MW Swiss Trip hosted and supported by Swiss Wine

Transcription

1 MW Swiss Trip hosted and supported by Swiss Wine 8-13 September 2017 Trip Report 1

2 Contents Changins: Lunch & Lecture, p Scribe: Ed Adams MW Château Chatagneréaz Mont-sur-Rolle Visit & Tasting, p.5-6. Scribe: Jonathan Pedley MW Dinner at Château Chatagneréaz with wine producers, p.6-7. Scribe: Patrick Farrell MW Lecture on the origin and history of Chasselas, pp. 8. Scribe: Nancy Gilchrist MW Presentation and Tasting of Chasselas, including Vertical Tasting, p.9.. Scribe: John Hoskins MW Private Cruise, p Scribe: Susan McCraith MW Tasting & Lunch at LavauxPassion wine fair, pp Scribe: Igor Ryjenkov MW Visit & Tasting to Chateau Maison Blanche, p Scribe: Hugh Suter MW Masterclass and tasting at Chateau de Villa, pp Scribe: Martin Williams MW Walk and lunch at Chamoson, pp Scribe: Beverley Blanning MW Tasting at Celliers de Sion, pp Scribe: Jane Boyce MW Dinner at Provins in Sion, pp Scribe: John Casson MW MW Vineyard visit in Ludiano, pp

3 Scribe: Elizabeth Gabay MW Presentation & Tasting at Ticino, pp Scribe: Philip Goodband MW Lunch, pp Scribe: Richard Kershaw MW Masterclass and tasting on various Swiss woods for wine maturation, pp Scribe: Jonathan Pedley MW Tasting at Casa del Vino, pp Scribe: Mark Pygott MW Dinner with producers at Casa del Vino, pp Scribe: Mark Savage MW Visit & Tasting at Maienfeld, pp Scribe: Ying Hsien Tan MW Sit-down tasting and presentation with 12 Vinotiv Graubünden producers pp Scribe: Mai Tjelmsland MW Visit & Tasting at Zweifel winery p Scribe: Ed Adams MW Dinner in Zweifel s cellar with producers pp Scribe: Patrick Farrell MW 3

4 Friday 8 September 2017 Changins: Lunch & Lecture Ed Adams MW This was an in-depth introduction, useful and very informative introduction to Swiss wine. We began with an overview from the Changins school s Dean of Studies, Professor Roland Riesen. Aptly titled A hidden treasure in the heart of the Alps the professor gave us a brief overview of the significance of the Swiss wine industry. It is clear the Swiss are keen wine consumers, being 4th in the world in terms of consumption (33 litres per head per year). Only 40% of this consumption is supplied from domestic production with nearly 15,000 hectares planted to vines for wine production, around the same area as Alsace we were told. The main production areas are Valais, Vaud and Ticino. Principal varieties are Pinot Noir, Chasselas, Gamay and Merlot; these account for 73% of Swiss production. Excluding Chasselas only 3% of the national vineyard is planted to other, uncrossed and indigenous varieties such as Petite Arvine, Humagne Blanche, Amigne, Räuschling and the wonderful Completer. A further 6% is planted to the indigenous but somewhat underwhelming crosses such as Gamaret, Garanoir and Diolinoir. The professor then told us about the Changins school and various programmes it offers. We then heard from Doctors Johannes Rösti of the Agroscope Research Institute and Oliver Viret of the Canton de Vaud viticultural research centre. These were detailed and highly informative presentations which can be accessed on the Swiss Wine website ( Salient points for me were:- - 33,000 vine growers in Switzerland of whom 27,000 are part time ( Saturday vigernons ) - Mean size of holding in the Valais is 0.38/hectare - Production costs would be high in any country with that sort of land holding but Switzerland is a high cost economy to boot. - Up to 2000 hours/ ha labour is required on the higher, steeper vineyards where no mechanization is possible. Annual costs here are well over 50,000 Swiss Francs per hectare - Even Guyot trained vineyards lower down with maximum mechanisation still have costs of 30,000 francs per hectare. - Some New World vineyards have costs of 5,000 10,000 francs per hectare per year. - Switzerland will never compete with entry level wines! We also learnt about the excellent work done over the years at Agroscope on Integrated Pest Management, disease forecasting and resistant cultivars. The final presentation by Dr. Rösti was on the breeding of grape varieties adapted to Swiss conditions. The most widely planted of these is Gamaret which has good resistance to grey rot and produces good colour. 4

5 We then tried some experimental crosses such as Mara, Diolinoir, Nerelo, Merello and Divico. No doubt they all have good disease resistance (a particular issue in humid areas such as Ticino) but if one is being honest none of them are likely to trouble MW students in coming years, although the newly launched Divico was fairly lively and interesting. Named after a second century Helvetian hero. Château Chatagneréaz Mont-sur-Rolle Visit & Tasting Jonathan Pedley MW The barrel cellar of the Château de Chatagneréaz was the atmospheric setting for a walk around tasting of a selection of wines from Vaud, Neuchâtel and Genève. After a few introductory remarks from Jean-Marc Amez-Droz (Swiss Wine) and François Schenk (owner of Château de Chatagneréaz) the Masters of Wine got down to the serious business of tasting their way around the cellar. The following producers were present: Cave de la Côte Cave du Château de Valeyres Château d Auvernier, Thierry Grosjean & Cie Château de Chatagneréaz Château de Duillier Château de Malessert Cru de l Hôpital Domaine Autecour Domaine de la Maison Carrée Domaine de Martheray Domaine Grand Cour Domaine Henri Cruchon Domaine La Capitaine Domaine La Colombe Grillette Domaine de Cressier La Cave de Genève Les Frères Dutruy Each producer was instructed to show two wines, although as usual the odd bottle appeared from under the table. 5

