An unusually hot summer in Switzerland has brought forward grape harvesting by a record three weeks, reported RTS. A harvest this early has never been seen before and is expected to result in good quality grapes that could produce excellent wine. Last year, disturbed weather patterns took a huge toll on Swiss grape harvests. Yields […]
Chart of the week – Swiss wine by canton
Switzerland produces around 90 million litres of wine a year, placing it among the top 25 largest wine makers in the world. Other nations producing similar amounts of wine include Georgia, Ukraine and Japan. Switzerland has a long history of wine making and many of its own grape varieties. Müller-Thurgau, a well-known white wine grape […]
Swiss switched to local wine during pandemic
In 2020, wine consumption is Switzerland slumped by 6%. However, consumption of locally produced wine rose 0.3%. The biggest drop was in imported white wine (-14%), followed by imported red wine (-8%). Consumption of Swiss red wine (+0.5%) rose the most followed by Swiss white wines (+0.2%). Big drivers of falling wine consumption were the […]
Swiss wine review: Sauvignon Gris Grand Cru 2014 Domaine la Capitaine
Sauvignon Gris, cousin of Sauvignon Blanc has high sugar content, good acidity, low yields and a pinkish coloured skin. It is rarely found in Switzerland, in fact it has nearly disappeared completely, although small amounts can still be found in New Zealand, Australia and France. What’s more this one is Bio! Sauvignon Gris Grand Cru […]
Switzerland: heavy drinking linked to education among women
On 12 May 2015 the OECD released its report on OECD alcohol consumption. Over the last 20 years alcohol consumption has declined slightly in the OECD, however this total masks growth trends among women and young people. It appears that men are on average consuming less. Wealthier, better educated people also drink more than average […]
Wine review by Nina – Diolinoir – Swiss Red
St-Saphorin, Diolinoir, Alexandre Chapuis et Fils 2013 The ingenuous Swiss. Not only have they mastered watch, cheese and chocolate making they have also mastered the art of creating fantastic new grape varieties unique to Switzerland. Given this you can understand why they export less than 1% of their wine. Their wines are so good its […]
Discover the mysteries of the Humagne rouge grape
The Humagne red grape variety is believed to have come from Val d’Aosta in Italy. Although its exact origins are still not yet fully known. What we do know is that it is widely planted in Valais, it is a late ripener, has soft subtle tannin a type of savage wildness about it and is […]
Wine reveiw – Plan Joyeux 2012, Terres de Lavaux de Lutry
Gamay, Pinot Noir, Gamaret and Garanoir. A wine for hunters and gathers and lovers of Mother Nature. Lutry is a quaint, pretty little medieval town in the Vaud canton on the edge of Lake Leman. Its origins go way back in time to the Neolithic period. Every year in September it has a great wine […]
Quatuor 2011, Grand Cru, Domaine du Montet Bex
Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah A heavenly rich wine this blend of mainly Bordeaux varieties (apart from Syrah, its main abode being the Rhone Valley in France) perched above the salt mines in Bex. The Merlot and Cabernet Franc bring softness and fruit; the Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, tannin and stamina. Bex is […]
Gamay, Abbaye de Mont, Mont-sur-Rolle 2013
Gamay Vieilles Vignes, Abbaye de Mont, Mont-sur-Rolle 2013, Ville de Lausanne Vieilles vignes means old vines, well, how old? You may ask. In this case between twenty to thirty years. Vines can continue to produce winemaking grapes for about 200 years. The older the vine, the better the wine. But the older the vines, the smaller […]
