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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 empered 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. Valais 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.


Plantscher 2011, Chanton Weine, Visp, Valais, Switzerland

Plantscher 2011, Chanton Weine, Visp, Valais, Switzerland Ref: 4112039

The Plantscher is a descendent from Furmint (the wine most famous in Hungarian Tokaj, and well known to our customers thanks to Heidi Schröck in Rust). This is an aromatic wine mosly eaten with cheese.

It was intriguing and pleasant to drink now in our tasting on Feb 4, 2012, although like most of the ancient varieties it will open up and expand with a bit of bottle age.

Price: £31.20 (Including VAT at 20%)


 

People who bought this item also bought:
  1. Fendant "Tremazieres" 2011, AOC Chamoson, Simon Maye & Fils, Chamoson, Valais (Ref: 4112051)
    Price: £21.84 (Including VAT at 20%)
  2. Fendant de Chamoson "Sept Dizains" 2011, Daniel Dufaux, Badoux Vins, Aigle, Vaud, Switzerland SOLD OUT (Ref: 4112033)
    Price: £18.00 (Including VAT at 20%)
  3. Fendant Terra Helvetica AOC VS 2010, Giroud Vins, Sion, Valais, Switzerland BACK ORDERED (Ref: 4112008)
    Was: £15.60 (Including VAT at 20%)
Fendant (Chasselas AOC Valais)

Fendant (Chasselas AOC Valais)


"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.


Fendant Terra Helvetica AOC VS 2010, Giroud Vins, Sion, Valais, Switzerland BACK ORDERED

Fendant Terra Helvetica AOC VS 2010, Giroud Vins, Sion, Valais, Switzerland BACK ORDERED Ref: 4112008

A typical every day Fendant from Valais - now back in stock

A light and fruity nose, with a mineral hints of flint. On the palate, accents of rhubarb and pineapple, with the same underlying mineral flint note.

Out of stock, new wintage coming in June

Was: £15.60 (Including VAT at 20%)



People who bought this item also bought:
  1. Fendant de Chamoson "Sept Dizains" 2011, Daniel Dufaux, Badoux Vins, Aigle, Vaud, Switzerland SOLD OUT (Ref: 4112033)
    Price: £18.00 (Including VAT at 20%)
  2. Fendant "Tremazieres" 2011, AOC Chamoson, Simon Maye & Fils, Chamoson, Valais (Ref: 4112051)
    Price: £21.84 (Including VAT at 20%)
  3. Fendant "Moette" 2011, Simon Maye & Fils, Chamoson, Valais (Ref: 4112052)
    Price: £22.80 (Including VAT at 20%)
Fendant de Chamoson

Fendant de Chamoson "Sept Dizains" 2011, Daniel Dufaux, Badoux Vins, Aigle, Vaud, Switzerland SOLD OUT Ref: 4112033

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.

Sold out, new vintage coming in June

Price: £18.00 (Including VAT at 20%)


 

People who bought this item also bought:
  1. Pinot Noir "Le Vin Vivant" Bernard Ravet, 2011, Uvavins Caves de la Côte, Morges, Switzerland (BACK ORDERED) (Ref: 4112071)
    Was: £22.80 (Including VAT at 20%)
  2. Fendant "Moette" 2011, Simon Maye & Fils, Chamoson, Valais (Ref: 4112052)
    Price: £22.80 (Including VAT at 20%)
  3. Clos De Chillon 2011(Chasselas), Daniel Dufaux, Badoux Vins, Aigle, Vaud, Switzerland BACK ORDERED (Ref: 4112044)
    Was: £25.20 (Including VAT at 20%)
Fendant de Chamoson 2010, Charles Favre

Fendant de Chamoson 2010, Charles Favre Ref: 4112001

A classic Fendant example

Price: £18.60 (Including VAT at 20%)


 

People who bought this item also bought:
  1. Fendant "Tremazieres" 2011, AOC Chamoson, Simon Maye & Fils, Chamoson, Valais (Ref: 4112051)
    Price: £21.84 (Including VAT at 20%)
  2. Plantscher 2011, Chanton Weine, Visp, Valais, Switzerland (Ref: 4112039)
    Price: £31.20 (Including VAT at 20%)
  3. Fendant de Chamoson "Sept Dizains" 2011, Daniel Dufaux, Badoux Vins, Aigle, Vaud, Switzerland SOLD OUT (Ref: 4112033)
    Price: £18.00 (Including VAT at 20%)
Fendant

Fendant "Tremazieres" 2011, AOC Chamoson, Simon Maye & Fils, Chamoson, Valais Ref: 4112051

This is a really excellent Fendant, one of the best I've tasted. A very pale yellow, with a perfumed nose of fruit and minerals. On the palate the first thing that hits you is the slight CO2 prickle followed by dry smooth minerality and hints of grapefruit; there is excellent length, dry, with hints of honey, stone, and gunflint, and an exquisite bitterness, leaving you wanting more...

This is a racy wine, elegant, just lovely. Which is nothing less than you would expect from this excellent maker, widely regarded as one of Switzerland's best. 11.5% ABV.


Price: £21.84 (Including VAT at 20%)


 

People who bought this item also bought:
  1. Aigle Les Murailles, 2011 & 2009, Daniel Dufaux, Badoux Vins, Aigle, Vaud, Switzerland (Ref: LESMURAILLES)
    Price: £27.00 (Including VAT at 20%)
  2. Fendant Terra Helvetica AOC VS 2010, Giroud Vins, Sion, Valais, Switzerland BACK ORDERED (Ref: 4112008)
    Was: £15.60 (Including VAT at 20%)
  3. Johannisberg 2009 Simon Maye & Fils St. Pierre de Clages, Chamoson (Ref: 4110125)
    Price: £23.70 (Including VAT at 20%)
Fendant

Fendant "Moette" 2011, Simon Maye & Fils, Chamoson, Valais Ref: 4112052

The premium Fendant in our range. The grapes for Moette come from steep terraced slopes at Ardon, to the west of Sion and not far from the Rhone. Soils here are principally well-drained limestone, and there is excellent exposure to the sun. The grapes are harvested manually, and after careful pressing, alcoholic fermentation takes place slowly at 20° C, with no malolactic fermentation. The wine rests on the lees till the beginning of March and is bottled in April.

A very pale yellow-green, with a nose of wisteria, citrus and asian pear. Plenty of clean crisp citrussy fruit on the palate, underpinned with a vibrant minerality, and a fine salty acidity. This Fendant is built for the long haul - keeps up to 10 years - and is a perfect partner for freshwater fish, and seafood generally. Works well on its own as an apéritif. Serve 8 - 10° C.
ABV 12.0 %

Price: £22.80 (Including VAT at 20%)


 

People who bought this item also bought:
  1. Mont Sur Rolle 2011(Chasselas), Domaine de la Maison Blanche, Mont sur Rolle, Vaud (Ref: 4112221)
    Price: £18.00 (Including VAT at 20%)
  2. Fendant Terra Helvetica AOC VS 2010, Giroud Vins, Sion, Valais, Switzerland BACK ORDERED (Ref: 4112008)
    Was: £15.60 (Including VAT at 20%)
  3. Merlot del Ticino 2003 Guido Brivio Riflessi d'Epoca (Ref: 4170005)
    Price: £31.80 (Including VAT at 20%)

Dole & Goron


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.


Dôle du Valais 2009 Caroline, Daniel Dufaux, Badoux Vins, Aigle, Vaud, Switzerland

Dôle du Valais 2009 Caroline, Daniel Dufaux, Badoux Vins, Aigle, Vaud, Switzerland Ref: 4110157

This classic Dôle is a deep pastel red with granite tinges, and aromas of fruit, smoke, and dusky spice. On the palate it is soft and gentle, with lovely smooth fruit, and a spicy dry earthiness. Good length, dry and spicy. Nice with pasta.


Price: £18.00 (Including VAT at 20%)


 

People who bought this item also bought:
  1. Dôle Blanche AOC Visperterminen 2006 St. Jodern-Kellerei Visperterminen (Ref: 4110096)
    Price: £19.50 (Including VAT at 20%)
  2. Fendant de Chamoson "Sept Dizains" 2011, Daniel Dufaux, Badoux Vins, Aigle, Vaud, Switzerland SOLD OUT (Ref: 4112033)
    Price: £18.00 (Including VAT at 20%)
  3. Dôle de Chamoson 2009 Simon Maye & Fils St. Pierre de Clages, Chamoson (Ref: 4110138)
    Price: £22.55 (Including VAT at 20%)
Dôle de Chamoson 2009 Simon Maye & Fils St. Pierre de Clages, Chamoson

Dôle de Chamoson 2009 Simon Maye & Fils St. Pierre de Clages, Chamoson Ref: 4110138

This Dôle is made from Pinot Noir amd Gamay grown on alluvial soils composed of sand, gravel, and clay and with a high silt content, close to Chamoson. Harvesting is manual, and these grapes were picked with 92° Oechsle.

The grapes were de-stemmed prior to vinification; maceration and alcoholic fermentation took place over a 21 day period, with twice daily pigeage (punching down of the cap). The wine is then allowed to mature in concrete tanks until bottling in the July following the harvest.

A dark pastel red with a nose of red berry fruit and a hint of dusty spice; the palate is dominated by fresh Gamay fruit, and there is good body and structure brought by the Pinot Noir. A savoury, slightly earthy character, with excellent length and a long dry finish. Serve around 16-18° C with pâtes, red and white meats, or just on its own. Keeps 3-5 years from bottling. ABV 13%.


Price: £22.55 (Including VAT at 20%)


 

People who bought this item also bought:
  1. Aigle Les Murailles, 2011 & 2009, Daniel Dufaux, Badoux Vins, Aigle, Vaud, Switzerland (Ref: LESMURAILLES)
    Price: £27.00 (Including VAT at 20%)
  2. Heida Gletscherwein, Chanton Weine, Visp, Valais, Switzerland (Ref: CHANTONHEIDA)
    Price: £31.20 (Including VAT at 20%)
  3. A Taste of Switzerland Reds Introductory Pack 6 Bottles (Ref: CH6RED)
    Price: £108.00 (Including VAT at 20%)

Rosé - Oeil de Perdrix and Dôle Blanche

These are complex rosé wines made from the free run juice of either Pinot Noir or Dôle - made in parallel with top Pinot Noir wines or Dôle. This helps concentrate the red wines, but also produces a unique type of rosé.

Oeil de Perdrix Cuvée des Reines, Albert Biollaz (F&D Giroud), Chamoson, Valais, Switzerland SOLD OUT

Oeil de Perdrix Cuvée des Reines, Albert Biollaz (F&D Giroud), Chamoson, Valais, Switzerland SOLD OUT Ref: 4112010

Oeil de Perdrix is a rosé made from free run Pinot Noir. In my eyes, a golden standard (or should it be pink standard) in rosés that few others can match. This is a lively, dry and well developed rosé
Alcohol: 13%
Serve at:8 to 10° C
Drink with: with summer salads, with grilled poultry, but also on its own as an aperitif.


Was: £18.60 (Including VAT at 20%)


Oeil de Perdrix 2009 Simon Maye & Fils St. Pierre de Clages, Chamoson

Oeil de Perdrix 2009 Simon Maye & Fils St. Pierre de Clages, Chamoson Ref: 4110137

Oeil de Perdrix is technically a rosé wine made from Pinot Noir, although better examples, such as this one, have more the appearance and character of a light red wine. The grapes for this wine are grown on alluvial soils around Chamoson - these tend to be mainly sand and gravel based, but silt and clay soils are also found. The grapes were manually harvested at 95 ° Oe, and vinification uses the "saignée" method with 8 hours of maceration followed by slow fermentation at a temperature of 20°C. The wine is then stored in tanks till bottling in July following the harvest. A beautiful deep pink color, fruity and elegant end an excellent expression of the noble Pinot Noir. Makes a good apéritif but also a good match for white meats and Asian dishes. Drink - now to 2014.
Serving temperature 16-18°C - rather higher than a typical rosé.
Yield 65 hl / hectare.
Acidity 4.7 g / litre.
ABV 12% vol.


Was: £22.08 (Including VAT at 20%)


Dôle Blanche AOC Visperterminen 2006 St. Jodern-Kellerei Visperterminen

Dôle Blanche AOC Visperterminen 2006 St. Jodern-Kellerei Visperterminen Ref: 4110096

Dôle Blanche is a rosé wine made, as is the case with red Dôle, from a mixture of Gamay and Pinot Noir grapes. This example has a light salmon pink colour, with a delicate fruity nose redolent of strawberries. On the palate it is soft and very slightly off-dry, full-bodied, and with good structure. Good length.


Price: £19.50 (Including VAT at 20%)

1 Week Summer Clearance 20 Off%This product carries 20% discount, which will be shown in the shopping basket. Ends June 23 More Summer Clearance at 20% Off

 

People who bought this item also bought:
  1. Dôle du Valais 2009 Caroline, Daniel Dufaux, Badoux Vins, Aigle, Vaud, Switzerland (Ref: 4110157)
    Price: £18.00 (Including VAT at 20%)
  2. Fendant "Moette" 2011, Simon Maye & Fils, Chamoson, Valais (Ref: 4112052)
    Price: £22.80 (Including VAT at 20%)
  3. Fendant "Tremazieres" 2011, AOC Chamoson, Simon Maye & Fils, Chamoson, Valais (Ref: 4112051)
    Price: £21.84 (Including VAT at 20%)

Valais 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 / Traminer)



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 atound Visperterminen, at an altitude of some 1100 metres above sea level, where the Föhn, a warm southerly wine, 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.


Heida Gletscherwein, Chanton Weine, Visp, Valais, Switzerland

Heida Gletscherwein, Chanton Weine, Visp, Valais, Switzerland Ref: CHANTONHEIDA

The name for Chanton's Heida "Gletscherwein" - or Glacier wine - stems from the fact that the grapes used for this wine come from various high terraced sites in the "Valley of the Virgin" - which leads from Visp, through Visperterminen, and then on towards Zermatt and the Matterhorn, and grow in sight of the several glaciers in the region. Chanton's first plantings of Heida were made in 1964, and now the average age is some 35 years.

A pale yellow, the nose has spicy, minerals, and exotic scents of ripe fruit and acacia honey. On the palate it is rich and expressive, with hints of quince, peach and mirabelle, just a hint of residual sweetness, some peppery spice, and a subtle acidity. Not just a museum piece, this is up there with the very best Valaisan whites you will find.

