Switzerland's
best wines
The 'Mémoire des Vins Suisses' part 2
Présentation
au Casino de Morges
This
was a public tasting involving most of the producers from MdVS (see
part 1); it was also my first serious exposure to Swiss wine,
although I had been impressed by a few high-end Chasselas we’d been
served on visits to family in Commugny, near Geneva. My first
impressions were very favourable: here was a surprisingly diverse range
of wine styles, with uniformly high quality. A few highlights included
some very good Syrahs, several pretty serious Chasselas wines, a
ringer for a top classed growth Bordeaux and my first experience of
the red grape Cornalin. This deserves a special mention: there are
only 30–40
acres of this in Switzerland and just a few in Valle d’Aosta in
Italy. Yet 30 years ago there were just 5–7 vines in the world! It
almost became extinct, but on the showing here, it’s a good job it
didn’t. Apparently, it’s a pain to grow, though.
Raymond
Paccot
1173 Féchy
www.lacolombe.ch
Raymond
Paccot Domaine de la Colombe Le Brez 2003 Féchy
A Chasselas. Full, quite interesting herby nose. Palate is
rich, concentrated
and quite fat with lovely intensity of melony fruit. Quite a rich,
low-acid style. Thick, fat
and delicious. Very good/excellent 91/100
Raymond
Paccot Domaine de la Colombe Le Brez 2001 Féchy
Full, quite intense herby nose. The
palate is rich and concentrated with fat, melony fruit and good acid,
giving a spicy finish. Quite developed in a sweet, herby style. A bit
fresher than the 2003 and with lovely definition. Very good/excellent
91/100
Raymond
Paccot Domaine de la Colombe Reserve Pinot Gris 2004 La Côte
A rich,
fat white with nice, rounded fruit. Very good+ 88/100
Charles
Rolaz, Hammel SA
Chemin des Cruz, 1180 Rolle
www.hammel.ch
Domaine
du Crochet Cuvée Charles Auguste 2003
Really
classic Claret-taste alike. Nose shows full blackcurranty fruit with
some classy spicy definition. Serious stuff. Good concentration of
blackcurrant fruit on the palate with spicy structure. A stylish wine
of great character and potential. Very good/excellent 93/100
Domaine
de la Muraz Humagne/Cornalin 2004 Sion
Lovely
vivid, intense sweet juicy red fruits nose. Fantastic. The palate is
fresh and full with lovely fruit purity: it is concentrated, fresh and
delicious. Very good/excellent 91/00
Hans-Ulrich
Kesselring, Schlossgut Bachtobel
Bachtobelstrasse
76, 8561 Ottoberg
www.bachtobel.ch
Bachtobel
Pinot Noir No. 2 Auslese 2004
Made
with wild yeasts in large casks (800 litres). Lovely pure sweet fruits
on the nose. The palate has nice elegant sweet fruit. Quite fresh and
sappy with lovely elegance. Very good/excellent 92/100
Bachtobel
Pinot Noir No 3. Der Andre 2003
Lovely
sweet forward intense nose shows elegant spicy red fruits. The palate
is rich and full with nice subtle roasted richness to the fruit. Quite
elegant with lovely definition. Very good/excellent 90/100
Christian
Zündel
6981 Beride
christian.zuendel@bluemail.ch
Terraferma
2003
Sweet
dark fruits nose. Lovely modern spicy dark fruits palate which is
quite full and with a savoury bite on the finish. Nice fruit. Very
good+ 89/100
Orrizonte
2001
Nice
dark fruits with a distinctive spiciness. The palate is dark and full
with lovely spicy intensity. Delicious. Very good/excellent 90/100
Domaine
Henri Cruchon
1112
Echichens
www.henricruchon.com
Henri
Cruchon Les Pétoleyres 2004 Morges
Chasselas. Quite a sweet, honeyed, herby nose : aromatic and
fruity. Rich fruity palate with good concentration and a rounded
texture, together with a trace of nuttiness. Very good+ 89/100
Henri
Cruchon Pinot Blanc 2004
Wonderful,
fresh, slightly spicy, richly fruited nose. Lively palate with great
acidity backing up the fresh fruit. Quite delicious: a fantastic wine.
