I used to think there is only one kind of wine, good wine and that’s true. I thank Ivan from Rialto Gstaad for helping us develop a renewed experience in tasting small wine producers from Switzerland.

Many believe the best Merlot is produced in Ticino and while it could be true it isn’t the focus of my article. I have been drinking Swiss wines since 40+ years and I know wine making technology and general technique has helped make Swiss wine become more popular. Added with varieties such as Merlot and Cabernet, more with Merlot we begin to find deeper coloured, intense aromas and a general better wine for the consumer seeks full body wines. On top of it, the Swiss are taking particular care about bio-dynamic farming and that makes it very interesting.

It was a hot summer day at the Rialto hut, located in the wee mountains, we had several tastings including some French wines just to remain sane. But there is no doubt the wines produced in Switzerland are always a pleasure to try.

The small Bio Dynamic producer such as Steve Bettschen a small producer making quality wines and Marie-Thérèse Chappaz and Raymond Paccot both well known using grape Chasselas. I adore Chasselas as a grape and the wines are often crispy clean, the perfect wine to begin a nice summer lunch. Admittedly, these wines are not exported and are difficult to find, perhaps too costly in comparison to the neighbouring countries.

In our line up was some alien wines from outside of the Swiss borders, a wine named Le Cloys grown in France over the city of nice using a grape in a small appellation: Bellet produces red, white and rosé wines from the hills around Nice.

https://www.clos-st-vincent.fr

I admit to loving the chance to explore new wines, those wines made in the Italian Lagrein a red wine grape variety native to the valleys of South Tyrol, northern Italy. Along with Marzemino, noted by Mozart and it is a descendant of Teroldego.

Ivan has an inspiring curiosity to challenge himself and learn, live and share wines *if in doubt visit Rialto Gstaad and ask for Ivan to organise a tasting.

Promenade 54, 3780 Gstaad, Switzerland
T.+41 33 744 3474