Having written about three Swiss wine regions I have just visited over the past three articles, I thought I would conclude my Swiss trip by giving a very brief run-down of some of the wines we drank along the way, whether that be in restaurants or staying with friends, who as always opened quite a lot of wine, especially wine from Geneva, for us to try.

I shall try to keep the notes very short. I think it is unlikely that many, if any, of these wines will currently be available in the UK, though I am aware that my readership outside the UK seems to be growing quickly, and some US importers are a bit more clued-up on Swiss wines. You will see that Alpine Wines, the UK’s major Swiss Wine specialist, has some wines from one of the producers here (Montmollin), and that The Wine Society has recently stocked one of the wines (Duboux), both of whom I’ve covered in the articles on Neuchâtel and Lavaux.

One thing to note is that although every wine here is, in its own way, modern in terms of flavours and outlook, an awful lot of the domaines go back several generations. This is very noticeable among the family estates in the Geneva appellation. In many ways this sums up Switzerland, where the desire to move forward and keep innovating is usually achieved without losing sight of tradition, because tradition is rooted in the family.

Chasselas de Dardagny 2024, Domaine Les Hutins (Geneva)

It’s probably quite fitting that the first bottle we drank on arrival in Switzerland was from Les Hutins. If you have read my last article, on the Geneva Appellation, you will know that this 13-hectare estate is my favourite producer in the region. It’s a pale, fresh, young wine which was bottled this year. The bouquet reminds me of Mirabelle plums, the palate is mineral and saline, with a characteristic savoury, herbal, twist to the finish. Aperitif, or fondue perhaps. Just 13CHF from the domaine belies how good I think this is, a fine example of crisp, youthful Chasselas. Read more about Les Hutins in Part 3 (30/10).

Gamay and Pinot Noir 2022, Domaine Les Perrières (Geneva)

This estate, owned by the Rochaix family for eight generations, began growing grapes in 1794. The domaine is run today by Frédéric Rochaix in line with the tenets of the regional environmental “Terre Avenir” organisation. They are based at Satigny, which is actually the largest wine commune in Switzerland. Their production consists of wines made from estate-grown fruit and purchased grapes (Cave Les Perrières), but the two wines shown here are domaine wines, and both made from their vines in the nearby village of Peissy. Both wines are from fruit grown on hillside sites up to 500 masl. The Pinot undergoes a traditional fermentation whilst the Gamay is partly made by carbonic maceration (whole berries). We are at the fruity end of the spectrum, although they both register at around 13% abv and have some structure. The Pinot costs around £14, the Gamay at £11.

Cuvée Madame Rosmarie 2023, A Mathier (Valais)

This bottle was drunk with Rösti on our first night in the mountains. It was a good match, although it was not quite as “dry” as I was led to believe by the waitress. It’s a white blend of four varieties: Petite Arvine, Pinot Blanc, Gros Rhin (Silvaner in this instance) and Pinot Gris. It carries 13.5% alcohol, so it was on the weightier side. The estate is at Salquenan, or Salgesch if you are speaking German, just east of Sierre in the heart of the Valais. I know Albert Mathier’s wines, but this was my first from Adrien and Diego Mathier, whose “Cave Nouveau Salquenan” is a modern building in Salgesch. The wine has a floral bouquet and a rich palate which seemed just off-dry.

Garanoir-Pinot Noir 2023 Weinkellerei Riem, Daepp & Co (Thunersee AOC)

This was a local wine more or less, when we were in Grindelwald. In any case, I’d never had a wine from this Bernese winery, so I had to give it a try. Garanoir is, of course, one of the “new” Swiss varieties (created as long ago as 1970) which has got itself a real foothold all over the country. It’s a fruity wine with 12.5% alcohol, simple if I’m honest, but certainly enjoyable and I’m glad we gave it a go. It may have been a bit light for my wild boar. But Switzerland has many wines and regions I’ve never tried. Sometimes you get a perfectly acceptable bottle, other times a gem. Sometimes something in between, like this one.

A Poil Petnat 2023, Domaine de Montmollin (Neuchâtel/Trois Lacs)

If you want to read more about this excellent Auvernier domaine, see Part 1 of my Swiss jaunt (published 24 October). Whilst a number of their wines are available in the UK online, via Alpine Wines, and occasionally in retail outlets they supply, you won’t find the “A Poil” wines here. These are fully natural wines, although the estate is fully biodynamic across its whole range. What makes these wines different is the zero added sulphur regime. In the case of this petnat, it’s a double zero…no dosage added either.

The blend is Chasselas and Sauvignon Blanc and the alcohol is 11.5%.  It’s very dry, but I admit I’m a fan of zero dosage. The spine is firm and the bubbles are fine. The back label suggests it will keep one-to-three years and to drink between 8-to-10 degrees (and to cellar between 10-15 degrees), all making sense. If you serve it too cold you won’t get the nice floral bouquet. I do really like this. 25CHF.

Centaure Pinot Noir 2020, Domaine du Centaure (Geneva)

Another Dardagny domaine you can read more about (in Part 3), among the best producers of the Rive Droite at Geneva. Claude and Julien Ramu make a range of wines, most named after mythical creatures. This one just happens to be named after the domaine itself, but then Pinot Noir is central to what they do so well here. It sees a fairly traditional vinification, a couple of weeks with pigeage by hand daily. Aged in 225-litre oak for 12 months, it will keep for a decade, but this 2020 seemed tasty enough to me.

The nose mixes red fruits, mostly cherry, with a bit of toasty oak, whilst the palate has ripe cherry and a bit of spice. Fruit-forward but will develop. There is also a cheaper “Dardagny Pinot Noir”.

Noir Désir 2021, Domaine de la Mermière (Geneva)

This is an organic and biodynamic producer, the domaine run by Christophe and Yves Batardon, farming 11 hectares in four parcels around their village, Soral and nearby Laconnex, southwest of the city of Geneva. In general, the vines grow on chalky soils with glacial deposits. Noir Désir, possibly named with at least a nod to the controversial French band of that name, I’m not sure, is a red blend comprising Gamay de Chaudenay (a rare mutation), Pinot Noir, Garanoir and Galotta. Whilst Garanoir (and Gamaret) have been popular in the Geneva AOC for a long while, Galotta is a variety I’m beginning to see a lot more of as well now.

This is a wine made in oak. There are plenty of wines made in Geneva which still insist on a bit of muscle and heft, and this is one. You might think it needs ageing, but actually, with its concentrated fruit and structure it tasted pretty good, largely I think because the tannins are well-managed. This 50cl bottle of 2021 weighed in at 14% abv. 21CHF for a full bottle of the 2022 (current vintage), 14CHF for 50cl.

Aligoté 2023, Domaine des Curiades (Geneva)

I recall that this was one of the first Geneva estates I tried some decades ago, but the domaine itself was started in 1909. The fourteen hectares of vineyards, originally planted way back by Benedictine monks around the village of Lully, were acquired by Jules Dupraz, and they have been farmed by four generations of the family to this day. It was Jules who introduced Aligoté though. The desire was to have a white variety with more overt fruit than the Chasselas, and the current team have succeeded in that. There’s none of the old-fashioned acid fest here, and plenty of fruit. It’s a simple white wine in some respects, though I think there is no hurry to drink it up. It’s just 12CHF. It’s one of those wines I’d probably not drive twenty miles for a bottle, but if it were there on the shelf I’d take it, definitely.

Chasselas “Les Murets” Villette AOC 2023, Domaine Blaise Duboux (Lavaux)

Blaise Duboux is one of the best growers on the UNESCO World Heritage terraces of Lavaux. He’s based at Epesses. Note that he isn’t the only Duboux in the region. Blaise, who is now fully certified biodynamic, is, apparently, the 17^th generation of his family to farm here. Although the domaine is pretty small, he makes a range of wines, from the Grands Crus of Lavaux down to much cheaper wines, but as they say, a top producer doesn’t release poor wines. This one, off a mix of chalky and sandy soils, could be described as his entry-level Chasselas.

This is a nice citrus-fresh white wine with typical herbal notes which contrast with its floral aromas and give a nice finish, quite savoury. It has good balance between fruit, acidity and texture. As with all good Chasselas, drink as an aperitif, or with raclette and fondue, with which it is a perfect match. Blaise recommends it with sushi…a very good call. At only 12% abv, it’s a good choice as a lunch wine too.

The Wine Society had it listed until earlier this year, where it retailed for £22.50. That’s not a bad markup as it will cost 17CHF at the domaine. Respect to whichever TWS buyer grabbed this. Please bring it back. However, the Grands Crus from this domaine are some of the best Lavaux renditions of Chasselas you will find, I think. You may currently need to head out there to find some, though the Dézaley “Haut de Pierre” would knock you back 41.30CHF at the Lavaux Vinorama. The Grand Crus are intended to be aged.

Gamaret « Noir Combe » 2022, Domaine des Graves (Geneva)

This domaine, farmed by Nicolas and Marie Cadoux at Avusy, southwest of Geneva, has also been in the same family for a long time, in this case since 1918. Nicolas has been farming the vines for the past thirty years, with the next generation apparently waiting in the wings. The wines are modern and they aim for high quality. That does mean here another wine with heft, though despite showing 14.2% abv on the label, it didn’t taste ponderous or heavy. Gamaret can make surprisingly juicy and tasty wines, as with this example. I can be quite put off by high alcohol reds that top the 14% mark, usually because they can tend to be more like tomato soup than fresh, clean and juicy. This doesn’t suffer that fate. Priced at 17CHF (though currently on offer at 13.60 at the domaine’s online store).

So, there we have eleven wines which we drank in Switzerland on our recent trip. A random selection, for sure. These were all wines we enjoyed, though for different reasons. The wines I enjoyed most here, in no particular order, were:

• Chasselas de Dardagny, Domaine Les Hutins (Dardagny, Geneva)
• A Poil Petnat, Domaine de Montmollin (Auvernier, Lac de Neuchâtel)
• Centaure Pinot Noir, Domaine du Centaure (Dardagny, Geneva)
• Chasselas « Les Murets » Blaise Duboux (Villette AOC, Lavaux)