Very good/excellent 92/100
Louis Bovard
Domaine Louis Bovard
1096 Cully
www.domainebovard.com
Louis
Bouvard Dézaley Médinette 1997 Dézaley
Chasselas. Deep yellow–gold colour. Rich, nutty nose. Palate shows
smooth rounded fruit: quite ripe with pear and melon notes. Soft and
mellow. Very good+ 89/100
Louis
Bouvard Dézaley Médinette 2004 Dézaley
Fresh,
open, herby minerally nose. The palate combines lovely rich herby
fruit with good acidity. A really delicious fruity white. Very
good/excellent 91/100
Louis
Bouvard Buxus Sauvignon 2003
Deep
yellow colour. Really fantastic nose is rich and open with full, fresh
peachy fruit. Sweet and intense. The palate is rich with flavours of
melon and peach, together with a bit of lychee. Very good/excellent
92/100
Louis
Bouvad Rouge 2003
A blend
of Syrah and Merlot with just a touch of Pinot Noir. Smooth, pure
fruity nose of forest fruits. The palate shows ripe smooth red and
black fruits with good acid. Modern and pure. Very good+ 89/100
Baumann
Weingut
Unterdorf 117, 8216 Oberhallau
www.baumannweingut.ch
Baumann
Pinot Noir R 2002 Oberhallau
Herby,
spicy, smoky nose. The palate is bright and fruity with a roasted
character. Nice and fresh. Very good+ 89/100
Baumann
Pinot Noir R 2003 Oberhallau
More
rounded, with richer, spicy fruit. It’s quite elegant, although
there’s plenty of oak influence. Very good+ 89/100
Baumann
Pinot Gris 2004
Rich,
fat open nose shows melon and tropical fruits. The palate is smooth
and fat with some sweet fruit, nice acid and a soft, buttery texture.
Delicious, with some spicy complexity. Very good/excellent 91/100
Casa Vinicola Gialdi SA
Via Vignoo 3, 6850 Mendriso
www.gialdi.ch
Gialdi
Giornico Riserva Oro Merlot 2002 Ticinio
Fruity,
spicy character with some dark fruits. It’s quite open – a fruity
style with good weight. Perhaps a bit flat on the nose. Very good+
89/100
Gialdi
Sassi Grossi Merlot 2003 Ticinio
Aged for
18 months in new French oak. Dark, spic, chocolatey nose, with vivid
fruit. The oak is apparent on the dark, spicy palate. Firmly tannic
finish. Nice, but a little bit oaky. Very good+ 88/100
Gialdi
Biasca Premium 2001 Ticinio
Aged in
used barrels. Dark coloured. Deep spicy dark fruits nose. Structured
dark fruits on the palate with nice definition and an appealing
spiciness. Very good+ 88/100
Rouvinez Vins Sierre
Colline de Géronde, 3960 Sierre
www.rouvinez.com
Château
Lichten Blanc 2001
A very
appealing white wine. Lovely open brightly fruited nose with a smoky
edge to the herbal fruit. The palate shows nice concentration with
bright acidity and a rubbery, smoky edge to the fruit. Delicious and
expressive with some fruit sweetness on the finish. Very
good/excellent 92/100
Château
Lichten Blanc 2005 (tank sample)
Fantastic:
fresh, open and spicy with really nice weight and acidity. Very
good/excellent 91–94/100
Château
Lichten Cornalin Montibeux 2004
A
varietal Cornalin. Bright, open fruity nose with delicious forward red
fruits. The palate is pure, vivid and fruity with lovely weight and
freshness. Very good/excellent 90/100
Some
of the wines from this producer are carried by Tanners in the UK
Provins Valais
Rue de l’Industrie 22, 1950 Sion
www.provins.ch
Domaine
Evêché Diolinoir 2003
Sweet,
open pure nose of red fruits. The palate is bright with nice open,
slightly meaty dark fruits. Finishes savoury and spicy. A nice modern,
rather oaky style of wine. Very good+ 89/100
Domaine
Evêché Clos Corbassières 2002
Really
nice nose of sweet fruit, quite tight, with a nicely defined herby
edge. There’s a bright, structured, earthy character to the palate
which shows fresh fruit and nice acidity. A keeper? Very good+ 89/100
Jean-René Germanier Balavaud
Route Cantonale 285, 1963 Vétroz
www.jrgermanier.ch
Cayas
Syrah 2003 Valais
Modern,
forward, spicy-edged nose with good fruit and nicely judged oak.
There’s a hint of meatiness. The palate is meaty, rich and spicy
with nice weight of fruit and good structure. Needs to come together a
bit but great promise. Very good/excellent 90/100
Cayas
Syrah 1998 Valais (magnum)
Open,
perfumed meaty nose is very appealing. The palate is expressive and
open with lovely dark fruit and nice meaty spiciness. A modern style.
Very good/excellent 91/100
Domaine Cornalus, Stéphane Reynard & Dany Varone
(above)
Route de Savièse, 1965 Savièse
www.cornalus.ch
Clos
de Corbassières Johannisberg Vieilles Vignes 2004 Valais
This is
another name for Sylvaner. It’s quite richly fruited white with a
nice fresh spiciness. Good acid and nice weight. Clean and fresh with
some lemony fruit. Very good+ 89/100
Cornalin
Antica 2003 Valais
Lovely
fresh, vivid sweet red fruits. The palate is nicely weighted with some
herbiness backing up the vivid fruit. Nice stuff. Very good+ 89/100
see
also:
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