An introduction to Swiss wines

Our place, Bern, Switzerland
Tasted Saturday, February 22, 2014 by gilrbo with 455 views

Introduction

A quick introduction to Swiss wines over a dinner.

Flight 1 - Chasselas from the Lavaux region (2 Notes)

Lavaux region, one cru (Dezaley), two producers (Blaise Duboux and Luc Massy). One high up on the slope, the other closer to the lake. The most recent vintage.

  • 2012 Luc Massy Chasselas Chemin de Fer Dézaley

    Switzerland, Vaud, Lavaux, Dézaley

    Straw yellow with golden hues, clear.
    Fresh, rich nose (you feel the ripe fruit), but elegant at the same time, with clear pear notes, perhaps with lemony acidity in the background.
    On day one I really thought this was a bot hollow on the palate. Better on day two.
    But still I felt it lacked acidity and also body, intensity. I felt the ripeness and some alcohol too. Not convincing.

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  • 2012 Blaise Duboux Chasselas Grand Cru Haut de Pierre

    Switzerland, Vaud, Lavaux, Dézaley

    Very light straw yellow, clear.
    Very mineral nose, with dried flowers (dry garrigue), and on day two, and especially in the open air a note of banana!
    Good intensity and body, with dominating saline notes, viscous and fresh at the same time. Long mineral finish with a very long and surprisingly refreshing aftertaste on anise notes.

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Flight 2 - Swiss Pinot Noir (4 Notes)

Three of my favorite producers from the Buendner Herrschaft side by side with an outsider from the Hallau region.
Vintage 2011 against 2012.

  • 2011 Weingut Sprecher von Bernegg Pinot Noir Vom Pfaffen / Calander

    Switzerland, Eastern Switzerland, Graubünden, Jenins

    Tasted blind against other three Swiss PN and then followed over two days.
    Medium-light ruby, clear.
    Took a while to open up and gain complexity.
    On day 2 it was smokey and rather introvert, with fresh fruit in the background.
    On the palate it had a fresh, sweet and charming attack, which managed to keep a good intensity through to the mid-palate. Blood oranges on day one, rather darker fruit on day two and a saline note. Very fine and light tannins come to the fore only at the very end. Long finish.
    The juicier and rounder of the flight. Lovely.

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  • 2011 Weingut Eichholz Pinot Noir Eichholz

    Switzerland, Eastern Switzerland, Graubünden, Jenins

    Tasted blind against other 3 Swiss PN and followed over two days.
    Medium-light ruby, clear.
    Fresh fruit, some aromatic herbs, some oak, but well judged. Elegant and precise. As it sits in the glass at times it gets spicy, tobacco, nutmeg, but these dissipate as soon as one swirls a bit.
    Fresh, composed, balanced. At times you wished it was livelier, but then you have to admire its poise. Fine-grained tannins. On day 2 they were just a bit drying, starting from the mid-palate - especially when compared against the vom Pfaffen/Calander.
    When we tasted blind this was the favorite of most of the tasters (not mine).

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  • 2011 Gantenbein Pinot Noir

    Switzerland, Eastern Switzerland, Graubünden, Fläsch

    Tasted blind against other three PN and followed over two days.
    The darkest of the four, medium ruby, clear.
    It starts on deep, serious tones, with some oak and an intriguing complexity. On day two it is more on toasted bread notes, then cherries, with vanilla. The oak is there.
    Great intensity and power on the palate, in beautiful balance. On the first day I am disappointed by the finish, which seems a bit abrupt. It improved on day 2 and 3, when both tannins and the acidity become more evident, together with an interesting saline touch. The acidity I perceive on day 3 convinces me that on the first day it was just hidden by the exuberant fruit. It seems this has more substance and structure than the others and promises to age well.

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  • 2012 Weinbau Markus Ruch Pinot Noir Hallau Chölle

    Switzerland, Eastern Switzerland, Schaffhausen, Hallau

    Opened and tasted one day before, then tasted blind against three other Swiss PN (of 2011), then followed over two more days.
    Medium-light ruby, with purple hues, cloudy.
    The most expressive, aromatic and lively nose. With a fresh and precise cherry.
    Great attack on the palate, very fresh and lively, but edgy too. Progression in intensity, with blood oranges on the finish and strong tannins.
    Different from the others. A wine with personality. Less polished, but livelier.

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Flight 3 - Closing with a sweet wine (1 Note)

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