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SWITZERLAND
Swiss viticulture, a wealth of history, terroirs and grape varieties
Switzerland offers an original and high-quality wine production with a very wide variety of microclimates, soils, traditions, and grape varieties. Swiss viticulture dates back to Gallo-Roman times, more than 2000 years ago, and probably earlier among the Allobroges around Lake Geneva, as indicated by recent research.
Switzerland's wine-growing regions
The Swiss vineyard covers about 15,000 hectares, which are spread over six regions, four of which bear the name of the canton: Valais, the largest with almost 5000 hectares, Vaud, Geneva and Ticino. This is followed by the Three-Lakes region, which covers the vineyards around the lakes of Neuchâtel, Murten and Biel, and the sixth region is made up of sixteen German-speaking cantons divided into three sections, west, central and east.
The vineyards are often at high altitudes, up to more than 1000 metres in the Upper Valais, and overlook a valley, river or lake. The Swiss vineyard is operated by 2500 winemakers and the vast majority of vineyards cover less than 5 hectares each. Often located in mountainous and hard-to-reach areas, yields are lower and nearly 18% of farms are organic or biodynamic.
The great diversity of Swiss grape varieties
The main Swiss grape varieties are Chasselas (Fendant, Gutedel) and Pinot Noir, which together account for half of the cultivated area. This is followed by Chardonnay, Sylvaner, Pinot Gris, Marsanne Blanche (Ermitage), Savagnin Blanc (Païen), Gamay and Müller-Thurgau.
More than 250 autochthonous grape varieties cover the Swiss vineyards, such as the rare and highly sought-after Arvine and Doral in white, Gamaret, Garanoir, Cornalin and Humagne in red.
The quality and originality of Swiss wines
The singular and multifaceted terroir, the care taken by the winemakers in the vineyard as well as in the cellar, and the production focused on renowned grape varieties such as Pinot Noir or indigenous grape varieties, allow Swiss wines to make a sought-after place in the cellars of wine lovers.
Some of the best Swiss wines include the grands crus of the canton of Vaux and the Côte (Féchy), the white wines made from the Traminer and Chasselas grape varieties of the cantons of Vaud (Chablais) and Geneva and the Lavaux region, and the great white and red wines made from native grape varieties vinified alone or in blends in Fuchy in the Valais.
Price, low to high
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