Neuchâtel

The 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 undergone a steady expansion since then, notably 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 varieties.

Benefiting from a relatively dry, well-ventilated, sunny climate, with the lake as a thermal regulator and the Jura arc as a protector against the Atlantic currents, the Neuchâtel vineyard is particularly favourable to pinot noir. Production is 52% oriented towards red wines (of which nearly 48% is pinot).

The stony, chalky Jurassic soils of the coastline are particularly suited to this grape variety, which can find some of the country's fullest and most subtle expressions here, and whose reputation has already crossed borders for some time, following the example of the wines of Domaine de la Rochette.

In white, Chasselas is the main grape variety (about 30% of the production) and gives here wines oriented on freshness and dynamism.