Served chilled, around 6-8 deg C, this wine is a fine companion for asparagus, exotic spiced vegetables or cheese plates, beef, terrines, mushrooms, or fish dishes such as salmon or lobster.

Price: £31.20 (Including VAT at 20%)

Vintage:

 

People who bought this item also bought:
  1. Aigle Les Murailles, 2011 & 2009, Daniel Dufaux, Badoux Vins, Aigle, Vaud, Switzerland (Ref: LESMURAILLES)
    Price: £27.00 (Including VAT at 20%)
  2. Mont Sur Rolle 2011(Chasselas), Domaine de la Maison Blanche, Mont sur Rolle, Vaud (Ref: 4112221)
    Price: £18.00 (Including VAT at 20%)
  3. Fendant "Moette" 2011, Simon Maye & Fils, Chamoson, Valais (Ref: 4112052)
    Price: £22.80 (Including VAT at 20%)
Heida de Chamoson 2009 & 2011, Giroud Vins, Sion, Valais, Switzerland

Heida de Chamoson 2009 & 2011, Giroud Vins, Sion, Valais, Switzerland Ref: GIROUDHEIDA



Was: £21.60 (Including VAT at 20%)

Vintage:

Beerenauslese 37.5cl Heida Mario Chanton Kellerei Chanton Visp

Beerenauslese 37.5cl Heida Mario Chanton Kellerei Chanton Visp Ref: CHANTONBA

Last few bottles - incredibly complex and crystal pure dessert wine

Price: £48.00 (Including VAT at 20%)

Vintage:

 
Heida du Valais 2009, Daniel Dufaux, Badoux Vins, Aigle, Vaud, Switzerland

Heida du Valais 2009, Daniel Dufaux, Badoux Vins, Aigle, Vaud, Switzerland Ref: 4110155

This wine comes from vineyards on the hillsides around Chamoson, where vines grow on schist soils. The 2009 vintage followed a cold winter, and the vegetative cycle was late starting, but caught up later in the season due to a very hot May and June. An erratic summer with periods of rain followed, and a cool September allowd slow maturation, promoting the concentration of aromas. Vinification was traditional, aging in stainless steel tanks and without malolactic fermentation. A beautiful golden straw yellow with aromas of lemongrass and resin. On the palate good attack, rich, with good structure. Mineral and creamy with yeasty notes. An ideal apéritif, goes well with asparagus, fish dishes, or soft cheeses. Serve at 10 to 12°C.


Price: £23.40 (Including VAT at 20%)


 
Petite Arvine

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.

Petite Arvine 2009 Simon Maye & Fils St. Pierre de Clages, Chamoson

Petite Arvine 2009 Simon Maye & Fils St. Pierre de Clages, Chamoson Ref: 4110136

A top-class Petite Arvine, possibly the best vintage of this wine that I have yet tasted, made in tiny quantities (just 5000 bottles a year) by one of Switzerland's best producers, and a highlight of our range.

The grapes for this wine are grown in a small parcel of vines in a location called "Illiarisses", near to Ardon, on arid terraces where Petite Arvine can express its characteristics perfectly. Typical for the region, soils here are principally well-drained limestone. Maye harvests manually, and after careful pressing, there follows slow temperature controlled alcoholic fermentation at around 20° C. The wine remans on the lees till mid-June and is bottled at the end of July.

The grapes are late-harvested, at 107° Oe, which shows in the yellow tinge to the wine; on the nose are aromas principally of zesty citrus, with some wisteria. On the palate it is dry, with flavours of rhubarb and citrus, with good acid structure and an agreeable hint of salinity. The finish is long and dry, with a zesty freshness, and aromas of nuts emerging. Good with fish and milder blue cheeses; fantastic with fruits de mer and other seafood. Keeps 5+ years; serve at 10° C; acidity 4.3 gr/l; ABV 13%. Better availability than the 2008 but still quite limited.

Click on MORE to see a picture of the utterly amazing Illiarisses vineyard where the grapes for this wine are grown.


Price: £31.80 (Including VAT at 20%)


 

People who bought this item also bought:
  1. Aigle Les Murailles, 2011 & 2009, Daniel Dufaux, Badoux Vins, Aigle, Vaud, Switzerland (Ref: LESMURAILLES)
    Price: £27.00 (Including VAT at 20%)
  2. Johannisberg 2009 Simon Maye & Fils St. Pierre de Clages, Chamoson (Ref: 4110125)
    Price: £23.70 (Including VAT at 20%)
  3. Heida Gletscherwein, Chanton Weine, Visp, Valais, Switzerland (Ref: CHANTONHEIDA)
    Price: £31.20 (Including VAT at 20%)
Petite Arvine 2009 & 2011, Giroud Vins, Sion, Valais, Switzerland

Petite Arvine 2009 & 2011, Giroud Vins, Sion, Valais, Switzerland Ref: GIROUDARVINE



Price: £21.60 (Including VAT at 20%)

Vintage:

 
Petite Arvine du Valais 2009, Daniel Dufaux, Badoux Vins, Aigle, Vaud, Switzerland

Petite Arvine du Valais 2009, Daniel Dufaux, Badoux Vins, Aigle, Vaud, Switzerland Ref: 4110156


TN to follow.



Price: £24.60 (Including VAT at 20%)


 
Petite Arvine 2008 Borgeaux,

Petite Arvine 2008 Borgeaux, "La Danse des Etoiles", Giroud Vins, Sion, Valais, Switzerland Ref: 4112020



Price: £27.60 (Including VAT at 20%)


 
Petite Arvine 2009 Kellerei Chanton Visp

Petite Arvine 2009 Kellerei Chanton Visp Ref: 4110145

Petite Arvine, probably originally brought to the Valais by the Romans, is one of the varieties that makes the Valais so interesting, and this is one od the most interesting examples I have come across. Another of Chanton's high altitude wines, made from grapes grown around Varen and Visp, this wine is a delight, with flavours of nettles, grapefruit, and dried apricots, with a pleasing salinity and good acidity, it is the perfect match for all sorts of fish, but especially salmon, and goat and sheeps cheeses.


Price: £29.70 (Including VAT at 20%)


 

People who bought this item also bought:
  1. Dézaley "L Evêque" 2011, Patrick Fonjallaz, Lavaux SOLD OUT (Ref: 4112292)
    Was: £30.00 (Including VAT at 20%)
  2. Mont Sur Rolle 2011(Chasselas), Domaine de la Maison Blanche, Mont sur Rolle, Vaud (Ref: 4112221)
    Price: £18.00 (Including VAT at 20%)
  3. Pinot Noir "Le Vin Vivant" Bernard Ravet, 2011, Uvavins Caves de la Côte, Morges, Switzerland (BACK ORDERED) (Ref: 4112071)
    Was: £22.80 (Including VAT at 20%)
Gwäss (Gwass)

Gwäss (Gwass)


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.


Gwäss, Chanton Weine, Visp, Valais, Switzerland

Gwäss, Chanton Weine, Visp, Valais, Switzerland Ref: CHANTONGWASS

The name Gwäss was first recorded in 1823. It's a vigorous high-yielding variety, and traditionally produced wines with high acidity. Chanton's Gwäss is highly aromatic, with green forest-like aromas, and is dry and well structured, with good concentration of grapey fruit and some green apple flavours. Chanton's clean winemaking has tamed the acidity, producing a very refreshing wine. It would go well served chilled with lightly spiced Asian food, pasta dishes, or seafood such as mussels and oysters.

