This article first appeared in TRINK Magazine, Issue 14, (09.30.2022). “The Foehn wind is a real affineur of grapes . . .” from the diary of Weingut Bründlmayer Evidence from wine regions everywhere suggests that if cool climate viticulture is to survive, then it must move north — or, in Switzerland’s case, up. Warming temperatures in formerly […]
2023: A Summer of Tasting—Episode One
Swiss Natural Wine Festival: Three Years Later As a seasoned taster, you might think the biggest downer to afflict a natural wine event would be the opinions of a few chip-on-the-shoulder wine critics who write for magazines nobody reads anymore. But you would be wrong. The biggest downer, as I recently discovered, is a climate […]
Swiss Grapes: Chasselas—International Grape of Mystery
Several months ago, I made the case there is too much Chasselas in Switzerland. My well-meaning rant was in response to a call from farmers for more government support for those with excess wine to sell—mostly, over-cropped Chasselas. Although I stand by my original thesis—that no one should subsidize inferior wine—I do want to make […]
Swiss Grapes: Arvine — Big and Small
If not for the overwhelming dominance of Chasselas, Arvine might have gotten more consideration as Switzerland’s signature white grape. Even though its 254 hectares pales in comparison to the 3539 hectares of Chasselas, Arvine has captured the imagination of the outside world in a way Chasselas hasn’t. Luminaries as bright as Angelo Gaja and Michel […]
Les Titans: Wine in the Extreme
Little did I know the term “Heroic Viticulture” is a proprietary trademark of The Center for Research, Environmental Sustainability, and Advancement of Mountain Viticulture (CERVIM). As such, this august designation is reserved for vineyards which meet any of the criteria listed below: Vineyard sites at altitudes over 500 meters (1600 feet); Vines planted on slopes […]
Chasselas at a Crossroad: The Vaud Rescue Plan
Recently the Canton of Vaud unveiled a new three-pronged plan to help stabilize a wine industry beset by foreign competition and climate-related setbacks. The plan, which runs through 2027, earmarks 25 million francs for new sustainability initiatives, targeted investment in e-commerce and digital infrastructure, and an aggressive, yet undefined, consumer awareness campaign aimed at German-speaking […]
Book Review: 111 Vins Suisses à ne pas manquer by Pierre Thomas (2022)
111 Vins Suisses à ne pas manquer by Pierre Thomas, Emons Verlag (2022) The “111” series of books by German publisher Emons Verlag is a staple in European bookstores. Like the “Books for Dummies” franchise in the U.S., their titles are everywhere. The brand’s most successful niche, by far, is the off beat guidebook written […]
Swiss Wine Tasting: From Humble Beginnings
After twenty years in the spotlight, two of Switzerland’s most dynamic wine personalities, Andreas Keller and Susanne Scholl — now in their eighties — show no signs of slowing down. This is amazing to me, because the work they do appears more complicated than ever. Andreas and Susi — as she is affectionately known — […]
Profile: Michael Broger Weinbau (Ottoberg, Thurgau)
When Michael Broger and I strolled through his vineyard garden in late August, it was bursting with life. In one corner was a flock of brown-coated Såne sheep quietly feasting on a selection of grasses and legumes. In another corner, an assortment of winged and jumping insects loitered around their rustic wooden residence. Underfoot were […]
Everything Old Is New Again: A Completer Septicentennial
It’s safe to say the 700 Years of Completer celebration in October was the first birthday party for a 700-something I’ve ever attended. Not so for the event organizer, Dr. José Vouillamoz, who’s an old hand at this kind of thing — yes, the 700 Years of Rèze and Humagne Blanche party in 2013 was […]
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