The mountainous country of Switzerland has all the conditions for the production of high-quality wines: a mild climate, a unique mountainous relief, and centuries-old traditions. But it is almost impossible to taste Swiss wines outside its borders, because 98% of the products produced by winemakers remain in the country for domestic consumption. Gourmets go on wine tours around Switzerland, in which they get acquainted with the technologies of cultivation of vineyards and the intricacies of wine preparation. Such tourism is becoming more and more widespread among travelers from Russia.
History with geography
Archaeological research leaves no doubt: wines were made in Switzerland even before our era. Along with cheese and chocolate, Swiss wines, which all 24 cantons are proud of, have become a part of the country's modern history. Each has vineyards, but most of the drinks are produced in the French-speaking regions of the country.
The main center of Swiss winemaking is located in the Rhone Valley, where summers are hot, autumn is dry and winters are mild. Most of the plantations are arranged on the mountain slopes in the form of terraces, and the main varieties grown here are red Pinot Noir and Gamay. The wines blended from these varieties have light strawberry aromas and a certain sourness, which makes them easy to drink and go well with meat dishes.
Drink young
Swiss wines should not be stored for long. With age, they do not always get better, they lose freshness, and therefore it is preferable to drink them young. A striking example is white wine from the Fendan variety. If you do not drink it young, it significantly loses its taste and becomes "flabby". Oenologists believe that the reason for this is the too hot climate on the mountain slopes in some summer months.
The slightly effervescent wine "Doren" is no exception to the rule. It is produced by several wineries at the place where the Rhone flows into Lake Geneva.
German roots
The cantons in the east of the country speak German and produce particularly valuable red wines. The local winemakers prepare quite heavy, aromatic Swiss wines from the Blauburgunder variety, in the shades of which you can clearly feel the notes of pomegranate, bird cherry and raspberry.
The classification of wines and the quality control system in Switzerland may seem somewhat counterintuitive compared to other European countries. But the label will necessarily indicate the geographical place of origin of the wine and the grape varieties blended for its production. In the German cantons, the bottle is labeled "Winzer-Wy", while in the Italian cantons the VITI label is a guarantee of excellent quality.
However, all Swiss wines, according to experts, are unreasonably expensive. Perhaps this is the reason for their absence on the shelves of wine shops in other countries.