The 2006 has aged beautifully, only a few bottles left
The 2010 is ready to drink but should preferably be given a few more years
The 2011 is for laying down

Price: £30.00 (Including VAT at 20%)

Vintage:

 

Lafnetscha and Himbertscha


Lafnetscha, Chanton Weine, Visp, Valais, Switzerland

Lafnetscha, Chanton Weine, Visp, Valais, Switzerland Ref: CHANTONLAFNETSCHA

The Lafnetscha grape is grown exclusively in the Haut Valais. It is believed to be closely related to another indigenous Swiss white grape, the Completer or Blanchier, grown in the Bündner Herrschaft village of Malans in eastern Switzerland. In Valais, only about 1.29 hectares of Lafnetscha is cultivated. The name Lafnetscha comes from "Laff-nit-scha", a local dialect phrase suggesting this wine should not be drunk too young. Lafnetscha wines do indeed have some aging potential if correctly made.

Chanton's Lafnetscha has a light but complex nose of pine forest, linden blossom, bergamot and ripe bananas. On the palate it is quite full-bodied, dry, with good concentration of fruit, and a fresh lively acidity. It is a very refreshing wine which would go well with sauerkraut, pot-au-feu, hors d'oeuvres, shrimp, shellfish, cheese and onion cakes, Raclette, and Fondue.

These ancient variety white wines improve with age, so we recommend buying the oldest vintage available, especially if the wine is for a tasting

Price: £33.60 (Including VAT at 20%)

Vintage:

 
Himbertscha, Chanton Weine, Visp, Valais, Switzerland

Himbertscha, Chanton Weine, Visp, Valais, Switzerland Ref: CHANTONHIMBERTSCHA

Chanton's Himbertscha is a straw-yellow, with aromas of strawberry, hazlenuts, and mango, it is fresh and fruity on the palate, with bright zippy acidity. Try it with fish with lemon, trout, mountain cheese, Raclette, Fondue, Vacherin glacé.

As many of the ancient varieties, Himbertscha benefits from ageing, so our recommendation is to buy the oldest vintage available unless you intend the bottles for laying down



Price: £33.60 (Including VAT at 20%)

Vintage:

 
Lafnetscha

Lafnetscha "Grandmaître" 2005 (75cl) Gregor Kuonen & Fils Caveau de Salquenen Salquenen (Salgesch) Ref: 4110058

The Lafnetscha grape is grown exclusively in the Haut Valais. It is believed to be closely related to another indigenous Swiss white grape, the Completer or Blanchier, grown in the Bündner Herrschaft village of Malans in eastern Switzerland. In Valais, only about 1.29 hectares of Lafnetscha is cultivated, and Kuonen have 1 ha of this (80% of world production) in a small vineyard near the town of Brig.

The name Lafnetscha comes from "Laff-nit-scha", a local dialect phrase suggesting this wine should not be drunk too young.


Price: £31.20 (Including VAT at 20%)


 

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Humagne Blanche

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.


Humagne Blanche 2009, Giroud Vins, Sion, Valais, Switzerland

Humagne Blanche 2009, Giroud Vins, Sion, Valais, Switzerland Ref: 4110121


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.

Vinification - Slow and careful pressing, an initial period of low temperature fermentation and six month of aging in vats combine to guarantee a rich, full-bodied wine while also ensuring the cool finesse of the aromas. A Golden Yellow colour, with a powerful floral bouquet, characterized by a subtle mixture of linden blossoms, honey and hazelnuts. The vinosity combines with good acidity to create a fresh, fruity wine with delicate touches of honey and dried fruit followed by a long, fresh finish.

Humagne Blanche is a marvellous accompaniment to mousses, terrines, cold cuts and Alpine cheese.

ABV 12.5%. Drink - now to 2016. Serving temperature 8° - 10°C


Price: £19.50 (Including VAT at 20%)


 

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Humagne Blanche Trémadières

Humagne Blanche Trémadières "La Danse des Etoiles", Giroud Vins, Sion, Valais, Switzerland Ref: GIROUDHUMBLETOILES

Mentioned in 1313 in a legal document, the Registre d’Anniviers, the Humagne Blanche is one of the oldest varietals grown in the Valais region. Popular tradition traces its origins back to Roman times, and its supposedly high iron content has given it the nickname "vin des accouchées", or "the wine of women who have just given birth". Modern research has called both these legends into question, however. The Humagne Blanche is a varietal that grows only in the Valais region. It is not related to the Humagne Rouge, and almost completely disappeared in the 20th century due to its low yields and susceptibility to disease.

The Humagne Blanche Danse des Etoiles is made from grapes grown on the alluvial cone of Chamoson which are carefully selected by Dominique Giroud from vines with a deliberately small yield of 600 g/m2.
Vinification - slow and careful pressing, a single period of low temperature fermentation and aging in wooden barrels guarantee a maximum full-bodied depth while also ensuring the cool finesse of this wine’s aromas. Twelve months of aging in 400-litre barrels concludes the elaboration of this speciality.
A golden yellow colour with a wonderfully lively bouquet combining white peaches, melon and cashew nuts with a touch of elegant yet discreet vanilla flavour. Aromas - this rich and opulent wine combines a fruity delicacy with hints of vanilla. As the wine matures, walnut and hazelnut notes appear.


Price: £25.20 (Including VAT at 20%)

Vintage:

 
Resi

Resi

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 recent 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.


Resi (Réze), Chanton Weine, Visp, Valais, Switzerland

Resi (Réze), Chanton Weine, Visp, Valais, Switzerland Ref: CHANTONRESI

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.

Chanton has re-establshed this variety in a vineyard above Visp, planted in 1990. A pale lemon yellow, the wine has a rich citrus bouquet of citrus and herbs, on the palate smooth, with spice, resin, and bitter almonds, with good acidity. Good length.

Resi is the ideal partner to platters of dried meat and cheese, or raclette and fondue dishes.

These ancient variety white wines improve with age, so we recommend buying the oldest vintage available, especially if the wine is for a tasting


Vintage:

 

Johannisberg


Johannisberg 2009 Simon Maye & Fils St. Pierre de Clages, Chamoson

Johannisberg 2009 Simon Maye & Fils St. Pierre de Clages, Chamoson Ref: 4110125

The grapes for this Johannisberg are grown in a location called "Ravanay" - which has chalky/gravel soils. Harvesting is manual and these grapes were harvested with 95° Oechsle. Slow alcoholic fermentation at a temperature of 20°; the wine rests on the lees till the March following the harvest, prior to bottling. A pale golden yellow, with a velvety smooth texture, and flavours of almonds with strong mineral underpinning. It's quite a low-acid wine, but the minerality ensures it's ageing charateristics. Works well with asparagus, fish, or fine cheeses. Keeps 5 - 15 years; serve at around 12 °C.


Price: £23.70 (Including VAT at 20%)


 

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Johannisberg de Chamoson Sélection Vieilles Vignes 2009, Giroud Vins, Sion, Valais, Switzerland

Johannisberg de Chamoson Sélection Vieilles Vignes 2009, Giroud Vins, Sion, Valais, Switzerland Ref: 4110126

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.


Price: £18.60 (Including VAT at 20%)


 

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Amigne


Amigne de Vetroz 2009 & 2011 Sélection de Vieilles Vignes, Giroud Vins, Sion, Valais, Switzerland

Amigne de Vetroz 2009 & 2011 Sélection de Vieilles Vignes, Giroud Vins, Sion, Valais, Switzerland Ref: GIROUDAMIGNE

Popular tradition tells that roman legionnaires introduced the Amigne vine into the Valais region where it has been preserved for two millenniums. Modern research contests this theory, but has been unable to prove the origin of this grape variety which only flourishes in the area around the village of Vétroz. The slate soil typical of this region constitutes a terroir which encourages the full expression of this specialty. The grapes selected by Dominique Giroud are from the Abbaye de Vétroz’s ancient vines which are over 40 years old.

Vinification - slow and careful pressing, an initial period of lowtemperature fermentation and six month of aging in vats combine to guarantee a rich, full-bodied wine while also ensuring the cool finesse of the aromas. The optimal maturity of the harvested grapes gives the Amigne de Vétroz its slight residual sugar which varies between 5 and 6 grammes according to the year.

A golden yellow with an expressive bouquet is characterized by touches of citrus fruit, figs and linden blossom. There are citrus aromas, reflected on the palate along with hints of honey and vanilla. Good acidity, touches of tannins and a fine bitterness combine to make this a virile wine, unctuous and solidly structured, but also soft and delicate.


Price: £21.35 (Including VAT at 20%)

Vintage

 
Amigne de Vétroz Zeneaux

Amigne de Vétroz Zeneaux "La Danse des Etoiles", Giroud Vins, Sion, Valais, Switzerland Ref: GIROUDAMIGNETOILES

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.


Price: £26.40 (Including VAT at 20%)

Vintage:

 

Classic International Whites

Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Ermitage (Marsanne)

Chardonnay Vieilles Vignes 2008 Simon Maye & Fils St. Pierre de Clages, Chamoson

Chardonnay Vieilles Vignes 2008 Simon Maye & Fils St. Pierre de Clages, Chamoson Ref: 4110133

A very fine Chardonnay made from grapes from vines aged over 45 years, grown around Chamoson on alluviual soils of sand and gravel, with some clay and silt. The grapes were harvested manually at 92° Oe, at a low yield of 40hl/hectare. They were gently pressed, and fermented slowly at a controlled 20°C, matured on the lees in barrel with regular batonnage, and bottled after 2 years. Ample and complex with flavours of pineapple and nuts, this is a truly exceptional wine which goes well with terrines, fish dishes, and soft cheeses. Drink - now to 2016. Serving temperature - 12°C. Acidity 5.3 g/litre. ABV 12.5%.


Price: £34.80 (Including VAT at 20%)


 
Chardonnay Cuvée des Reines, Albert Biollaz (F&D Giroud), Chamoson, Valais, Switzerland

Chardonnay Cuvée des Reines, Albert Biollaz (F&D Giroud), Chamoson, Valais, Switzerland Ref: 4112012

For the white in the superb "Cuvée des Reines" selection, Biollaz and Giroud chose this lovely pale yellow Chardonnay, in the nose all exotic fruit and flower garden. In the mouth, white peach and mild honey, finishing with toasted vanilla.

Eat with antipasto or tapas, seafood, alpine cheeses - or just drink on its own.

Serve at 10-12°

Alcool: 12.8%

Introductory price which will only be available on special cases later.

Price: £18.90 (Including VAT at 20%)


 

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Brut de Brut 2009, Giroud Vins, Sion, Valais, Switzerland

Brut de Brut 2009, Giroud Vins, Sion, Valais, Switzerland Ref: 4110130


A delicious sparkling wine made from 100% Chardonnay grapes cultivated in the Valais. The grapes are neither crushed nor destalked. A slow and gentle pressing process and a slow fermentation create a delicate wine; a light yellow with a fine mousse, and a nose of white fruit and almond hints. Brut de Brut is a pleasant and well balanced sparkling wine, lively and elegant. Drink on its own or with white meats and shellfish; serving temperature 6° - 7°C. ABV 13%.


Price: £20.04 (Including VAT at 20%)


 
Ermitage 2009 Kellerei Chanton Visp

Ermitage 2009 Kellerei Chanton Visp Ref: 4110150

Ermitage is the name in the Valais for Marsanne, the North Rhône white grape.


Price: £30.00 (Including VAT at 20%)


 
Gewürztraminer 2009 Kellerei Chanton Visp

Gewürztraminer 2009 Kellerei Chanton Visp Ref: 4110148

Chanton make a Gewürztraminer a little by accident. The resulting wine is no accident though. Aromatic and spicy - quince and roses - with a lovely minerality coming through. One for Asian dishes, salmon and seafood, traditional sauerkraut, or a good cheese selection.

Price: £28.80 (Including VAT at 20%)


 

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Riesling 2009 Kellerei Chanton Visp

Riesling 2009 Kellerei Chanton Visp Ref: 4110149

A crisp dry and elegant riesling - notes of apple and fresh green

Price: £28.80 (Including VAT at 20%)


 
Riesling Mario Trockenbeerenauslese 2008 Kellerei Chanton Visp

Riesling Mario Trockenbeerenauslese 2008 Kellerei Chanton Visp Ref: 4110152

Another masterpiece from Chanton - vanilla, peach and honey, perfectly balanced.

Price: £52.80 (Including VAT at 20%)


 

Valais 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.


Rouge du Pays (Cornalin)

This wine's name used to be "Rouge du Pays" but was revived using the name Cornalin in the 20th century.

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. Due to irregular yields and a magnesium shortage in the soil, the "Rouge du Pays" 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.

This is not the same as Cornalin in Aoste (which is the same grape as Humagne Rouge)

Cornalin du Valais 2009, Daniel Dufaux, Badoux Vins, Aigle, Vaud, Switzerland

Cornalin du Valais 2009, Daniel Dufaux, Badoux Vins, Aigle, Vaud, Switzerland Ref: 4110160


A lovely example of a wine made from rare Cornalin grapes grown on the hillsides of the right bank of the Rhône near Sion, on gravel and shale soils. Traditional vinification in stainless steel tanks. A lovely ruby red with purple hues. Complex fruity aromas with black cherry and spice. On the palate nicely balanced with good structure, a core of crunchy dark fruits with supple tannins; good length. Ideal with red meats and game; particularly good with lamb, partridge, guinea fowl, quail, pigeon or soft cheeses. Drink 14-16 ° C. Drink - now to 2017. ABV 12.5%.


Price: £24.60 (Including VAT at 20%)


 

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Cornalin de Chamoson 2009, Giroud Vins, Sion, Valais, Switzerland

Cornalin de Chamoson 2009, Giroud Vins, Sion, Valais, Switzerland Ref: 4112017

Until the end of the 19th Century this local vine was the most common variety in the Canton. This specialty 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. Yield: 700g/m2. A deep red colour, with spicy aromas dominated by coriander and cinnamon. On the palate the wine is fruity with a herbal (fresh thyme) note complemented by hints of fresh nuts, and smooth silky tannins. Hints of liquorice accentuate the finish. ABV 13.2%. Serve around 14° C. Keps: 15 years. A perfect accompaniment to the best cheeses, red meats and poultry.


