Definition: pagan

It is mainly found in Upper Valais, under the name Heida. This is the name given to wine made from the Savagnin blanc grape variety in the canton of Valais (not to be confused with Salvagnin, which is a quality label in the canton of Vaud).

Schiner, in his "Description du Département du Simplon" (Description of the Simplon Department), wrote in 1912: "...a certain type of white wine, known as vin païen... whatever its origin, it has borne this name since time immemorial..."

The naturalist and ethnographer F.-G. Stebler, who conducted a study on the municipality of Visperterminen, wrote in 1901: "As the word Heida indicates, this variety has a very ancient origin, as the prefix 'Heida' is attached to many objects that supposedly or actually date back to pagan times, i.e. before evangelisation."

The translation of Heida as "pagan" is lexically accurate, and in the local dialect, Heida or Heido means "of very ancient origin, from a very distant time", as in "Heidenhäuser = old buildings" or "der Heido, the oldest bisse or irrigation canal in Visperterminen".

Source: Cépages du Valais - Claude-Henri Carruzzo.

Another source of information on this Aulian grape variety can be found below: