garanoir duo that should bring added value to Vaud reds, with Garanoir blending harmoniously with Pinot Noir and Gamaret with Gamay. Many red wines are already taking advantage of this. However, colour is primarily a viticultural issue, not an oenological one, which can be resolved by increasing planting density while reducing the vigour of the plant. However, it should be noted that Garanoir, and even more so Gamaret, are just as demanding as Pinot Noir and Gamay, as their phenolic maturity can only be achieved with a yield of 600 to 800 g/m².

Is there a risk that an unfavourable climate will affect red wines? At the time, the quota in force was 1.2 kg/m². This was then reduced to 1 kg for reds, and it would be beneficial to reduce it further to 900 g/m². The complexity of red wines increases almost proportionally with the decrease in yield per unit area. However, when topping up is necessary to increase colour and tannic structure, it is preferable to do so with wines from the same region, or even better, from the same estate or terroir. We now have a sufficient range of medicinal wines.