It is a long and happy tradition in the wine producing areas of the country for wine-growers to celebrate the end of harvest. Geneva produces many fine wines and the vignerons in the village of Russin are typically pretty partial to a good party. This weekend in the village of Russin on the western side […]
On the hunt for local wines to enjoy with game
The onset of autumn announces a highlight of the gastronomic year. Game season is here once more which means that restaurants and food stores are tempting us with tastes and ingredients traditionally reserved for this time of year. When it comes to pairing wines with game we are blessed with a wonderful variety of local […]
Dôle des Monts, 2012 Robert Gilliard, Sion
Some Pinot Noir, some Gamay and voila you have Dôle. The two grape varieties (Pinot Noir and Gamay) assembled together create an entirely different and distinctive flavour than when on their own; this is the uniqueness of this wine. Dôle usually requires at least 50% of the wine to be Pinot Noir and the rest […]
Rosé wines – 50 shades of pink
Rosé wines are becoming increasingly popular all year round and that was even before Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt put their money in Château Miraval, their summer home in Provence where rosé dominates the wine scene. Fruity cool refreshment, a desire to conjur up long sunny days and growing wine consumption amongst women may be […]
A bit of Fribourg in Vaud – The Domaine des Faverges
In an ironic twist of fate, the largest of the roughly 200 vineyards in Lavaux belongs to the neighbouring canton of Fribourg. The Domaine des Faverges, originally cultivated by Catholic monks, found itself isolated in Protestant Vaud when, during the 1847 Sonderbund War, Fribourg and several other Catholic cantons briefly resisted incorporation into the Swiss […]
The Golden Slopes of Burgundy Part 2
The simplest way to make sense of the Burgundy appellations is to imagine a pyramid divided into four levels with increasing quality but ever decreasing quantity of wine the higher you go. At the bottom are the so-called regional wines, which feature the word Bourgogne in the name of the appellation, for example Bourgogne Rouge. […]
The Golden Slopes of Burgundy part 1
Switzerland lies at a wine-making crossroads in Europe. Not only is it home to a diversity of wonderful wines and stunning vineyards, but it also borders some of the richest and most varied wine regions in the world. In this second of a series of articles to learn more about our wine-producing neighbours we head […]
Caves ouvertes
Visiting different regions around the country is always a great excuse to go wine tasting (if an excuse is ever needed). This weekend the Valais producers are opening their cellars to the public. Valais 29 – 31 May Click here for more details – Benoît Dorsaz, 1926 Fully – Simon Maye et Fils, 1955 Saint-Pierre-de-Clages […]
Caves ouvertes – the Swiss wine marathon
Just in case you have nothing planned for four out of the next six weekends, the majority of wine producers throughout Switzerland are throwing open their doors for the annual ‘Caves Ouvertes’ season. If you have enough stamina, inclination and spare time, you can embark on a wine tour round Switzerland and visit literally hundreds […]
Wines in full bloom
The colourful burst of flowers heralding spring is a natural invitation to discover wines that boast enticing blossom aromas. Here is a seasonal selection of dry white and red wines made from grape varieties with a definite floral character. Sauvignon Blanc is one grape variety that established New Zealand’s reputation for quality wine. Not only […]