Price: £22.55 (Including VAT at 20%)


 

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Cornalin de Chamoson Ravannay 2008

Cornalin de Chamoson Ravannay 2008 "La Danse des Etoiles", Giroud Vins, Sion, Valais, Switzerland Ref: 4110124

This is a premium Cornalin from Giroud - big, dark, and powerful. The grapes come from Ardon, one of the top sites for Cornalin. The winemaking process includes a long slow maceration of some 4 weeks, to get maximum extraction of tannins and pigment to ensure structure. The wine is then aged in large oak barrels for some 18 months, during which time it undergoes the second (malolactic) fermentation, which brings softness and smoothness.

A deep dark ruby red, tinged with purple, the nose is powerful, dominated by spice and black cherry fruit, with blueberry, clove, and vanilla notes. On the palate it is full-bodied, with plenty of dark crunchy fruit, spice, all balanced by good acidity and smooth silky tannins. Approachable alrteady, but will improve with bottle age upt to 10 years. 13% ABV, serve at 14 ° -15 ° C with game, grilled meats, poultry and powerful hard cheeses.


Price: £28.80 (Including VAT at 20%)


 
Humagne Rouge

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 of 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.

Humagne Rouge 2009 & 2011, Simon Maye & Fils, Chamoson, Valais, Switzerland

Humagne Rouge 2009 & 2011, Simon Maye & Fils, Chamoson, Valais, Switzerland Ref: MAYEHUMAGNE

A top-notch Humagne Rouge from Maye. Grapes are grown in a vineyard called "Tzouma" or "Zoumaz" at the foot of the massif du Haut de Cry; this is a dry arid site with limestone soils and a hot microclimate, influenced by heat retained in the rockface above the site. Yield 60 hl/hectare; the grapes were very mature when late harvested, with 95 ° Oe. Full destemming, with a 21 day maceration/fermentation, with twice daily pigeage, followed by tank aging until a July bottling. A deep red with peppery wild aromas, full-bodied with dark red fruit flavours, again pepper, and minerals, all evident on the long finish. Good companion for Lamb pasta, and cheese dishes.
Keeps to 5 years, approachable after a year, but better with a little more bottle age. Serve 16 to 18 ° C.

2009: 12% ABV.

2011: We tasted this one in the Barrel before it was bottled, and it was amazing already. A milestone vintage, truly wonderful. Humagne Rouge normally takes time to open up, but this was delightful to drink this summer already.

Price: £27.60 (Including VAT at 20%)

Vintage:

 
Humagne Rouge du Valais 2009, Daniel Dufaux, Badoux Vins, Aigle, Vaud, Switzerland

Humagne Rouge du Valais 2009, Daniel Dufaux, Badoux Vins, Aigle, Vaud, Switzerland Ref: 4110159



Price: £24.00 (Including VAT at 20%)


 
Humagne Rouge de Chamoson 2009, Giroud Vins, Sion, Valais, Switzerland

Humagne Rouge de Chamoson 2009, Giroud Vins, Sion, Valais, Switzerland Ref: 4110123

This very old indigenous grape variety probably belongs to the same family as the Petit Rouge or "Oriou" from the Aosta valley just over the border in Italy. A cherry red colour, this wine has forest aromas, pine and "arolle", notes of toast and cinnamon. On the palate, pomegranate dominates with hints of liquorice. Its finish is enhanced by vanilla aromas. This wine lingers long and silky on the palate. 13.1% ABV, serve around 14° C. Drink: Now and through to 2015 if cellared correctly. Goes well with game and other strongly flavoured meats.

Awards for this and earlier vintages:-

2000 Grande Mention, 36e concours intern. oenologique de Vinitaly, Vérone
2001 Cep de Bronze, Trophée des 7 Ceps, Bourg-en-Bresse
2001 Gold Masters, European Masters of The Degustation, Luxembourg
2001 Médaille d’or, concours international, Zürich
2002 Médaille d’honneur, concours international, Zürich
2003 Nobilis d’argent, concours VINEA, Sierre
2004 Nobilis d’argent, concours VINEA, Sierre


Price: £19.50 (Including VAT at 20%)


 

People who bought this item also bought:
  1. Johannisberg de Chamoson Sélection Vieilles Vignes 2009, Giroud Vins, Sion, Valais, Switzerland (Ref: 4110126)
    Price: £18.60 (Including VAT at 20%)
  2. Red Arenae "RAMISCO" DOC Colares 50cl 2005 (Red) (Ref: 3513000)
    Price: £18.54 (Including VAT at 20%)
  3. Lafnetscha "Grandmaître" 2005 (75cl) Gregor Kuonen & Fils Caveau de Salquenen Salquenen (Salgesch) (Ref: 4110058)
    Price: £31.20 (Including VAT at 20%)
Humagne Rouge de Vétroz Balavaud 2008

Humagne Rouge de Vétroz Balavaud 2008 "La Danse des Etoiles", Giroud Vins, Sion, Valais, Switzerland Ref: 4110129

Known in Italy as "Cornalin d’Aoste", the Humagne Rouge is neither related to the Ouriou or Humagne Blanche nor the Cornalin of the Valais region, despite persistent legends to the contrary. This specialty was long considered marginal and is now grown only in the Valais area. It has regained popularity over the past two decades and is cultivated more and more frequently today. The grapes for this wine were harvested from deliberately small-yield (500g/m2) vines are aged over a long period in oak barrels. Slow maceration over a period of three to four weeks allows for the gentle extraction of the tannins that produce the colour and structure of this red wine. A second period of fermentation in new 400-litre barrels completes the aging process.

A deep crimson, the nose has violets, Swiss stone pine and cinnamon standing out in a floral bouquet which also includes hints of toast. On the palate a powerful wine with rustic, hearty overtones. Dark fruit
balances well with silky tannins. 13.0% ABV. Serving temperature 13° - 14°C. Keeps - 5 to 10 years from the vintage if correctly cellared.

Delicious with game, grilled meats, wild fowl and hard cheeses.


Price: £27.90 (Including VAT at 20%)


 
Humagne Rouge du Valais

Humagne Rouge du Valais "Grandmaître" Barrique 2007 Gregor Kuonen & Fils Caveau de Salquenen Salquenen (Salgesch) Ref: 4110110

This wine is made from grapes grown on better-exposed slopes. and with restricted yield. It is a medium ruby red, with a nose which is fruity, but also packed with with vanilla and spice. On the palate it is dry, but with masses of fruit, some spice, and a good body not unlike the heaviest Beaujolais Cru. Long, warming finish. Fantastic stuff, great with game or strongly flavoured red meat dishes.


Price: £36.60 (Including VAT at 20%)


 
Humagne Rouge 2006 Kellerei Chanton Visp

Humagne Rouge 2006 Kellerei Chanton Visp Ref: 4110085

This Chanton wine is from grapes grown around Visp and Varen. It has a dark granite red colour, with cassis and pepper on the nose. On the palate is lush fruit, with hubarb and cassis flavours, a creamy texture, and a faintly bitter gentian note on the long peppery finish. A lovely wine and an ideal companion for duck, pigeon, roast beef, roast lamb.


Price: £28.80 (Including VAT at 20%)


 
Eyholzer Roter

Eyholzer Roter


Eyholzer Roter, Chanton Weine, Visp, Valais, Switzerland

Eyholzer Roter, Chanton Weine, Visp, Valais, Switzerland Ref: CHANTONEYHOLZER

The Eyholzer Roter grape, also known as Hibou, is grown around Visp and in the village of Eyholz, just to the west of Visp. This ancient variety has also been grown in Savoie in France, and and in northern Italy. The traditional method of growing the grape in Valais is to train it on pergolas. This wine is a medium red, with a nose of mountain violets and respberries. Soft and fruity on the palate, it is best served slightly chilled, as one would a young Beaujolais, with hams, quiches, cold meats, cheeses (Schabziger if you can get it).


Price: £31.20 (Including VAT at 20%)

Vintage:

 
Eiswein

Eiswein "Crystal" Eyholzer Roter 2008 and 2007, 37.5cl , Mario Chanton, Chanton Weine, Visp, Valais, Switzerland Ref: CHANTONCRYSTAL

You might think that Switzerland would produce quite a lot of Eiswein, given the climate and geography, but in fact nothing could be further from the truth. In reality, Swiss Eiswein is very rare - it may only be produced in certain special locations, and the climate allows it to be made on average about every 5 years. It is made in only tiny quantities, and these rare specialtities often go direct to the best regular customers such as top Restaurants. It is very difficult to find it on sale in a retail outlet, even in Switzerland.

This example from the Chanton stable is made from Eyholzer Roter (or Hibou) grapes grown in Vispertal, amongst Europe's highest altitude vineyards. The grapes, with 175° Oechsle degrees, were harvested in the middle of the night at minus 12 degrees Celsius and immediately pressed frozen in a pre-chilled press. Small amounts of highly concentrated concentrate juice, consisting only of sugar, acid, and fruit from the frozen berries is the result. This nectar, with a perfect balance of sweetness and acidity, is fermented to make the Eiswein which then spends a year in small barriques before bottling. The result is a very special wine indeed. Bouquet of mushrooms and forest floor, on the palate hugely concentrated, unctuous, with sumptuous fruit and beautiful harmony of sugar and acidity. One of the world's most unusual and rare wines. Gastronomic combination: mature blue cheese, caviar, foie gras.

Note 37.5cl bottle size.

Limit 3 bottles per customer.

Price: £57.60 (Including VAT at 20%)

Vintage:

 

Pinot Noir (Valais)


Pinot Noir de Chamoson 2011, Giroud Vins, Sion, Valais, Switzerland

Pinot Noir de Chamoson 2011, Giroud Vins, Sion, Valais, Switzerland Ref: 4112009



Price: £19.50 (Including VAT at 20%)


 
Diolinoir Cuvée des Reines AOC VS, Albert Biollaz (F&D Giroud), Chamoson, Valais, Switzerland

Diolinoir Cuvée des Reines AOC VS, Albert Biollaz (F&D Giroud), Chamoson, Valais, Switzerland Ref: 4112014

Diolinoir is a new varietal created in 1970 from "Rouge de Diolly" and Pinot Noir. In the Valais this produces a fine and quite powerful wine, with good tannins and a lovely dark colour.



Price: £20.40 (Including VAT at 20%)


 

People who bought this item also bought:
  1. Fendant "Tremazieres" 2011, AOC Chamoson, Simon Maye & Fils, Chamoson, Valais (Ref: 4112051)
    Price: £21.84 (Including VAT at 20%)
  2. Dankbarkeit Rot 2009 Josef Lentsch Podersdorf/See, Burgenland, Austria (Ref: 4330084)
    Price: £16.20 (Including VAT at 20%)
  3. Pinot Noir, 2008, Walter Buchegger, Droß, Kremstal, Austria (Ref: 4312004)
    Price: £22.50 (Including VAT at 20%)
Pinot Noir Varen 2006 Kellerei Chanton Visp

Pinot Noir Varen 2006 Kellerei Chanton Visp Ref: 4110086

Chanton's Pinot Noir is from Varen, just to the west of Visp, north of the Rhone, at an altitude of 750 metres. A rather harmonious and subtle Pinot Noir.

Good with grilled meat, Valais dried meat, and traditional stews.


Price: £23.40 (Including VAT at 20%)


 
Pinot Noir Mario Barrique 2005 Kellerei Chanton Visp

Pinot Noir Mario Barrique 2005 Kellerei Chanton Visp Ref: 4110087

In the "Mario" version the Pinot Noir has spent time in barriques. A balanced and smooth alpine Pinot Noir

Price: £33.60 (Including VAT at 20%)


 
Pinot Noir 2007 Simon Maye & Fils St. Pierre de Clages, Chamoson

Pinot Noir 2007 Simon Maye & Fils St. Pierre de Clages, Chamoson Ref: 4110101

DISCOUNTED: This is a lovely wine but due to the filtration processed used that year (and never since) some bottles have kept some of the CO2 "prickle" from the fermentation. This does not affect the taste or quality of the wine, and is easily cleared by decanting the wine prior to serving.
As a result, I have discounted the wine. Enjoy!

The grapes for this wine are grown on alluvial sand & clay soils near Chamoson. They are harvested manually, then following destemming the wine undergoes maceration & fermentation for 21 days with pigeage twice daily. The wine is matured in concrete tanks until bottling the July following the harvest. A deep pastel red with a nose dominated by aromas of red fruits, this wine is full-bodied and velvety, with good structure and silky tannins. Good length. Goes well with white meats, cheeses, and even some stronger fish dishes. Keeps 5+ years, serve at 16-18 ° C.

To see the vines for this wine in the vineyard, click on MORE.


Price: £24.00 (Including VAT at 20%)

Bin End 15%This product carries 15% Bin End discount, which is applied to the price above and shown when bin end goods are placed in the shopping basket. More 15% Bin Ends

 

People who bought this item also bought:
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    Price: £18.54 (Including VAT at 20%)
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    Price: £31.20 (Including VAT at 20%)
  3. Dom Diogo Vinho Verde Tinto Vinhão 2010 Quinta da Raza (Ref: 3511012)
    Price: £9.90 (Including VAT at 20%)

Classic International Reds (Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet)


Constellation 2009, Giroud Vins, Sion, Valais, Switzerland

Constellation 2009, Giroud Vins, Sion, Valais, Switzerland Ref: 4112021

The flagship wine of F&D Giroud. Big, ambitious, artful.

Price: £60.00 (Including VAT at 20%)


 

People who bought this item also bought:
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    Was: £80.40 (Including VAT at 20%)
  2. Beerenauslese 2008 37.5cl Welschriesling/Weissburgunder Heidi Schröck Weinbau Heidi Schröck, Rust, Burgenland, Austria (Ref: 4330078)
    Price: £21.00 (Including VAT at 20%)
  3. Zweigelt Eiswein 2007 37.5cl "Hesperia" Weingut Felsner Grunddorf, Kremstal, Austria (Ref: 4310008)
    Price: £31.80 (Including VAT at 20%)
Merlot Cuvée des Reines 2011, Albert Biollaz (F&D Giroud), Chamoson, Valais, Switzerland

Merlot Cuvée des Reines 2011, Albert Biollaz (F&D Giroud), Chamoson, Valais, Switzerland Ref: 4112013

This Merlot is deep dark purple, and is a very grounded and earthy wine, powerful and harmonious (matching the cow on the label). A wine for meat (in respect for the cow, make it lamb or game) or cheese.


Alcohol 13.5%

Serve cool, 14-15 degrees


Price: £21.00 (Including VAT at 20%)


 

People who bought this item also bought:
Viognier de Geneve 2009 Domaine des Abeilles d'Or Chouilly, Geneva, Switzerland (Ref: 4100078)
Price: £21.60 (Including VAT at 20%)

Syrah de Chamoson 2010 AOC Valais, Giroud Vins, Sion, Valais, Switzerland

Syrah de Chamoson 2010 AOC Valais, Giroud Vins, Sion, Valais, Switzerland Ref: 4112011



Price: £20.40 (Including VAT at 20%)


 

People who bought this item also bought:
  1. Fendant "Tremazieres" 2011, AOC Chamoson, Simon Maye & Fils, Chamoson, Valais (Ref: 4112051)
    Price: £21.84 (Including VAT at 20%)
  2. Diolinoir Cuvée des Reines AOC VS, Albert Biollaz (F&D Giroud), Chamoson, Valais, Switzerland (Ref: 4112014)
    Price: £20.40 (Including VAT at 20%)
  3. Johannisberg 2009 Simon Maye & Fils St. Pierre de Clages, Chamoson (Ref: 4110125)
    Price: £23.70 (Including VAT at 20%)
Syrah 2009 Simon Maye & Fils St. Pierre de Clages, Chamoson

Syrah 2009 Simon Maye & Fils St. Pierre de Clages, Chamoson Ref: 4110140

The Syrah from Simon Maye is legendary in french speaking Switzerland. It comes up twice as often as any other recommendation when I tell people I import wine from Switzerland to the UK, and I get a very impressed look when I reply that we do indeed have these wines on our list.

Price: £28.44 (Including VAT at 20%)


 

People who bought this item also bought:
  1. Fendant "Tremazieres" 2011, AOC Chamoson, Simon Maye & Fils, Chamoson, Valais (Ref: 4112051)
    Price: £21.84 (Including VAT at 20%)
  2. Fendant Terra Helvetica AOC VS 2010, Giroud Vins, Sion, Valais, Switzerland BACK ORDERED (Ref: 4112008)
    Was: £15.60 (Including VAT at 20%)
Syrah Vielles Vignes 2006 Simon Maye & Fils St. Pierre de Clages, Chamoson

Syrah Vielles Vignes 2006 Simon Maye & Fils St. Pierre de Clages, Chamoson Ref: 4110132

This is a heroic wine - 21 day fermentation with pigeage twice a day (punching/stomping). 20 months in barrels with rotation every 2 months. Bottled unfiltered. The result is a powerful Syrah, black fruit and spice and smokey licorice from the wood. Keep 5 to 10 years, if you can wait that long (getting very good now in 2012).

Serve fairly cool (16 - 18°C) .

Only a few bottles left! After that we will jump to the 2010 vintage.

Price: £45.60 (Including VAT at 20%)


 
Syrah du Valais

Syrah du Valais "Grandmaître" Barrique 2007 Gregor Kuonen & Fils Caveau de Salquenen Salquenen (Salgesch) Ref: 4110105

This is an excellent example of an oak-aged Valaisan Syrah. The colour is the lovely deep purple so often seen with Syrah here, with a nose which is principally spicy, yet with notes of rubbed blackberry leaf. On the palate it is dry, earthy, spicy, and very full-bodied, with masses of crunchy bramble and black fruit. Huge length, dry, with vanilla and oak to the fore, spicy. A big wine; allow to breathe for an hour and drink with food.


Price: £32.40 (Including VAT at 20%)


 
Syrah du Valais

Syrah du Valais "Grandmaître" Barrique 2005 Gregor Kuonen & Fils Caveau de Salquenen Salquenen (Salgesch) Ref: 4110054

This is an excellent example of an oak-aged Valaisan Syrah. The colour is the lovely deep purple so often seen with Syrah here, with a nose which is principally spicy, yet with notes of rubbed blackberry leaf. On the palate it is dry, earthy, spicy, and very full-bodied, with masses of crunchy bramble and black fruit. Huge length, dry, with vanilla and oak to the fore, spicy. A big wine; allow to breathe for an hour and drink with food.


Price: £32.40 (Including VAT at 20%)


 
Terre Vivante - Assemblage Rouge 2007 Gregor Kuonen & Fils Caveau de Salquenen Salquenen (Salgesch)

Terre Vivante - Assemblage Rouge 2007 Gregor Kuonen & Fils Caveau de Salquenen Salquenen (Salgesch) Ref: 4110104

This is a huge wine; a blend of 20% Pinot Noir, 20% Cornalin, 20% Syrah, 30% Diolinoir, and 10% Humagne Rouge. Each is vinified separately in stainless steel, then the assemblage is made, & the result aged in French oak. The colour is a deep cherry red, with a nose of jammy cooked fruits, vanilla, spice, and pencilbox/cedarwood. The plate is somewhat more intense than the nose suggests; powerful and gamey, with masses of fruit - cooked red fruit, prunes, and crunchy bramble/black fruits. Long dry finish, spicy and gamey, with vanilla and oak coming through at the end. A superb wine best drunk with food; serve at 14°-16° C with pheasant, steak, wild boar, or even very mildly spiced Thai or Malaysian foods.

Price: £34.80 (Including VAT at 20%)


 

People who bought this item also bought:
  1. Red Arenae "RAMISCO" DOC Colares 50cl 2005 (Red) (Ref: 3513000)
    Price: £18.54 (Including VAT at 20%)
  2. Lafnetscha "Grandmaître" 2005 (75cl) Gregor Kuonen & Fils Caveau de Salquenen Salquenen (Salgesch) (Ref: 4110058)
    Price: £31.20 (Including VAT at 20%)
  3. Dom Diogo Vinho Verde Tinto Vinhão 2010 Quinta da Raza (Ref: 3511012)
    Price: £9.90 (Including VAT at 20%)
Merlot

Merlot "Grandmaître" Barrique 2007 Gregor Kuonen & Fils Caveau de Salquenen Salquenen (Salgesch) Ref: 4110106

The Merlot grape is widely grown in Bordeaux, north-east Italy, and in Ticino in Switzerland. It also does very well here in the Valais, and in particular in district known as "Les Bernunes" near Sierre, where it ripens relatively early. Vinified in oak barrels, it has a dark red color, with soft fruity aromas. On the palate this is a big wine - very full bodied, with powerful plum flavours. Huge length. Quite an unusual wine for Switzerland, but excellent. ABV 13.3%. Drink at 16-18 ° C with red meat, venison, guinea dowl, and strong cheeses. Keeps to 10 years.


Price: £37.20 (Including VAT at 20%)


 
Cabernet Franc

Cabernet Franc "Grandmaître" Barrique 2007 Gregor Kuonen & Fils Caveau de Salquenen Salquenen (Salgesch) Ref: 4110107

The traditional red grape Cabernet Franc is a native of France, and is found most commonly in Bordeaux and the Loire. It gives wines with great depth of colour, and has ample tannins ensuring long ageing potential. This is another unusual wine for Valais, but is a fascinating example of what can be achieved here.

A deep red, with a soft nose of fruit and herbs, with a hint of spice. Gentle and soft on the palate, quite intense, with lots of body and good length. ABV 13.3% . Drink at 16-18 ° C with red meats/venison. Keeps 10- years.


Price: £32.40 (Including VAT at 20%)


 

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