6 Perhaps the first surprise of the afternoon was the diversity of grape varieties on show. Whilst Chasselas and Pinot Noir were responsible for over half the wines, there were cameo appearances from grapes as diverse as Doral, Chenin Blanc, Galotta, Cabernet Franc, Altesse and Johanniter. Not surprisingly most of the wines were either white or red, but Domaine de la Maison Carrée was showing a pair of Pinot Noir rosés. The estate s Perdrix Blanche 2016, made by whole cluster pressing, was particularly fresh and fruity. The Œil de Perdrix 2016 from Château d Auvernier was also very pleasant. Amongst the white wines, the stand out Chasselas were Château de Malessert s PGC 2015, Domaine Autecour PGCs from both 2015 and 2009, Cave de la Côte s Morges Vieilles Vignes 2016 and Domaine du Martheray GC Aside from the staple Chasselas, the following merited a mention in despatches: Doral Côte de l Orbe 2016 Cave du Château de Valeyres, Chenin Blanc 2015 from Château de Duillier, Cru de l Hôpital s Traminer de Fichillien, the La Côte Johanniter made by Domaine La Capitaine, Viognier Les Guillembergs 2015 Domaine de Cressier and La Cave de Genève s Tresor Sauvignon Blanc Pinot Noir came through as the leading black grape variety, with Domaine Henri Cruchon Servagnin 2015 and La Colombe Noir 2015 as the standout examples. Producers making a decent fist of the Bordeaux black varieties were Domaine Grand Cour with its Cabernet Franc/Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 blend and La Cave de Genève s Clemence Merlot Dinner at Château Chatagneréaz with wine producers Patrick Farrell MW On our first evening in Switzerland, our group was hosted for dinner at Chateau de Chatagnereaz by Francois Schenk. M. Schenk was a convivial host who detailed the founding of the company in the late 19th Century by a humble cooper and how successive generations have built a multinational corporation. Francois made a point that he had purposely tried to select food and wine that would challenge our senses. I tasted each wine without food and then considered the wines in the setting as paired with the dishes. We started off with the following wines: 2016 Viognier Mont-sur-Rolle, La Cote AOC, Chateau de Chatagnereaz This was an elegant, yet ripe viognier having classic apricot and white chocolate aromatics and fullish body. The wine had fairly good acidity levels and was fairly long on the finish. Nicely done Chateau Blanc, Geneva AOC, Chateau du Crest Smoky citrus aromatics and stone fruit flavors and backed up by a fairly firm acidity level Barrique Chardonnay, Neuchatel AOC, Chateau d Auvernier An overtly oaked, rich barrel fermented chardonnay that was a good example of that specific style. 6

7 With the aforementioned wines, we enjoyed a green salad along with smoked fish and lake fish sushi that had been seasoned with lemon juice. On their own, all three white wines were very pleasant with the viognier being my personal favorite. With the acidity found in the lemon juice, my preference changed. The Chateau du Crest wine, with its smoky aromatics and crisper acidity paired well with the smoked character of the fish and the acidity from the lemon. Our next set of wines was: 2014 Plant Robert Domaine de Autecoer, Mont-sur-Rolle La Cote AOC This gamay blend needed some time to open up in the glass, revealing earthy mushroom notes and a good length Esprit de Geneve AOC, Domaine de Charmes A blend of gamay, gameret and merlot, had candied berry aromatics, darker fruit flavors and a silky mouthfeel Pur Sang, Neuchatel AOC, Caves de Chambleau Medium red in color with cherry aromatics and fairly well integrated oak character. We were treated to a delicious dish that included veal in a chanterelles reduction sauce, roasted potatoes and mini-vegetables. The dish was delightful and paired wonderfully with all three wines. We finished the meal with gruyere cheese and two wines. The 2002 Chateau de Chatagnereaz Chasselas, Mont-sur-Rolle AOC was rich, focused, creamy and long showing delightful citrus peel character. It was a delight alone or with the cheese. We also had the 1990 version of the same wine which as a treat, albeit one that was tiring somewhat in the bottle. That said, complex, creamy and long though with some oxidized notes showing its age. Time seemed to vanish as we all had a delightful time and we found ourselves thanking our host and getting aboard the bus. The dinner was a very nice way to end our first day in Switzerland. 7

8 Saturday 9 September 2017 Lecture on the origin and history of Chasselas Nancy Gilchrist MW Alexandre Truffer is Journalist and Editor of VINUM (french) and works with the 'Mondial du Chasselas'. In exemplary English Mr Truffer gave an authoritative account of everything you ever wanted to know about Chasselas, a grape he described as delicate; that can be drunk from morning to night so we need to promote it! There are an estimated 38,000 ha of Chasselas in the world. By far the greatest amount is found in Romania (13,000ha) where it is often sold as a table grape, second is Hungary with 9,000ha, where it is used as a blending grape in wine, and Switzerland comes in third with only around 3,800ha - but here it is glorified for its sophisticated, subtle, quiet strength. There are some deliciously exotic myths surrounding its viticultural origins. Most extraordinary of these is one suggesting that it originated from Egypt; another that it hails from Constantinople. Seemingly more credible is a third that it originates from a french village called Chasselas until you learn that the village was named well after the earliest references to the grape. Even Cahors is dismissed although it is here the oldest living Chasselas vine in the world is to be found (dating back to the 1700s ). Documentary evidence as far back as the 12th century seems to suggest Lake Geneva is the cradle of Chasselas and genetic studies by Dr Jose Vouillamoz ('Etude historico-génétique de l'origine du Chassleas' 2009) would seem to corroborate this. Vouillamoz used DNA markers to show Chasselas has no close relationship to anything grown far away from the Alps. It has some links with red grapes Nebbiolo (Piemonte) and Lagrein (Alto Adige) and white grapes Altesse (Savoie) Petite Arvigne (Valais) Completer (Graubunden in NE Switzerland). Within Switzerland, the Chasselas is grown in almost every sub-region including the Valais where it is referred to as Fendant, and the Germanspeaking regions of the NE, where it is referred to as Gutedel, but the most plausible conclusion is that the Vaud region which has the most widespread and longest history of cultivation of Chasselas should be the area of origin. Although there are up to 18 different biotypes, Chasselas is a consistent grape; it does not mutate easily. And since the 19th century it has migrated widely from Switzerland, Savoie and southern Germany to many parts around the world, including Chile (where it is now known as Corinto), Mexico, Canada and the States. Alexandre finished his presentation with a brief overview of the Mondial du Chasselas. It is the world's largest Chasselas blind-tasting competition and was first held in Aigle in Vaud region this year (2017). Its primary aim is to increase the recognition of the grape. Alexandre also directed us towards a related website listing hundreds of articles on Chasselas: Through this website a network has developed to find the lost Chasselas of the world and to attract them to Aigle to participate in future competitions. 8

9 Presentation and Tasting of Chasselas, including Vertical Tasting John Hoskins MW Presentation of the Chasselas Conservatory with a tasting of 5 clones of Chasselas with Louis- Philippe Bovard. Followed by a vertical Chasselas tasting of the Baronnie du Dézaley. Both at Louis Bovard s cellar, in Cully (Vaud). Louis Bovard was introduced to us as the Emperor of Chasselas his presentation proved the accuracy of that title. He is the 10th generation of his family estate and has personally made 34 vintages. 283 clones of Chasselas have been identified, but Fendant Roux counts for 99% of Swiss plantings and this was the first example we tasted. It was a classic version of the grape as one normally encounters it - clean, light, soft and very charming. The Fendant Vert that followed was more aromatic but leaner and (or did we pre-think it) greener. Not very impressive. Blanchette was the most distinctive of the 5. The PHs were almost identical across the group (3.5) but this felt crisper, with serious minerality and energy. We were told that it does not blend well with other clones.giclet was the fourth example, and representative of a different family of clones (the regular family all share the fendant characteristic of being berries that are firm when squeezed; whereas the Giclet family all squirt out when pressed). The wine had more colour, alcohol, acidity and texture. Bigger in every way. Many in our group preferred it; I found it a little coarse. Finally Bois Rouges (sometimes spelt Rouge), another richer example but with peppery spice, vaguely reminiscent of a Grüner. We then tasted a blend of Giclet and Bois Rouges, on which the team at the Conservatory are very keen. It was certainly greater than the sum of its parts. But other issues may (in my own opinion) be more important in the future. The Vaud is keen on mlf almost all their Chasselas goes through it. That is not the case in Valais and I question its usefulness here. Retained CO2 is also contentious. There seems to be a clear divide between those strongly pro and anti when in fact the best approach would often seem to be between the two. The Baronnie du Dézalay is a group of growers representing 30% of the 55ha of Dézalay, a spectacular vineyard just outside Cully producing the Vaud s most renowned wines. They showed us 6 vintages of Chasselas (3 from vintages considered great, 3 from lesser years) from various producers. We started with 2006 and went back to I have to admit that I am not a cheerleader for any aged white wines where aromatics are dominated by the caramel-apple hints of maderisation; however others in the group were more positive about the wines. I was certainly impressed by the 2000 Medinette from Bovard and the 1983 Marseno from Dubois Fils, in both of which there was still plenty of brightness and a fine balance. Whether Chasselas really needs more than 5 years of age is debatable, but the tasting proved that, despite its modest acidity, it can often last well beyond that. 9

10 Private Cruise Susan McCraith MW We boarded a paddle cruiser at Cully for a 45 minute journey along part of the 30km stretch of south-facing Lavaux vineyards which skirt the steep northern shoreline of Lake Geneva. Firstly Annet Muller of the Lavaux Patrimoniale Association introduced Lavaux and explained how it is a world heritage site protected by UNESCO. In the 11th century the Benedictine and Cistercian controlled this area and replaced the woodland with vines and it has remained unchanged ever since. Despite the fact that they say there are three suns here (the sun, the sun reflected off the lake and the warmth of the sun radiated by the stone retaining walls of the terraced vineyards), it was belting with rain unfortunately, but we still went on deck with Annet's colleague Matthew Roberts who talked about the different terroirs as we cruised past. The slopes range from the lake's edge at 370m up to 650m at the top. There is more clay at the bottom of the slopes. The best known Grand Cru, Dezaley, is on very thin glacial deposits and its exposition means it gets ripe sooner than other areas and with a slightly higher degree of sugar. Back down below there was a tasting of each of the different appellations of Lutry, Villette, Epesses, Calamin, Dezaley, St Saphorin, Chardonne, Vevey-Montreal. There were helpful information panels for each appellation with contour maps and information showing the differences in terroir. 10

11 Tasting & Lunch at LavauxPassion wine fair Igor Ryjenkov MW As probably already mentioned elsewhere, we did not luck out with the weather that day, and the falling drizzle encouraged a quick transition from the boat to the Lavaux Passion site, thankfully under the cover of the tent and just steps away from the boat dock in Cully. The wine fair was a showcase of the 30 local producers, and provided us with an additional opportunity to get exposure to the wines of the region. While the weather did not help with attendance, at least at first, it gave us a chance to discover the wines at a more leisurely pace that could have been otherwise, had the sun been out. Having scanned first the entire line-up to get the gauge of what each table had to offer, Mai and I paired up and decided to focus on a side-by-side tasting of the two stars of the region, the Grand Crus Calamin and Dezaley. By now we knew that the Grand Cru designation in Switzerland operates a la St. Emilion in Bordeaux lower yield and higher potential alcohol is all that is needed to qualify. While the other areas here in Vaud and Lavaux, confusingly, still use the GC designation based on yield and must weight, only these two designated Grand Cru sites in the region and the country represent a Burgundian model of the designation. We just had a fantastic immersion into how ageable the Dezaley wines are, when coming from a great producer, as well as brief overview of the area with the tasting on the boat. It was interesting now to see more of the wines from just around the corner of where the fair was, providing the context for why these are indeed top quality sites and how they manifest themselves in a glass. For my palate, I found that while both wines have a strong mineral component, Dezaley nearly always had more aromatic verticality to it. The young Dezaley were displaying the characteristics that, as we had seen earlier, continued to evolve for years and were very much visible years down the road and normally not associated with Chasselas verbena, citric, Meyer lemon or grapefruit notes, with a lively lift of the palate, overall more aromatic range than its peer. Calamin, on the other hand, had a broader mouthfeel, and relied on its palate presence and the lower register aromatic tones. There were a couple of exceptions, where a cooler, or rather regular vintage of Calamin, 2016, showed more like a normal Dezaley, when the hot 2015 of the latter at that very table showed more like a normal Calamin broad and rich. It also occurred to me that those two are not tiny or homogeneous neighboring sites, and there are likely 11

12 to be parts of Dezaley that in most years behave like Camarin and vise-versa. Here are the estates that had a side-by-side pair of these two site-specific GC wines: Melanie Webber (the MW on her labels provided an additional incentive to check them out) Blaise Duboux Domaine Badoux Parisod Gaillard et Fils Domaine Marc and Jean Duboux Etienne and Louis Fonjallaz Afterwards, it was interesting to find a producer with certified organic offer (Domaine des Faverges), with a very nice Pinot Noir showing better than usual balance of minerality and fleshy fruit (see picture), and more external market-friendly labels. They also had a certified organic products and a biodynamic wine also on offer, but yet to be certified. It was also interesting to note how many producers bottled their wines in 700ml bottles, meaning that they aimed at nothing other than domestic market. It is a pity, but understandable, and given the costs and the resulting prices, not entirely unreasonable. Still, it would be great to see some of these wines available outside of the country s borders, but to compound the situation, the domestic thirst makes it a remote possibility and an unnecessary exercise. It also would require the right trade segment and skilled and passionate sales people to relay the message to a new potential consumer. Having accomplished what we set out to do, it was time to cash in our meal tickets literally, and the food trucks outside offered a range that fell into a carnivore s delight category. There was a tent offering fondue choices, a couple of trucks with cooked-on-the-spot burgers, and another one with cheese and meat tartar dishes. Burgers made with local beef from the truck at the end of the food row were actually quite tasty, and freshly finished fries were ok with plenty of ketchup, and it all hit the spot. After another short walk thought central Cully, past a post office with the heritage designation and a police station so I guess it qualified as a bit of a tour we were back on the bus, ready to move to our next Swiss discovery. Visit & Tasting to Chateau Maison Blanche Hugh Suter MW From Cully we drove to Château Maison Blanche in Yvorne, past the end of Lac Léman into the Chablais AOC of the Vaud. The Château is beautifully situated amidst its own vineyards, some on terraces, some on slopes. The total number of hectares is 22, 12 of which belong to the Clos du Rocher, which is further up the slope. Both Domaines are owned by the Swiss wine group Schenk. Ch. Maison Blanche was founded in 1573 and more or less wiped out in a massive landslide in It was partly rebuilt and renovated in We were met by the manager, Daniel Suardet, who gave us a quick, rather rainy look at the vineyards. They have 95% Chasselas and Savagnin planted. Most are Guyot-trained at a density of 10,000 plants per hectare with some Gobelet-trained at a density of vines per hectare. There 12

13 are also 1.5 ha of Syrah and Gamay plus a few other red grapes. The vineyards benefit from local warm winds in the summer blowing uphill in the day and down in the evening. The maximum age of the vines is 35 years. The vineyards are between 400 and 630 metres high. (Yvorne has 160 ha of vines split between 120 owners, 100 of whom belong to the local Cooperative. There are 7 independent vignerons/caveurs with larger companies owning the remaining vineyards). The target yield is 1 kg/sq.m. This is about 65/70 hls/ha. The Château s viticultural practices are not certified bio-dynamic, but do try to follow the principles and aim to minimise the number of sprays. Vinification is modern technology allied to tradition with 7000 hls of large old oak for the fermentations. We then moved indoors to a regional tasting hosted by the Château. This tasting comprised wines from Chablais growers and from growers in the Lower Valais around Martigny and Fully. The following producers showed their wines: Cave Alain Emery, Aigle Cave Corbassière, Saillon Cave Benoît Dorsaz, Fully Cave des Amandiers, Saillon Ch Maison Blanche, Yvorne Clos du Rocher, Vevey Terroir du Crosex Grillé, Yvorne Charles Rolaz Hammel, Terres de Vins, Rolle Gerald Besse SA, Martigny-Croix Badoux Vins, Route d Ollon La Rodeline, Fully Domaine de l Ovaille, Yvorne Cave Renaissance SA, Charrat Valentina Andrei, Saillon Raymond Gérard, Saillon I enjoyed the tasting and the range of very good wines on show. New discoveries stood out, eg the Petite Arvine whites and the Cornalin reds. The Chasselas from our hosts, Ch. Maison Blanche, had fine fruit on nose and palate. The Heida/Savagnin wines were very good with spicy, floral aromas and there were uniformly very good Chasselas and Gamay wines. The Merlots/Cabernets varied from lighter, easy styles to fuller, barrel-aged ones. A single Sauvignon Blanc stood out as well as some of the Syrahs, especially those with a lower alcohol level of 13% or so, which had lovely aromatics and balance. A single Marsanne et Roussanne, 40% of which was vinified in new oak, was also a star wine for me. This was an interesting and enjoyable tasting of a fine range of wines and styles and I would like to thank our hosts and all the growers, who were generous with their time and wine. On behalf of the MWs, Mark Savage thanked our hosts and the wine producers and presented Daniel Suardet with a commemorative IMW embossed notebook. 13

14 Sunday 10 September 2017 Masterclass and tasting at Chateau de Villa Martin Williams MW A highlight of our Swiss trip was the remarkable masterclass and focus tasting of wines made from indigenous varieties of Switzerland, presented by Dr José Vouillamoz in the Sensorama at the Château de Villa in Sierre. The session was attended by several of Dr Vouillamoz research colleagues and prominent wine producers of the central and upper Valais, and finished with a presentation of Grains Nobles Confidentiels by Valais Lady of Wine, Mme Marie-Thérèse Chappaz. José Vouillamoz encyclopaedic knowledge of the Swiss wine world was clearly apparent during his comprehensive and engaging - presentation of the history, geology and geography of Swiss viticulture, which has intersected with a rich collection of autochthonous varieties to create a unique treasure-trove of local wine styles. As Dr Vouillamoz professional areas of expertise are ampelography and grapevine genetics, we were treated to particular insights into the origins of these ancient varieties and a number of their more recent progeny. The presentation commenced with a historical overview of Swiss grape and wine culture. We learned that viticulture in Switzerland almost certainly dates back some thousands of years, possibly starting before the Roman era and, of course, flourishing during Roman times. The first written reference to specific Swiss grape varieties apparently dates to 1313, when Rèze and Humagne were named in local records in Valais. Vouillamoz has counted more than 253 distinct grape cultivars in Switzerland, accounting for around 18.5% of the total number currently growing throughout the world. Today, vineyards planted to indigenous varieties other than Chasselas in the Valais total some 536 hectares, accounting for 3.8% of the total vineyard area in the canton. The Valais is characterised by a dry and sunny climate, typically experiencing >2000 sunshine hours and mm rainfall annually. The tasting started with a 2012 Räuschling R3 from Rütihof-Lüthi-Schwarzenbach, located in the Zürich canton. Räuschling probably arrived from SW Germany and Alsace, and is a cross of Savignin x Gouais blanc. The wine was bright mid-yellow in colour, and had a grapey but not especially floral aroma with notes of lemon/lime juice and honey, and slight linen/kero development. The palate was medium-bodied, of reasonable flavour intensity, fresh clean acidity and a rather firm phenolic finish. The second wine was a 2014 Rèze from Cave Les Sentes in the Valais. Rèze is one of the oldest identified varieties in the world, references dating back to Roman times. It is an orphan variety of unidentified parentage, but it is known to be the parent of several varieties including Grosse Arvine and Poulsard noir. There are currently only 2.5 hectares cultivated. The wine, produced by Serge Heymoz in stainless steel with no malolactic fermentation, was pale lemon in colour with fresh citrus/apple and slightly waxy aromas. The rich palate was marked by brisk acidity, gentle phenolics and a long, full finish. Third in line was a 2004 Himbertscha from Chanton Kellerei in the Valais. I believe that this wine and the 1971 Amigne tasted a little later were generously provided by José Villamoz from his personal cellar, for which we were immensely grateful. Himbertscha is another very old variety, first records dating to 1770 in the Valais. There is currently a mere 0.21 ha in production. The 2004, produced by the Chanton family, was a limpid mid-deep gold in colour with a fresh green rim. There was 14

15 significant variation between the two bottles served; the superior bottle showed creamy aromas and, surprisingly, just a hint of age. The palate was very smooth, almost oily in texture, long and very complex. The finish was very dry with a slight tannin tang. Next we saw a 2016 Petite Arvine from Philippe and Véronyc Mettaz, also in the Valais. Arvine is another ancient, orphan variety, of which about 185 ha are currently planted in the Valais. This wine was produced in stainless steel with no MLF. The colour was a youthful, bright pale lemon-straw. The very distinctive rose-petal/spring blossom and grapefruit aroma led to a zesty, lively palate, full and round in the middle, and long and soft at the finish. The fifth wine, from Clos de Tsampéhro in the Valais, was made from Completer, another Roman-era variety that is now known to be the parent of at least one other indigenous Swiss cultivar, Lafnetscha. This 2014 wine was matured for 30 months in new Saury 225-litre barriques and had an intriguing combination of 15% alcohol and 8-9 g/l titratable acidity, so not surprisingly it was quite a mouthful. Vibrant lemon-yellow in appearance, the wine showed intense floral and lemon-peel aromas plus well-integrated resin/vanilla oak. A touch of fermentation ester on the mid-palate led to a warm alcohol finish with firm oak/fruit phenolics. The following wine was arguably the most arresting: a 1971 Amigne from Cave Orsat in the Valais. Amigne is another ancient variety, first documented in the Valais in 1686 and possibly a grandchild of the now-minor Champagne variety, Petit Meslier. This wine was vivid orange in colour, with a stillyouthful green rim. On the nose, there were intense lime-blossom aromas with honey-toast and linen development. The palate was full yet fine, and very clean. Apparently once moelleux, the wine on this occasion had a very dry finish, showing exemplary length and finesse. It was a great privilege to see this wine thank you José. Two reds rounded out the tasting of indigenous Swiss varieties. First up was a 2015 Bondola from Azienda Mondò in Ticino. Another orphan, the variety was first recorded in 1785 in Ticino and was also propagated as Briegler in the Zürich canton. This wine displayed bright cherry-red colour and bright cherry-plum aromas with subtle oak. Flavours were chestnut/woodsy and slightly gravelly. The compact palate showed a gentle mid-palate and early tannins, good density and a long, even, tight finish. The final wine was a 2015 Rouge du Pays from Vitis Antiqua in the Valais. Rouge du Pays is related to the Cornalin of northern Italy, and it almost undoubtedly has its ancient origins in that region. The grapes for the 2015 Vitis Antiqua were grown on limestone/schist soils, and the wine was produced using cold maceration, indigenous yeast, and 50% stainless steel/50% old oak maturation. The resulting wine was deep plum in colour, and meaty/plummy on the nose with subtle floral/rose petal notes. The palate was quite full-bodied with drying tannins, slightly sour acidity, and great texture. Our wonderful masterclass at the Château de Villa concluded with the Grains Nobles Confidentiels, a trio of incredible late-harvest whites produced and presented by Mme Marie-Thérèse Chappaz. These wines were produced from Petite Arvine, harvested by sélection des grains nobles in up to 10 tries. The 2007, harvested at 170 Oechsle, had 7% alc. and 200 g/l residual sugar. Vibrant gold with a green rim, the wine showed intense lemon/lime blossom, apricot, honey and butter on the nose. 15

16 The palate was very clean, with intense acidity and balanced sweetness, and finished with some kero development. The 2011 had 7% alc. and 240 g/l sugar. The colour was deep orange-gold with a green rim. The aromas of orange marmalade and apricot/banana jam led to a beautifully balanced palate with obviously higher sugar, quite gentle acidity and wonderful length. The 2014, from a cool year, had substantially higher alcohol at 12.5%, and 160 g/l residual sugar. The youthful bright yellow colour was explained by significantly lower Botrytis influence on the nose, which showed lemony, slightly green/herbal and almost minty aromas. The palate was bright and lively, showing barley-sugar flavours, great freshness, excellent length and a noticeable bitterness. Our Sunday morning Masterclass at the Château de Villa gave us a particularly valuable insight into the unique history of Swiss wine, and imbued us with an enthusiasm to help protect its heritage and encourage its exploration by the wine world at large. Many thanks to Dr José Vouillamoz, Mme Marie-Thérèse Chappaz and all involved for a fascinating, very educational, and above all most enjoyable experience. 16

17 Walk and lunch at Chamoson Beverley Blanning MW Chamoson is the most important vineyard town in the Valais, with 35 Cellars and 420 hectares of vines planted over an area that rises from the river to an altitude of 3000m. It also enjoys one of the finest views of any town anywhere: the sheer Haut de Cry rock face rising majestically behind the vineyards. A quarter of the 3600 inhabitants here are involved in wine production, including our host, Claude Crittin, director of Maurice Gay winery and mayor of the commune. As he led us through the vineyard he pointed out the patchwork of vines, planted in all directions to distinguish one neighbour s plants from another. Clearly the inspiration for the Swiss Wines logo, these tiny plots are representative of vineyard plantings throughout the country. In the Valais, an area covering some 4,800 hectares, 22,000 owners farm 50 different varieties across a staggering 120,000 parcels. The terraces are often supported by vines planted into the walls and shored up by vine cuttings. 17

18 As we approached our lunchtime stop in the midst of the vines, we were greeted by the familiar cross of the Swiss flag being thrown in the air and the muted strains of a brass band (a recording as it turned out). We tasted wines from 11 local growers (see below) before enjoying a convivial buffet lunch of cauldron-boiled sausages steeped in grapes and grape juice served with copious salads, followed by a terrific plum tart to finish. The multi-talented flag-thrower serenaded us with his impressive mountain horn while we ate and some of our number attempted to emulate his skill with varying degrees of success. The afternoon finished with José Vouillamoz proving that drones have uses beyond vineyard mapping, as we posed for an aerial group photo amongst the vines. Many thanks to Claude Crittin and the growers of Chamoson for a memorable tasting and lunch in an incomparably lovely setting. Cave Ardévaz Johannisberg %, 15F. Sylvaner with good richness and a touch of bitterness on the finish. Syrah % 19F. 48 hours of cold maceration has given the wine juicy, dense fruitiness. Lovely Syrah varietal character with some light wood aromas. Cave David Rossier Humagne Rouge % 19F. Clean, crisp and fruit-forward wine with good structure. Lovely. Gamay % 13F. Luscious, generous fruit. Great value. Cave de la Madeleine Amigne de Vétroz % 25F. Citrus aromas and fresh, lively, peppery fruit. Interesting character, quite warm on the finish. Syrah du Valais % 30.50F. Aged one year in oak, which rather dominates the wine. Fairly light fruit, with some attractive spiciness. 18

19 Cave du Vieux Moulin Gamay Vieilles Vignes % 15F. Austere, structured, light and dry. Carminoir de Vétroz %. 22F. Animal and dry palate, a touch of Brett. Cave les Ruinettes Johannisberg de Chamoson %. Fresh, yeasty, dry, fairly neutral, clean Sylvaner with no mlf. Syrah % 29F. Juicy, bright, blackcurrant fruit and supple structure. 10months barrel aged. Devayes Petite Arvine 14% 19.50F. Lovely honeyed nose, with a dry, austere, lively and interesting palate. Dôle Blanche 13.5% 14.50F. Off-dry, rich and full. Alcohol shows a little. Fils René Favre Petite Arvine % 23F. Smooth, rich, spicy and savoury wine with a warm finish. Diolinoir en barrique de mélèze 13.8% 27F. Super fruity nose and palate. Aged 18months in larch wood, which gives a rustic feel. Maurice Gay Heida du Valais % 21.50F. Pungent, pineapple fruit, with a spicy finish. Bags of character. I love it. Fendant de Sion Les Mazots Chasselas % 11.50F. One of the very few wines we tasted bottled under screwcap. Spritzy and fresh, neutral, clean and light. Sélection Excelsus Johannisberg EXCELSUS Sylvaner % 17F. Fresh and yeasty, with fine texture and good balance. Cornalin EXCELSUS % 31F. Rich, berry fruit character. Unoaked, concentrated by 15% saignée. Simon Maye & Fils Syrah de Chamoson % 38F. Floral perfume and good, spicy Syrah character. Fairly oaky, from 12 months in barrel. Chardonnay % 18F. Light, lemony fruit with some minerality. Interesting and good. La Tournale Humagne Blanche de Chamoson 12.5% 18F. Fresh, tropical nose, floral palate, balanced and crisp. 19

20 Dom de Clavoz Altesse de Sion 13% 21F. Yeasty, soapy, floral nose. Ripe and rich palate, with nice savoury finish. Tasting at Celliers de Sion Jane Boyce MW The design of the brand new Celliers de Sion with its slick smoky glass, walls of enomatic machines and innovative retail display, is surpassed only by the backdrop of stone terraces and steep vineyards, visible from virtually anywhere inside this marvellous new facility. This walk around tasting involved producers from the Valais area. The wines of Adrien et Diego Mathier featured Les Pyramides Petite Arvine 2016 which is grown on schist vineyards at an altitude of 500m and a Heida (Savagnin) grown at 900m. Diego feels Heida needs freshness and the Les Pyramides Heida certainly was well balanced with peachy, creamy fruit and a long crisp finish. The Ambassadeur des Domaines Diego Mathier is a blend of Heida, Ermitage (Marsanne) and Petite Arvine. The blend of these 3 varietals gives the wine perfume combined with length on the palate. We tasted both the 2015 and 2013 Pinot Noirs which bear the Ambassadeur des Domaines Rot label. The 2015 had very ripe, cherry fruit with good acidity and fine, juicy tannins. The 2013 had a delicate nose and a very elegant palate. Anne Catherine and Denis Mercier showed us a Cornalin 2015 which had a cold soak maceration and then 1 year in barrel, 25% new oak. The wine probably needs a bit more time but showed fantastic potential with very pure fruit. The 2016 Dole AC Valais was a blend of Pinot Noir, Gamay, Ancellotta and Galotta. It has the typically light style with an attractive silky texture and easy drinking youthful style. It is a wine that should be drunk young with charcuterie or other light dishes. Andre Darbellay represented Bonvin His Petite Arvine Noble Cepage 2016 does not go through MLF and this without doubt gave the wine a structure of fine, nettly acidity which balanced the 20

21 peach and stone fruit on the nose and creamy mid-palate. For the Cuvee 1858 rouge he blends Cornalin, Syrah and Humagne. Using pigeage a la main he has made a wine with great purity and fine acidity. I was very impressed by Olivier Mounir s Marsanne Blanche Tron Parkwein Pfyn-Finges. He does not use skin contact and there is no recipe to his wines but he works biodynamically with what nature gives him and this 2013 wine was aged in concrete eggs on its lees and 2nd use barrels for 6-8 months. From Cave la Romaine we tasted a Cornalin Empereurs This wine was fermented in stainless steel and, at 14.5% it has intense cherry fruit, good concentration on the palate, yielding tannins and a long, fresh finish. The Heida Empereurs 2016 is also made in a ripe, round style. It spent 10 months in oak but does not undergo MLF to allow the wine to retain freshness. Cave Mabillard-Fuchs presented a delightful Savagnin named Paien AC Valais At 14% it is in the more full bodied textural style with an aromatic nose of white flowers and passion fruit. It was cold fermented at 15 degrees to retain these gorgeous primary fruit notes. The Alizarine AC Valais 2016 from this 3 hectare estate was a blend of Pinot Noir (60%), Gamaret, Diolinoir and Gamay. Fermented in stainless steel this is an early drinking style with light cherry fruit. There was a very impressive purity to this wine which was well balanced with a spicy, fresh finish. Domaine des Muses is a 10 hectare estate in Sierre. Robert Tarramarcaz has half a hectare of Humagne blanche, which, he told us, is the oldest variety in the Valais. The 2013 we tasted was vinified in Burgundian barriques two and three year old and the wine had a definite Burgundian feel to it with a restrained nose and complex citrus and cream character. We also tasted the Pinot Noir from 2007 which spent 18 months in second use barriques. Although the fruit was starting to fade the wine had a delicate charm. Domaine du Mont d Or delighted us with two exceptional sweet wines, although the domaine also makes dry whites. Marc Andre s Johannisberg Saint Martin AC Valais has a tiny yield of 17 hl / ha and came from 19 year old vines. 60% botritysed fruit with 200 grams per litre sugar, it had grilled, caramelised nuts and dried apricots on the nose and an intense yet harmonious palate. The Petite Arvine had 160 grams per litre residual sugar and 86% botrytis. I got notes of rhubarb and orange peel on this gorgeous wine. Domaine Thierry Constantin showed a 2014 Pinot Noir called Clos de Beauregard. Aged for 30 months in 450 barriques, 50% new, this was a serious wine with herbal cherry on the nose, well balanced oak and a long fine acidic finish. The Sauvignon Blanc 2015 had a typical nose of gooseberry and passionfruit but on the palate was round, leesy with herbal, capsicum notes. Maison Gilliard presented a delightful Dole des Monts from the 2016 vintage featuring the traditional blend of Pinot Noir and Gamay and a lovely Petite Arvine 2016 Clos de Cochetta which, rather like Condrieu, grows in terraces on the hill. It had an exciting palate of exotic fruits and a saline quality to the acidity. Beautifully balanced. Philippe Rouvinez has 80 hectares around Sierre and he presented his excellent wines in magnum. Firstly a 2005 Ermitage (Marsanne) which he produces from a 2 hectare plot. The wine does not go through MLF as acidity is low but had a good texture and balance. His Coeur de Clos range are aged 21

22 in Swiss Jura oak Foudres and go through assemblage after 1 year. I particularly enjoyed the 2015 Coeur de Domaine red made from 50% Cornalin, 25% Humagne rouge and 25% Syrah. It had lovely blueberry fruit with real purity and developed on the palate to give a long spicy finish with a yielding, firm tannic structure. Emmanuel Charpin of Tsamphero SA bravely showed us a 2012 Clos de Tsamphero Rouge edition II despite the fact that 2012 was a very difficult vintage for them. He seeks an expression of terroir from his wines. The red was a blend of Cornalin, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet franc which underwent 21 months in oak, 80% new. I noted licorice and tapenade on this interesting wine. The white (Blanc Edition V) was 70% Heida and 30% Reze with 20 months in new oak. The Heida gave pineapple and a dynamic zing while the Reze gave dried fruit intensity. No MLF as these are gastronomic wines so he doesn t want too much fat on the wine. Vin d Oeuvre presented an Humagne Blanc named Born to be Wise. From the 2016 vintage, it did not undergo MLF and was in the fresh, early drinking style while the other white Johannisberg Anywhere anytime was a 2016 Sylvaner with lovely perfumed fruit and a round creamy character. Maurice Zuffrey s Petite Arvine once again was a wine which did not undergo MLF. From the 2016 vintage it was easy drinking with fresh peachy fruit. I really enjoyed the Cornalin 2016 which had intense, deep purple colour. Gorgeous violet and blackberry notes on the nose and on the palate it showed great fruit purity and intensity but was well balanced with a long, tannic finish. The Astrance was another very successful wine, in my opinion. Made from ⅔ Pinot Noir and ⅓ Cornalin, it was a complex wine with toasty barrique notes blending with the cherry fruit. Very silky on the palate, it finished long and elegant. 22

23 Dinner at Provins in Sion John Casson MW Our hosts for dinner already have close links to the Institute. Gilles Besse of Jean-René Germanier SA was President of Swiss Wine Promotion when SwissWine became a Supporter of the Institute in November 2016 while Johanna Dayer, responsible for marketing, events and PR for Valais Mundi, is one of a number of Swiss students currently following the IMW Education Programme. With six courses accompanied by 13 wines several continuing themes of the trip were developed. With the amuse bouche was served a Pierrafeu Fendant 1993 ( the name in the Valais region for the Chasselas grape variety ) which showed how this grape variety could age outside the Canton of Vaud and reflected the growing trend towards lower yields and higher quality that began in the 1980 s; also it was one of the earliest wines at Provins to be bottled under screw cap and it had certainly retained its freshness. By comparison the Fendant Grand Cru Balavaud 2003 from Germanier, which had been voted top Swiss wine of this vintage, was showing more age but was still venerable. A filet de bar ( sea bass ) was accompanied by Petite Arvine Reserve 2008 from Germanier showing the effect of lees stirring and new oak on this variety, and Eclat 2015 from Valais Mundi, a blend of Heida and Petite Arvine fermented in Limousin oak described by Johanna as a snowflake in a crystal. Six red wines were served with the next two courses of Polenta in a veal and truffle reduction sauce and some superb entrecote of beef served both rare and hot. The first comparison was of Cornalin Champmarais 2009 from Germanier, a single vineyard of less than one hectare, with Domaine de L Eveché 2010 made entirely from Diolinoir. Then we were able to compare Germanier s Cayas 2011 and 2013, produced from Syrah with maturation in oak, with Electus 2011 and 2013 from Valais Mundi, a blend of Cornalin, Humange Rouge and Diolinoir with 18 months in 75% new oak. The 2013 will both be top quality red wines given at least five more years of bottle maturity. A dry white from the Amigne grape ( Germanier Grand Cru IB 2015 ) was served with cheese to be followed by two dessert wines. Mitis 2006 from Germanier produced entirely from Amigne de Vertroz, showing excellent balance of fruit and acidity as well as sweetness, and Tourbillon Crus de Domaine 2012 produced entirely from Marsanne which showed a softer and more forward style. These late harvest or fletri wines, sometimes only picked in late January, benefit from the moisture from early winter snow while being given more maturity by the warm southern wind known as the Fohn. We had learnt earlier in the day from Dr. José Vouillamoz, who was also attending the dinner, that indigenous varieties only made up only 5% of the vineyard area in Valais so it was a real privilege to be shown such a wide range of varieties over the course of a most enjoyable evening. 23

24 Monday 11 September 2017 Vineyard visit in Ludiano Elizabeth Gabay MW Throughout the trip to Switzerland, the presence of the mountains, snow, glaciers and landslides were ever present. We had travelled from the steep terraces of Lavaux, overlooking Lac Léman, where the supporting walls traditionally use cement, to the ancient landslide of Chateau Maison Blanche, to the steep terraces of the Valais, where dry stone walls are used. On Monday morning, we left the sunny valley of the Valais and crossed the Nufenen Pass to Ticino. The Pass had been closed the day before with the first fall of snow, so we were lucky that the road was sufficiently cleared to cross over. The high mountains and altitude meant that we climbed from summer to winter in a space of a few hours. We passed green grassy meadows and cows in the upper pastures, followed the young Rhone valley, passing the road to its source in the glacier, seeing increasingly large patches of snow. At the pass (2,475m) we posed for our group photo in sub-zero temperatures (warmed by hot chocolate), and peered through the clouds to try and spot the Matterhorn somewhere in a vague general direction We then descended back into summer, down to the Ticino, the Italian region of Switzerland. Jean- Marc Amez-Droz later explained the importance of the Gotthard Tunnel (15km long, opened in 1882), which connected Italy and Ticino to northern Switzerland and Germany year-round, and how this had opened up the taste and market for bigger red wines in the cooler regions. But for now, we were impressed by the rapid change in climatic differences. Our first stop was the small vineyard region of Ludiano, lying at 480m at the northern end of the Ticino viticultural region. Here, locally-born Cristina Monico, winemaker at the Monchucchetto Winery in Lugano, described the region in detail. Although there is not a massive altitude variation in the Ticino viticultural region, the southern part benefits from the warming effects of Lake Lugano. Ludiano, far from the lake and near to the cooling influence of the Alps, lies in the cooler part of the region. The valley is narrow with steep mountains rising on both sides, an important consideration for the length of the day the sun rises above the mountains later and sets behind them earlier than in flatter regions. Merlot is the main variety, both for reds and whites. First planted in 1906, it now makes up between 80-90% of plantings in Ticino. Its ripening is aided by Ludiano s unique geology. In the last glacial era, the glacier pushed down, as far as Ludiano, large granite boulders, many around two metres in circumference. These lie closely scattered around the village, like a giants game of boules. As Cristina pointed out, these boulders could have been moved (albeit with great effort) to give larger spaces for cultivation, but instead have been kept in place. The reason is simple. These big boulders act as giant storage heaters, retaining the summer heat and radiating it out to the grapes around them. This allows the growers to delay harvesting for as long as possible, to give longer maturation time and greater ripeness. 24

25 Walking amongst these high trained pergola vines and giant rocks was quite magical, with picturesque arbours nestled in-between. Another unique feature of the Ticino is the way the vines are trained. While an increasing number are trained in a more modern guyot style, for ease of cultivation, many are still trained in the traditional Maggiorina method (from the Lake Maggiore region). Mauro Ortelli later explained to me, that four vines are planted closely together, then each vine trained is to four different points, around three metres away, where it meets a vine from another crown of vines. This creates a grid of vines with a 6m² space in the middle, in which other vegetables used to be grown. The vines are trained high, so farmers can pass underneath, with the grapes hanging down. In Ludiano, this system was adapted to work with the presence of the boulders. A system of pillars made of boulders, stakes and poles are used to support the high-trellised pergola vines, and to link them to, and around, the boulders. The mixture of shaded grapes hanging down underneath the foliage and being heated by the boulders, seemed slightly contradictory. Some in the group later detected this contradiction with opulent ripe fruit and green leafy notes, possibly something to look into further. Whether the fruit from the guyot vines ripened differently was not discussed. The height of the vines, whether in guyot or traditional training is important due to the potentially damp soils. It used to rain lightly and frequently, but today less frequent, but much heavier rains are likely. The majority of fruit grown in Ludiano is by small-holders who sold on their grapes to the bigger producers. The size of the vineyards, lack of easy access or possible mechanisation, make this an area which would never develop large scale vineyards. With 75.8% three-quarters of Ticino producers owning less than 0.2ha, unsurprisingly, a large percentage of growers make wine purely for domestic use. While this small corner of Ticino vineyards may only represent a fraction of production in this area, it gives, not only a window on the viticultural history of the area, but also provides some taste complexity to the Merlot blends. 25

26 Presentation & Tasting at Ticino Philip Goodband MW A story of optimism, survival and pragmatism. Our fully charged programme has been full of surprises and today was no different. Having been amazed by the ancient rock strewn vineyards at Ludiano the charming and dynamic winemaker Cristina Monica sped away to be ready for the presentation at this ultra modern boutique winery tucked away up a side street on top of a hill in central Lugano. Monchuccetto, a serious investment in the future of Ticino wine was built in 2009 on the site of a small historic vineyard and vinifies grapes which arrive from both steep slope mountain and the less steep valley vineyards of Ticino. Cristina informed us in her excellent illustrated presentation on Ticino that although the numbers of growers has almost halved to 3250 since 1995, the area of vines (approximately 1100Ha.) has not. Today the statistics reveal: 75.8% of vine - growers farm < 0.2 Ha representing 25.4% of the surface area. 20.2% farm between Ha representing 30.8% of the area. 4% farm >1 Ha representing 43.8% of the area Selling grapes rather than making wine is the normal practice here but a slide showing the economics demonstrated a gross imbalance of return between those who grow and those who make wine in favour of the latter which is leading to more wineries being set up. No surprise here I suppose, but Richard Kershaw commented that in South Africa the numbers would be almost identical! Unlike the other Cantons it is Merlot which rules here. No less than 82% of the surface are is planted to Merlot and 11 wineries make 75% of the total production of which the top 3 produce 42%. The origins of Merlot s dominance date back to the ravages of Phylloxera around the 1900 s and the need to survive. Pragmatism was and remains the name of the game. Since the 1980 s almost a quarter of the Merlot sold is vinified as white wine. This appears to have found a market in German- Switzerland due to the volume of holiday visitors Ticino receives each year from Zurich. As a result only 7% of vineyard area is planted to other white grapes. Such a difference to the Vaud and Valais. Tasting: We were invited to taste the following wines with a delicious and varied little eats lunch, prepared in front of us by the winery s own chef and eaten on a sunny terrace overlooking Lake Lugano. Bucaneve White Merlot 2016 La Segrisola Bondola 2015 (Bondola is a very rare ancient red variety only found in Ticino) Rovere Merlot % vol and rather heavily oaked from the Southern Ticino Il Samion Merlot % vol from Serravalle Village and barrique aged but well integrated. 26

27 From Moncuccetto Winery: L Arco Merlot 2015 Collina D Oro Agra Rosso del Tichino 2015 ( 51% Merlot plus Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc) Il Murchi Johannita 2016 (Riesling x Friebourg) Bianco del Ticino 2015 (Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vinified as White wine) Thanks and the presentation of the Institute gift was made by John Hoskins MW. Lunch Richard Kershaw MW Venue: Monchucceto Having spent a few hours in initiating us into the intricacies of Ticino and its primary grape Merlot, our host Christina, and the team at Monchucceto very graciously put on a fine spread of delicious local regional delicacies. Accompanying these were 3-4 wines that we supped on whilst we enjoyed lunch either inside or out on the fabulous veranda (See below) 27

28 The lunch consisted of: Vitello tonnato - excellent flavour White beer foam with flowers zucchini flowers with egg whites Vegetable terrine with yoghurt Cous cous salad Hunks of local cheese including a local version of parmesan Duck ragout with homemade polenta Suckling pig pancetta cooked with honey, balsamic vinegar and pumpkin seeds Risotto - with Zincarlin cheese Our lunch wines included Fattoria Monchucceto Il Murchi 2016, made from Johanniter (a hybrid cross with vitis vinifera) and Solares (a grape being used in English winemaking that I am less familiar with) As a wine it didn t resonate with me showing noted wet dog, some inner tyre characters and a noted reductive element. On the palate although a little more fruit, it felt rather phenolic although this pithy texture did seem to add interest to the wine. Out of the same stable we tasted the 2015 Bianco dell Arco made up of 80% chardonnay ad 20% Pinot Nero of which a third is barrel fermented. Whilst this wine was also closed with hint of reductive there was more fruit here and intensity showing white peach and dried pear, fairly ripe and very gluggable without being that complex so veranda friendly! 28

29 Our third wine was L Arco Merlot 2015 also from Monchucceto. Primarily unwooded with 10 months spent in steel tanks. A more floral lifted Merlot with red cherry and yellow plum offset with a savoury, almost farmyard aroma. The palate was medium weight with plenty of red fruit intensity, decent but not extended finish and served slight chilled very drinkable. Lastly, we tried the Collina d Orzo Agra, Rosso del Ticino comprised of 51% Merlot; 20% Cabernet Franc and 29% Cabernet Sauvignon. The components parts spent 12 months in 2nd and 3rd fill barrels. Attractive, bright fruit with plenty of ripe red and black fruit aromatic intensity; Soft, succulent texture with red morello cherry, wafer biscuit, and underlying richness, lively fresh acidity and supple sweet tannins. Very likeable. 29