Definition: Confrérie des Vignerons in Vevey

Confrérie des Vignerons (Vevey – Switzerland).

A very old brotherhood whose headquarters are located on the first floor of the "Château" in Vevey (Canton of Vaud, Switzerland).

The rooms are open to the public according to the schedule below. In addition to the meeting room of the Confrérie des Vignerons Council, there is an area open to visitors where you can admire costumes, engravings and numerous objects related to past Fêtes des Vignerons. Film clips allow you to relive the Fêtes since the beginning of the 20th century. Guided tours can be booked for groups.

Confrérie des Vignerons

Rue du Château 2

1800 Vevey - Switzerland

Tel. +41.21/923.87.05

Fax +41.21/923.87.06

e-mail: confrerie@fetedesvignerons.ch

Office and archive opening hours

Monday and Friday from 8.30am to 11.45am

Tuesday and Thursday from 8.30am to 11.45am and from 2pm to 5pm

Opening hours of the Winegrowers' Guild Museum

* In winter: Open in the afternoon from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Tuesday to Sunday, closed on Mondays.

* In summer: Open Tuesday to Sunday from 11:00 to 17:00, closed on Mondays.

16th-century building owned by the Confrérie des Vignerons.

The same building also houses the collections of the Vevey History Museum.

The Vevey History Museum, founded in 1897, occupies the rooms of the Château de Vevey. Formerly known as "la Belle-Maison", this 16th-century residence was once home to the Bernese bailiffs. It is in this historic setting that the museum's collections bring the region's past to life, from Celtic times to the present day.

Address:

Vevey Historical Museum

The Château

Rue du Château 21

800 VeveySwitzerland

T: +41(0)21 921 07 22

F: +41(0)21 921 25 04

Opening hours:

* Winter: Open Tuesday to Sunday from 2pm to 5pm, closed on Mondays.

* In summer: Open Tuesday to Sunday from 11:00 to 17:00, closed on Mondays.

Guided tours on request.

Today, the Confrérie des Vignerons de Vevey is known to the general public only as the organiser of the Fête des Vignerons. While the staging of this impressive celebration represents a considerable part of its activity, the main purpose of this society is to encourage and promote the perfection of vine cultivation. To this end, it organises three annual visits to the vineyards for owners who entrust it with this task. These vineyards are located in an area between Pully, east of Lausanne, and Lavey, on the border with the canton of Valais. During these visits, the work of the vineyard labourers is assessed and, every three years, the ranking obtained from these assessments gives rise to a ceremony during which awards are distributed to the vineyard labourers under the supervision of the Confrérie. This ceremony is called the "Triennale". About once a generation, this ceremony takes on exceptional proportions to become the Fête des Vignerons. Essentially, the aims of the Confrérie des Vignerons have changed very little over the years.

The origins of the Confrérie des Vignerons de Vevey remain a mystery to this day. The oldest document dates back to 1647. Today, the Confrérie des Vignerons has around a thousand members. They are no longer necessarily landowners, but according to the statutes, their attachment to the country and their interest in vine cultivation are taken into consideration when they apply for membership. To become a member of the Confrérie, one must submit a written application to the Abbé-Président, have a good moral reputation, be a Swiss citizen, be at least sixteen years of age, and pay the membership fee set by the Council. Apart from this one-time membership fee, no other contributions are required of members. The Brotherhood did not admit women. 2008 marked a major change with the acceptance of female candidates. The Brothers and Sisters meet every two years in a general assembly. This is the Biennale. The Assembly of members elects the 24 members of the Council. For centuries, the President of the Council has been known as the "Abbot-President". He is assisted by a Vice-President. Members vote on the statutes.

The Confrérie des Vignerons is an offshoot of the Vevey bourgeoisie. Its Abbés (presidents of the Confrérie Council) were – and still are – mostly members of the town councils, solicitors, notaries, judges or other notable figures.

The wine-growing activities of the Confrérie des Vignerons

In practice:

The Confrérie des Vignerons currently visits 252 hectares of vineyards between Pully – east of Lausanne – and Lavey – at the gateway to Valais. The owners who ask the Confrérie des Vignerons to visit their plots are public authorities (municipalities, cantons), estates and a few private individuals. Each plot submitted for inspection is marked with a large stake with a white tip, marked with an identification number. The owners pay an annual contribution. The visits are carried out by experts appointed by the Confrérie. The experts, all professional winegrowers but not necessarily members of the Confrérie, are appointed by the Confrérie's Council. They follow the "Directions" for visits published and regularly revised by the Confrérie des Vignerons.

Excerpt from the "Guidelines concerning vineyard care, visits by the Brotherhood's experts and the competition linked to the results of the visits":

"The winegrower cultivates the vineyard to obtain good quality harvests and, if possible, consistent harvests from year to year. He will take care to avoid any damage to the soil and will maintain the vines in good condition to ensure their longevity."

Frequency and scoring:

Visits take place three times a year. The spring visit takes place between the end of April and the beginning of May. Its main purpose is to assess pruning. The summer visit, at the beginning of July, focuses mainly on assessing vine care and pest control. Finally, the autumn visit, at the beginning of September, assesses soil maintenance and the appearance and management of the harvest.

After each visit, the scores awarded to the vineyard labourers are communicated to the owners and winegrowers. Every three years, the scores are compiled to produce a ranking of the vineyard labourers.

During a solemn ceremony known as the Triennale, the best vineyard labourers are rewarded. The Fête des Vignerons, held once a generation, is a kind of amplification of this triennial ceremony, a super-triennale. The vignerons-tâcherons are then judged not over three years, but over seven or even nine years. Women, who are now part of the Confrérie, can also be crowned or awarded prizes as vignerons.

This was notably the case at the 1999 Fête des Vignerons, when, for the first time, a female winegrower from Corseaux, Mrs Marie Delapraz, was ranked among the distinguished winegrowers.

Financing:

The cost for owners is 65 centimes per are per year (CHF 65 per hectare).

Advantages for the owner:

Guidance on the proper management of the estate by the winemaker, as well as expert advice.

If the winegrower is excellent, seeing them honoured at the Triennials and Festivals.

Encouraging the winegrower to do the best possible work in the vineyard. Winemaking is not monitored by the experts, who limit themselves to work in the vineyard.

Be in contact with the activities of the Confrérie des Vignerons, whose primary objective is to improve wine culture.

Information:

For further information, please contact the president of the vineyard commission, who can provide details of the latest decisions taken by the commission and updates to the guidelines (Jean-François Chevalley, Cully, 021/799 13 00).

See Winegrowers' Festival. Full details are available on the official website at the link below: