Category Archives: Valais Wine

The Gamaret

Posted on March 19, 2011 by

This young Swiss grape variety is a recent development, a cross between Gamay and Reichensteiner. It is an early grape, productive and disease-resistant. It was initially planned as a grape that would add colour to blended wines but producers quickly … Continue reading →

Posted in Valais Wine, Vineyards in Valais, Wine | Tagged , | Leave a comment

The Diolinoir

Posted on February 19, 2011 by

This is a Swiss grape variety created in 1970, the result of a cross between Pinot Noir and Rouge de Diolly, also known as Robin Noir, introduced into Valais in the 1920s. It is a plant of medium vigour, with … Continue reading →

Posted in Valais Wine, Vineyards in Valais, Wine | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Humagne Rouge

Posted on February 9, 2011 by

This variety comes from an old cross made in Val d’Aosta, Italy, between Cornalin and an unknown variety. Humagne Rouge was introduced in Valais via the Great Saint Bernard pass at the end of the 19th century. Despite its recent … Continue reading →

Posted in Valais Wine, Vineyards in Valais, Wine | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Syrah

Posted on February 2, 2011 by

Syrah is the grape behind France’s famous Côte Rôtie et Hermitage appellations. In climbing back up the Rhone river this grape has, not surprisingly, found a second home. It was brought to the canton in 1926 and is currently all … Continue reading →

Posted in Valais Wine, Vineyards in Valais, Wine | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Gamay

Posted on January 29, 2011 by

Gamay, like Pinot Noir from which it is a genetic mutation, was introduced into the canton during the major restructuring that went on in the 19th century. Its excellent reputation in the Lower Valais, around Fully and Martigny, is linked … Continue reading →

Posted in Valais Wine, Vineyards in Valais | Tagged , | Leave a comment

The Aristocrat amongst the Valais Reds

Posted on January 22, 2011 by

                                               Photo: http://www.romanduvin.ch/   Cornalin Cornalin is a cross between two Valdotan grape varieties. The first recorded mention of it was at the start of the 14th century. It matures late, is a capricious and even very capricious grape during … Continue reading →

Posted in Culinary Valais, Valais Wine, Wine | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Vineyards in the Valais – A Brief History

Posted on December 29, 2010 by

THE IRON AGE (800 – 15 BC) The First Traces of Wine Long before Roman times, wine had already been part of the consumption habits of the local elite. It is very likely that our neighbours in North Italy and … Continue reading →

Posted in Valais Wine, Vineyards in Valais, Wine | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Vineyards

Posted on November 7, 2010 by

Vineyards, end October, seen from above in Nax.

Posted in The Rhone Valley, Valais Wine, Vineyards in Valais | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Viticulture

Posted on November 7, 2010 by

The Canton of Valais has 5259 hectare of vineyard and is the biggest grape-producing regions in Switzerland. Most of the vine parcels are established on the slopes on the right Rhône banks on a length of 120 (!) kilometers from … Continue reading →

Posted in The Rhone Valley, Valais Wine, Vineyards in Valais | Tagged , , | Leave a comment