Nick Dobson Wines Valais

[ Home ] [ Up ] [ Online Shop ] [ Terms & Conditions, Contact Details ] [ Search ] [ View Cart ] [ Checkout ] [ Send us an E-mail ]

Introduction

£50 6-bottle and £99 12-bottle Cases

Special Offers

French Wines

Swiss Wines

Austrian Wines

German Wines

New Zealand

ASDW Cases

special

Bin Ends

Other Mixed Cases

Wines of the Month

Online Catalogue > Swiss Wines > Valais

Valais The canton of Valais is arguably the pre-eminent winegrowing district in Switzerland today. Vines are grown along an 80km strip of the Rhône valley, which extends from Martigny to Brig. This is a glacial valley (the Valais still has many glaciers), with a relatively flat valley floor, and in many places extremely steep hillsides. Some vineyards are on slopes of as much as 70°, and construction and maintenance of these are thus very labour intensive and hence costly. Much wine here is grown at quite high altitudes; that from the valley floor and lower slopes is up to around 650m above sea level, but some comes from some of the highest vineyards in Europe, at Visperterminen in the Haut Valais, where vines thrive at altitudes of well above 1000m. The Valais climate is very dry, often bordering on drought; in fact this part of the Rhône valley is of the driest valleys in the Alps, with the surrounding mountains preventing access by rainclouds. Summers are hot, winters and early spring cold, though tempered by the warm dry foehn winds blowing up from the mediterranean. A wide range of grape varieties is grown in the Valais, reflecting the varied terrain, historical isolation, a rich viticultural recent past and a vibrant winegrowing culture today. Isolation has meant that the now rare indigenous red and white varieties (Humagne Blanche & Rouge, Petite Arvine, Amigne, Cornalin, Heida, to name but a few) have survived in commercial production. The 19th century saw the introduction of varieties such as Pinot Noir and Chasselas from elsewhere, and more recently other international varieties have been introduced. Valsis today produces a superb range of wines - powerful reds from indigenous and international grape varieties rival anything produced elsewhere in Europe, and a range of lovely whites including some lovely Fendants.

Organisation of this Page The Valais page is now the largest and most populated of our Swiss pages, with more wines than from any other region. The organisation has been revamped to make it easier to use, and is now as shown below; you can jump quickly to the relevant place by clicking on the links:- 1st - A Section about Fendant 2nd - A section about Dôle 3rd - Information about White Valaisan Grape Varieties 4th - Information about Red Valaisan Grape Varieties 5th - Wines are listed by producer - quick links to producers:- Henri Badoux, F&D Giroud, St.Jodernkellerei, Simon Maye, Gregor Kuonen, Varone, Josef-Marie Chanton

Section 1 - Fendant

"Fendant" is the name used widely in the Valais for good quality Chasselas-based wines; which represent some 30% of Valais output. It is derived from the French verb "fendre", meaning "to split", which is exactly what the golden Chasselas grape does if squeezed between thumb and forefinger, rather than becoming squashed.

Fendant is the Swiss white wine most often encountered by tourists to the Valais ski-slopes; minor Fendants will be found as jug-wine in cafés and ski-chalets, with better versions available by the bottle in local inns and restaurants. If you've been skiing in the Valais, you've probably tried it already.

A typical Fendant is fresh and fruity, with a refreshing C02 prickle, and will normally be quite dry, with delicate fruit and racy mineral flavours, often with hints of smoke and gunflint on the nose, and an exquisite bitterness on the finish. A highly flexible wine, Fendant works well both as an apéritif and with food - a wine for all circumstances.

The Chasselas grape used for Fendant is highly expressive of terroir, and there are some quite notable differences between wines grown in different parts of the Valais. Wines from around Sion are fresh and rich; those from Ardon and Vétroz stimulatingly dry; those from Martigny have a fragrant bouquet. Perhaps the best come from the areas around Sierre, Chamoson, and Saillon, which combine fruit and an exquisite bitterness on the finish; here some truly memorable Fendants can be found, and our range of Fendant wines is strongly focused on those from Chamoson. Good examples age well, and after 5 years or so will lose their youthful character and can develop complex nutty and honeyed flavours.

Ideally, drink a bottle of Fendant on the day you open it (not much of a hardship!). It will keep in the fridge for a day or two once opened, but will lose the slight C02 prickle, an integral part of the character of the wine; this is especially so if you use a wine saving vacuum device - totally "flat" Fendant just isn't the same.

Section 2 - Dôle

Dôle and its lesser cousin Goron are well-known Valaisan red wines - they are not grape varieties as such - rather they are blends of Pinot Noir and Gamay (and occasionally with a very small percentage of other grapes). To qualify as Dôle, natural sugar levels in the constituent grapes must pass certain levels - if not, the wine is declassified as Goron - a light rustic quaffing wine with which we are not further concerned. However within this simple definition there is a wide variety of offerings; the ratio of the two varieties varies from 51% Pinot Noir:49% Gamay through to 100% Pinot Noir (Goron is permitted more Gamay). Generally speaking, the wines with higher proportions of Pinot Noir are better, and as we follow the river Rhône westwards towards Lake Geneva, the proportion of Pinot Noir gradually decreases. Also, since 1993, growers have been allowed to add 10% of other grape types. There is speculation as to whether this is a good thing - optimists contend that the addition of varieties such as Syrah will improve overall quality - time will tell.

Dôle can vary in quality from a light insipid confected wine right through to lovely complex and long-lasting examples - serious stuff indeed. The best examples are from the area around Chamoson and Sierre.

Dôle and Goron are to Valais reds what Fendant is to white - a staple offering in the region. Skiers in the Valais are equally likely to have come across these wines as they are to have encountered Fendant.

Section 3 - Valaisan White Grape Varieties

There is a fascinating selction of indigenous white grape varieties found in the Valais; most of these are known only within Switzerland, and are not often seen outside their region of production. They are amongst the rarest grape varieties in the world, and many are grown at very high altitudes, some (those from Vispertermin) from the highest-altitude vineyards in Europe. We have a selection of these wines; obscure they may be, but they are also excellent and from top makers.

Heida (Païen)

The Heida grape, also known in French as Païen, is closely related to the Savagnin Blanc grown in the French Jura. In Switzerland, it is grown only in the Valais, principally in the vineyards around Visperterminen, at an altitude of some 1100 metres above sea level, where the Föhn, a warm southerly wind, helps ripen the grapes. This is a truly old variety; the first written records date from 1586, when it was referred to as "Heyda", but it has been in use much longer. Indeed, the name "Heida" itself is local patois for "ancient" or "from an earlier time", and the French name "Païen" descends from "Pagan", i.e. before Christianity. Plantings today are still limited, with just some 15 hectares in commercial production. In the vineyard, Heida's grapes are small and compact, and are yellowish and aromatic. It ripens mid-season - later than Chasselas, but before Petite Arvine. Heida makes, in my view, some of the best Valaisan white wines; these can be complex and powerful, with exotic fruit flavours including quince. Heida ages quite well, and should last 5 years without problems. They can also be versatile when food matching, going well with many vegetable dishes, cold meats, and fish.

Petite Arvine

The white Petite Arvine is a long-established Valaisan grape variety, and is one of the varieties that makes the Valais so very interesting. It is considered by many to be the quintessential Valaisan white wine grape. Opinion is divided over its origins; it is widely believed to have originated from the region of Martigny, although some think it originates in the Aosta valley in Italy, from where it arrived in Valais towards the end of the Middle Ages. Officially, it is of "unknown origin". When vinified dry, the wine can be very classy, with excellent structure, a bouquet including aromas of grapefruit, wisteria, rhubarb and honey, and a palate of concentrated fruit, balanced with good acidity, and sometimes a saline note on the finish. It ages well, and because of these qualities, is popular and is now widely grown in the Valais, where there are today some 115 hectares in various sites along the valley, from Sion to Martigny. The Petite Arvine can be fussy in the vineyard, being frost-sensitive, and requires quite a lot of water, limiting the sites which are suitable. Yields are quite low by Swiss standards, from 0.5-0.7 litres per square meter.

Gwäss

Gwäss is indeed a rare grape; in 1994, a mere 1.35 hectares were cultivated commercially in the Valais. Gwäss is a synonym for Gouais Blanc, a white grape variety that is believed to have originated in Croatia, and which is important as the ancestor of many modern French and German wine varieties. This may have been the grape given to the Gauls by Probus (Roman Emperor 276-282), who overturned Domitian's decree banning grape growing north of the Alps. By the Middle Ages it was the most widely grown white grape in northeast France and in Central Europe. Gouais blanc was the grape of the peasantry - indeed the name Gouais derives from the old French ‘gou’, a term of derision befitting its traditional status as the grape of the peasants, normally growng on flat land next to the better slopes where the nobility grew Pinot. Having been widely grown in proximity to Pinot, the two varieties had many opportunities to cross, and Gwäss is believed to be parent to many other varieties, the better known of which are modern day Chardonnay, Aligoté, Auxerrois, Gamay, Colombard, and Riesling. The name Gwäss was first recorded in 1823. It's a vigorous high-yielding variety, and traditionally produced wines with high acidity.

Humagne Blanche

The Humagne Blanche is the oldest known white grape originating in the Valais. It is cited in a historical document dated 1313, and recording the sale of a vineyard in Sion, which makes reference to the grapes grown - "de Neyrum, de Humagny" and "de Regy" - the first is a black grape, the latter two undoubtedly the Humagne Blanche and the Rèze. It gives a wine rich in iron - 3 times the level found in most other grapes - accounting for its reputed medicinal qualities, in particular in bygone days as a tonic for pregnant women, monks, and bishops! Following the phylloxera outbreak, this variety faced near extinction at the start of the 20th century, and now there is just over 7 hectares planted, making it one of the world's rarest grape varieties. It is a mid-season ripener, with grapes maturing some 7-10 days after the benchmark Chasselas, and produces a moderate yield of grapes with sugar levels which are not particularly high - much of the output is used to make wines of modest alcoholic strength, in the range 10-12% ABV, and which are fresh and drunk young. Better quality wines can give a scented, rich, full-bodied wine with much fruit, a hint of resin, and are of some considerable quality, with excellent aging potential. Humagne Blanche is unrelated to the red Humagne Rouge, despite the apparent similarity in the name..

Rèze

The Rèze, or Resi, grape is, alongside the Heida and Humagne Blanche, one of the oldest white grape varieties still grown in the Valais. Once, Rèze was grown widely here, but in more rcent times has suffered serious decline, with less than a hectare remaining in commercial production, around Sierre, and in the alpine vineyards of Visperterminen. Various factors have conspired to cause this; it's hard to grow, has limited yield, and lesser examples can be thin, acidic, and uninspiring. Much of the production from around Sierre is used to make a base wine for the sherry-like Vin des Glaciers, a highly sought-after rarity. Better quality is available in Visperterminen.

Section 4 - Valaisan Red Grape Varieties

As with the whites, so too is there a selection of indigenous red grape varieties found in the Valais, equally obscure and hardly known outside Switzerland. Some, such as the Cornalin, make stunning powerful wines. Again, we offer a selection of these rarities.

Cornalin (Vin Rouge du Pays)

Probably the oldest red grape variety grown in the Valais, the Cornalin is referred to in documents as old as the 9th century. Until the end of the 19th Century this local vine was the most common variety in the Canton. This speciality variety used to be termed "Rouge du Pays", but due to irregular yields and a magnesium shortage in the soil, the Cornalin had almost disappeared by the end of the 20th century. Fortunately the Cornalin has experienced a revival in the last 15 years, but it still remains rare.

.

Humagne Rouge

Humagne Rouge is unquestionably the highest quality, and probably the most interesting of the indigenous red varieties grown in the Valais. It is grown nowhere else in Switzerland, although it's close relative, Oriou, is grown just over the border in the Aosta valley in Italy. It has large dark-blue berries, and has more tannins than Pinot Noir, but less than Syrah, and produces wines which are generally robust, and varying in style from light and rustic through to big and powerful, especially when oak-aged. They can often develop finesse and style with some bottle age. The best Humagne Rouge wines are quite remarkable, and the variety is undergoing something of a renaissance, with the area devoted to it increasing. It can be tricky to cultivate; it's a late-ripening variety, and the site can be critical to ensure full maturity, with south-facing slopes being a requirement in more marginal areas. The must produced can be quite low in acidity, and in the absence opf full maturity, the wine can be green and herbaceous in style. The harvest can in some places take place as late as November. Humagne Rouge is not related to the white Humagne Blanche, despite the apparent similarity in the name.

Section 5 - Valais Producers and Wines

Wine are listed here, with a seperate section for each producer. Within each producer section, whites are listed first, then rosé (if any), then reds.

Quick links:- Henri Badoux, F&D Giroud, St.Jodernkellerei, Simon Maye, Gregor Kuonen, Varone, Chanton

Henri Badoux, Aigle

Although the quaint town of Aigle, with it’s fairytale castle, is just over the border from the Valais into the neighbouring Chablais region (Vaud), we include Badoux in the Valais section because they make some excellent Valaisan wines in addition to those from Chablais. Founded in 1908, Badoux make a wide range of wines from grapes grown in and around Aigle and neighbouring Yvorne, and further afield in the Valais, and of relevance to this section are their respectable Fendant "Sept Dizains" and Dôle "Caroline". This is a dependable professional supplier who offer wines of good quality.

Fendant de Chamoson 2005
"Sept Dizains"
Henri Badoux, Aigle Ref: 411051

This classic Fendant has a pale yellow colour, with a bright fresh nose of fruit and spice. The palate is principally fruity, pétillant, dry, and very refreshing, with notes of smoke and gunflint. The finish is quite long and dry, with smooth minerality, and a hint of honey. A lovely summer wine.

LIMITED STOCK AVAILABLE

Price: £10.95 Including VAT at 17.5%

Fendant de Chamoson 2005<BR>"Sept Dizains"<BR>Henri Badoux, Aigle

Quantity:

F&D Giroud, Chamoson

François Giroud and his son Dominique have run a 25 hectare domaine at Chamoson since 1992. François is primarily engaged with the viticultural side of the business and Dominique looks after the winemaking and cellars. A wide range of wines are made, including many of the rarer indigenous Swiss Valaisan varieties. Giroud wines continue to regularly garner a wide range of accolades both at home and abroad.

Fendant de Chamoson 2006
F&D Giroud
Chamoson Ref: 411060

A brilliant pale yellow with hints of green, with a floral fruity nose redolent of lime blossom, on the palate this is a light fruity wine with a nice creamy texture and a nice fruity nutty finish. Much less dry than most Fendants. An excellent straightforward Fendant offering good value for money. Ideal with fondue or raclette.

Available now.

Price: £12.95 Including VAT at 17.5%

Fendant de Chamoson 2006<BR>F&D Giroud<BR>Chamoson

Quantity:

Amigne de Vétroz 2004
F&D Giroud
Chamoson Ref: 411002

This very old grape variety was brought to Valais 2000 years ago by the Romans and is mentioned in the oldest records in the canton. In the middle of the 19th Century the grape growers started planting other more productive wines however the Amigne variety has just recently started to make a comeback. The grapes used for this wine are 40 years old, and grow on calcium rich soil (Brise) yielding an average of 800g/m2. In order for the grape sugar to reach 110 oechsle, harvesting is delayed until late October; the maturity of the grapes imparts a rich golden yellow colour. The nose is of rose petals and of dried plums. The palate is rich with pronounced sweetness and flavours of fruit, dried sultanas, and hints of beeswax; the finish is long with hints of mandarin orange. Smooth tannins support the whole.

12.7% ABV; serve around 10°C. Keeps: 20-25 years.
The perfect accompaniment to asparagus, smoked fish, poultry or goats cheese. Also a very nice dessert wine.

Awards for this and previous vintages:-

2001 Cep de Bronze, Trophée des 7 Ceps, Bourg-en-Bresse
2002 Grande Mention, 38e concours intern. œnologique Vinitaly, Vérone
2003 Médaille d’argent, Mondial Bruxelles

Very limited stocks.

amigne de vetroz

Price: £16.00 Including VAT at 17.5%

Amigne de Vétroz 2004<BR>F&D Giroud<BR>Chamoson

Quantity:

Amigne de Vétroz 2005
La Danse des Étoiles
F&D Giroud
Chamoson Ref: 411068

Premium Amigne from Giroud. Popular tradition holds that the Amigne grape was introduced to the Valais two millenia ago by the Romans; modern research disputes this idea, but is unable to prove the origin of this variety that prospers around the village of Vétroz, where broken slate soils typical of this region prove an ideal home for it.

The grapes for this wine come from 40 year-old vines from the Abbey of Vétroz, where yields are restricted to 600g/m2. They are pressed slowly and gently, followed by a single fermentation at low temperature to maximise body and roundness while retaining finesse and freshness of aromas. The wine is then aged for 6 months in 400 litre barrels prior to bottling. The optimal maturity of the grapes gives this wine a slight residual sugar level of between 5 and 6 grams.

A pale yellow, with a bouquet characterized by expressive notes of orange peel, mandarin, and a touch of vanilla. On the off-dry palate there is rich citrus fruit, with touches of honey and vanilla. Good acidity, gentle tannic notes, and a slight pleasing bitterness combine to make a well structured yet tender and delicate wine. Keeps up to 10 years. ABV 12.7%.

Serve at 10°-12° C with warm foie gras, freshwater fish dishes, or even mildly spiced Asian cuisine. Also good with desserts based on hazelnuts or almonds.

Available now.

Price: £22.95 Including VAT at 17.5%

Amigne de Vétroz 2005<BR>La Danse des Étoiles<BR>F&D Giroud<BR>Chamoson

Quantity:

Petite Arvine 2005
La Danse des Étoiles
F&D Giroud
Chamoson Ref: 411070

**(*)

The grapes for this wine come from the wine village of Ardon, between Sion and Chamoson. They are pressed slowly and gently, followed by a single fermentation at low temperature to maximise body and roundness while retaining finesse and freshness of aromas. The wine is then aged for 6 months in 400 litre barrels prior to bottling.

A pale yellow tinged with green apple nuances, the nose is floral with notes of blackcurrant, grapefruit, rhubarb, and a hint of vanilla. On the palate, lush fruit and citrus flavours abound, with a salinity typical of the variety, good acidity, tannin few notes,and a pleasing bitterness on the long finish. Keeps up to 10 years. Serve at 10°-12° C with a seafood platter, veal dishes, cheese, or warm foie gras.

Available now.

Price: £22.95 Including VAT at 17.5%

Petite Arvine 2005<BR>La Danse des Étoiles<BR>F&D Giroud<BR>Chamoson

Quantity:

Johannisberg de Chamoson
Sélection Vieilles Vignes 2006
F&D Giroud
Chamoson Ref: 411062

Originating in Transylvania, the Johannisberg grape was introduced to Valais in the early 20th Century. The grapes for this wine are over 45 years old and grow on a terraced, steep hillside with rocky clay soils and yield an average of 800g/m2.

A Pale yellow colour, there are floral aromas with traces of gingerbread and marzipan. On the palate the fruity flavours are intense, with hints of cloves. Good long finish, with some spice. Serve around 8-10° C, ABC 12.6%. Keeps: 25+ years. Good now but will improve further with some bottle age.
This is a classic aperitif wine but can accompany asparagus cheese, fish and shellfish equally well.

Awards for earlier vintages:-

2001 Prädikat "Bemerkenswert", Wettbewerb VINEA, Siders
2002 Silbermedaille, internationale Weinprämierung, Zürich
2003 Gold Nobilis, Wettbewerb VINEA
2003 Silbermedaille, internationale Weinprämierung, Ljubljana
2003 Vinalies d'argent, internationale Weinprämierung, Paris
2004 Trophée Prestige, Les Citadelles du Vin, Bourg

Available now.

Price: £14.50 Including VAT at 17.5%

Johannisberg de Chamoson<BR>Sélection Vieilles Vignes 2006<BR>F&D Giroud<BR>Chamoson

Quantity:

Petite Arvine 2006
F&D Giroud
Chamoson Ref: 411064

A late harvest wine (125 deg. oeschle) with a brilliant pale yellow colour; there are flowers and grapefruit on the nose, reflected on the off-dry palate with honey. Some minerality on the finish. Really quite distinctive.

Available now.

Price: £17.95 Including VAT at 17.5%

Petite Arvine 2006<BR>F&D Giroud<BR>Chamoson

Quantity:

Humagne Blanche 2004
F&D Giroud
Chamoson Ref: 411003

The Humagne Blanche is the oldest known white grape originating in the Valais. It is cited in historical records going back to 1381 under the name "Humani". It gives a wine rich in iron - 3 times the level found in most other grapes - accounting for its reputed medicinal qualities, in particular in bygone days as a tonic for pregnant women, monks, and bishops! Following the phylloxera outbreak, this variety faced near extinction at the start of the 20th century, and now there is just over 7 hectares planted, making it one of the world's rarest grape varieties.

TN in preparation..

Price: £17.50 Including VAT at 17.5%

Humagne Blanche 2004<BR>F&D Giroud<BR>Chamoson

Quantity:

Humagne Blanche 2006
F&D Giroud
Chamoson Ref: 411067

The Humagne Blanche is the oldest known white grape originating in the Valais. It is cited in historical records going back to 1381 under the name "Humani". It gives a wine rich in iron - 3 times the level found in most other grapes - accounting for its reputed medicinal qualities, in particular in bygone days as a tonic for pregnant women, monks, and bishops! Following the phylloxera outbreak, this variety faced near extinction at the start of the 20th century, and now there is just over 7 hectares planted, making it one of the world's rarest grape varieties.

TN in preparation.

Available now.

Price: £18.95 Including VAT at 17.5%

Humagne Blanche 2006<BR>F&D Giroud<BR>Chamoson

Quantity:

Humagne Blanche 2005
La Danse des Étoiles
F&D Giroud
Chamoson Ref: 411069

Vinification of Giroud's Danse des Étoiles wines is characterised by the grapes being pressed slowly and gently, followed by a single fermentation at low temperature to maximise body and roundness while retaining finesse and freshness of aromas. The wine is then aged for 6 months in 400 litre barrels prior to bottling.

The grapes for thois wine come from a premium site at Ardon. A golden yellow, with a fresh bouquet with aromas of white peaches, melon and cashews, with a hint of vanilla. On the palate it is rich and opulent, with delicate fruit, vanilla, and hazlenut flavours. ABV 12.5%. Keeps 5 years. Serve at 10°-12° C with oysters, fish dishes, poultry, terrines, cold meats, and cheese.

Available now.

Price: £22.95 Including VAT at 17.5%

Humagne Blanche 2005<BR>La Danse des Étoiles<BR>F&D Giroud<BR>Chamoson

Quantity:

Dôle de Chamoson 2005
Sang des Martyrs
Sélection Vieilles Vignes
F&D Giroud
Chamoson Ref: 411061

This typically Valaisan Dôle is 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Gamay; the vines are aged on average 30 years, and yields are limited to 900 g/m2. It has a ruby red colour with an orangey fringe, and fruity aromas with hints of raspberry, blackcurrant and blackberry. On the palate it is fruity (influence of the Gamay) yet also powerfully velvety (the Pinot Noir) and has soft tannins which come through on the finish. 12% ABV, serve at 14°. Keeps 10 years; food match dried meats, red meats and meat fondue, cheeses.

Accolades:-

2000 Gold at the European Tasting Masters in Luxembourg
2000 Nobilis Competition Outstanding Label
2001 VINEA Competition Special mention
2002 Medal of honour at the Zurich International Competition

Available now.

Price: £13.50 Including VAT at 17.5%

Dôle de Chamoson 2005<BR>Sang des Martyrs<BR>Sélection Vieilles Vignes<BR>F&D Giroud<BR>Chamoson

Quantity: