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Lavaux (Vaud)
The Lavaux is a narrow strip of terrain stretching for about 30km along
the northern shores of Lake Geneva from the Chateau de Chillon, just
south of Montreux, to the eastern suberbs of the city of Lausanne. It
includes some of the most dramatic and beautiful scenery of any winegrowing
district in Switzerland, and possibly in the world, with steep terraced
vineyards - sometimes with terraces only 3 or 4 rows of vines wide -
plunging down from the villages on the hillside above the lake right
to the water's edge. This is the heart of the Vaud, and is a region
rich in culture, tradition, and history, with the origins of many of
these man-made vineyards, hewn from the hillside over the centuries,
directly traceable to the holdings of the great Cistercian Monasteries
of the middle ages. The vast majority of the production here is of Chasselas-based
whites; the chalky limestone soils, with underlying alkaline earth,
are ideal for the Chasselas. The climate too is benevolent - the mean
temperature is the mildest in Switzerland, influenced by the moderating
effects of the lake, and heat reflected from the lake and radiated by
the stone walls of the terraces. These ideal growing conditions produce,
especially in the communes of Chardonne, Dézaley, St. Saphorin,
and Épesses, superb wines which reflect the zenith of quality
possible from Chasselas. Lavaux whites vary in style from commune to
commune, but in general will be floral, dry, with a smoky nose of gunpowder
and flint. Some growers experiment also with other white varieties including
Chardonnay and Pinot Gris, and a small amount of Lavaux red wine is
also made, from varieties such as Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Syrah. |
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