Contributed by the Hello Switzerland Editorial Team
32
Discover Switzerland: Wine Awaken your taste buds on our voyage of discovery around Switzerland’s wines. Nestling between the major wineproducing countries of France, Italy, Austria and Germany, Switzerland’s unique topography contributes to the extreme diversity of its wines. With a large choice of grape varieties, the most typical are Chasselas (white) and Pinot Noir (red). These will have widely differing characteristics depending on the soil and situation where they are grown. With vineyards dating back to Roman times, there are six major wine-growing areas in Switzerland, producing some 1.1 million hectolitres a year (51-49% white-red). And yet only about 1.5% of Swiss wines are exported, as the Swiss prefer to consume the rich choice of their own wines. Listed below are just a few of the delightful wines you can discover all over Switzerland.
SWITZERLAND
The Basel Region The wines of the Basel region have improved enormously over the last couple of decades and even merit a few lines in Hugh Johnson’s indispensable wine book. Most villages boast their own vineyards of which they are very proud, and make a point of serving their own wine at every opportunity.
It offers a larger variety of wines than most, with one Blauburgunder from Frick and another from Hornussen, a Chardonnay, and amazing things like a full-bodied Gamaret/Garanoir mix (the northern Swiss climate doesn’t usually allow for full-bodied wines, being more suitable for light ones). They offer guided tours and special events like the summer wine night. www.fibl.org
Ebenrain Castle, Sissach (photo © swiss-image.ch)
vations for special occasions. As well as Gutedel and Riesling-Sylvaner, they produce an oaked Pinot Gris (barrique), a Gewürztraminer and a bubbly (Crémant) that won a prize at the Zurich wine fair; among their red wines are several different Pinot Noirs and a Garanoir – a type that has been steadily gaining ground in recent years. www.domainenussbaumer.ch
One of finest areas is in Muttenz, with lovely vineyards on the sheltered side of the Wartenberg, which expand year by year. There are information boards at strategic points telling you all about grape varieties and the history of winegrowing from Roman times. Jauslin, a family business in its fourth generation, is one of the best local producers with beautiful premises in a newly converted barn: their Sauvignon Blanc and Gutedel are extremely potable, and their Pinot Noir was gold medal winner at last year’s wine fair in Basel. www.jauslinweine.ch
Moving further out, Buess in Sissach is in its fifth generation with vineyards in several areas. Its Maisprach location is another area with a favourable microclimate that’s been known for generations – the Sunneberg (sunny mountain) – and is particularly good for Riesling Sylvaner. Its Pinot Noir is sensational; I remember having lunch in Maisprach years ago and not believing the expression on my husband’s face when he tasted it. It can’t be that good, I thought. It was. Buess also has a “Deux Noirs” made of Pinot Noir and Dioly Noir, served to first-class passengers on Swiss International flights. www.buessvins.ch
Domaine Nussbaumer in Aesch (Vordere Klus) has an excellent reputation. Well out of the village in a sheltered valley, it’s a favourite destination for a Sunday outing, and they’ll take reser-
Weingut FiBL, based in Frick, concentrates on producing organic wine from several vineyards, and is also involved in research and experimentation with new fungus-resistant grape varieties.
There are even vineyards in Basel-Stadt itself, tucked away near the German border in Riehen. Once extremely important as a source of wine for rich Basel burghers, they’ve dwindled over the years and were saved from oblivion by the local government thirty years ago. Adjoining areas over the border in Germany are perhaps more interesting: the superb vineyards of Tüllingerhöhe for example, which continue round the hill to the village of Oetlingen with its picturesque hostelries and garden restaurants. Both offer fabulous views over Basel (as well as excellent wine!). Basel offers a great opportunity of trying all the main local wines (and many others) twice a year, at the autumn fair (Herbstmesse), held at the Mustermesse on 29 October to 13 November this year, and at the spring fair (MUBA), 13-22 April 2012. Anitra Green Zurich Area Zurich is well known for its banks and its lake, but not for its wine. Many citizens are not even aware that wine is produced in the canton. And these are not micro-wineries that you can only reach through direct purchase. I am talking about the Staatskellerei situated in Rheinau. Their wines are generally available in Coop as well as many good wine shops. You can of course also order directly from them. The Staatskellerei has an interesting history. It combines the story of a more