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 Chapoutier were early advocates. They both thought enough of the grape to take some home with them to plant, but after experimental plots failed to deliver the desired results, both gave up.

There are reports of micro-presences in the US, Australia and France, but to date, the only large scale adoption of Arvine is in the nearby Aosta Valley in Italy, where the Institut Agricole Régional acquired cuttings in 1970. It’s been a DOC there since the 1990s. Ironically, because of the scarcity of Swiss Arvine many people outside of Switzerland assume it’s a Valdotian variety.

To distinguish Arvine from its offspring, Grosse Arvine, the modifier “Petite” was introduced in the early 19th century. Thus, Petite Arvine serves as the preferred synonym for Arvine, although either name is correct.

There are several styles of Petite Arvine in the market today, led by the dominant dry style. The off-dry style, which was a favorite of earlier generations, remains relevant only in a few places and can be quite good in the right hands. Less well-known is the remarkable and rare late-harvest or flétri style, including botrytised examples. These are numbered among the best sweet wines in the world. Throw in the occasional orange or sparkling version and you begin to understand the wide range possible from this outstanding variety.

Dry Arvines are notable for their structural tension and nerve. Local custom, which normally eschews malolactic fermentation, leads to wines that are fresh and lively with bright acidity. Overwrought and out-of-balance wines made with Petite Arvine are somewhat of a rarity.

Typical aromatic descriptors might include any of the following:

Floral: white flowers, orange blossom, jasmine.

Fruit: grapefruit, lemon, tangerine, apple, melon, pineapple, guava, passion fruit, banana.

Vegetative: rhubarb, fennel, 
green tea, gooseberry, fresh peas, fresh herbs.

Grain: bread, pastry, barley.

Cooked: candied citrus peel, 
citrus drops, fruit preserves, 
pâtes de fruits.

Mineral: crushed stone, salt, pierre à fusil.

Add to these aromatic descriptors both a salty and a bitter note to the palate.

As a bonus, the dry wines are capable of moderate aging—the great Arvine master, Benoît Dorsaz, insists 10 years or more is not unusual—but I prefer mine with 3-7 years of age, depending on the vintage. The late-harvest wines will age for considerably longer, just as with great Sauternes.

Petite Arvine: A Roman Connection?

Petite Arvine is an orphan grape, meaning its parents are unknown and presumed extinct. It was always assumed to be of Roman origin, but no proof was ever offered.

Until now.

Unidentified grape pips from 1st century Roman ruins in France’s Hérault department (Montferrier and Roumeges) have shed new light on the origin of Arvine and several of its Alpine brethren, including Amigne and Humagne Blanc. Paleogenomic analysis of the DNA extracted from the pips indicates a direct genetic relationship (perhaps, parent-offspring) to each of them. One of the pips, corresponding to the variety known as R-MF_23, is directly related to Arvine. Two others, R-MF_21 and R-R_09, are directly related to Amigne and Humagne Blanc, respectively. (see: Fig 1).

This is a fascinating discovery. How all of the Roman-era offspring ended up in Valais (Humagne Blanc since 1313 and Amigne since 1686) is a mystery. The answer lies somewhere in the intervening 1600 years, between the appearance of the Arvine precursor in Montferrier and the first mention of Arvine in the village of Molignon in 1602. Is it possible Arvine was brought, fully formed, to Valais some time after the Roman conquest, or, was the unidentified Montferrier cultivar crossed with another unknown variety later in Switzerland?

By the mid-20th century those questions were nearly muted. Such was the state of the Valais vineyards after phylloxera. Many native varieties were hanging by a thread and the prospect of replanting with anything other than Chasselas (Fendant), Gamay, or Pinot Noir seemed unlikely.

Making Petite Arvine Better

As with any variety flirting with extinction there will always be a corresponding loss of genetic diversity. Petite Arvine was no exception. Luckily, with only one certified clone remaining—RAC 22—the prospects of Petite Arvine and its brethren took a turn in 1992. That was when the Office de la Viticulture du Valais (now known as Office de la Vigne et du Vin) and Agroscope, the Swiss center for agricultural research, embarked on a program to safeguard the genetic diversity of its vitis vinifera patrimony.

For Petite Arvine this meant a thorough search of pre-clonal era (massale) vineyards, which netted a whopping 109 different accessions. These, along with samples from other endangered autochthonous varieties, were planted in an experimental nursery in Leytron. From the original 109 accessions, 18 were chosen for their agronomic and organoleptic qualities. Out of the 18, 5 stalwarts were selected for certification, propagation, and dissemination. Along with virus eradication, each was tested for yields, sugar, acidity, aromatic potential, and sensitivity to botrytis (see: Table 1).

Petite Arvine buds early—alongside Chasselas—but it ripens three to four weeks later. Only the most sun-exposed sites will do. If the soil is water retentive all the better, because Petite Arvine needs water. Water is available in most of the canton’s vineyards via an elaborate system of small channels (bisses) that zigzag from higher elevations to the vines and orchards below. But in Fully there are no bisses and water must be sourced from a centralized network that works to both irrigate and to mitigate frost. The commune will ration water in times of shortage, but its vineyards are a priority.

In times of extreme water stress, transpiration will shut down and development will cease altogether. Aside from diminished yields, water-stressed Petite Arvine will display less aromatic intensity and higher levels of bitterness on the palate.

The State of Play

There was a lot of local excitement recently when The Wine Advocate awarded the first 100 point score to a Swiss wine. It was no surprise that the wine in question was a late harvest Petite Arvine from Marie-Thérèse Chappaz, one of the acknowledged masters of the style. Her 2020 Petite Arvine “Grain par Grain—Les Claives” is, by all accounts, a once in a lifetime wine.

In her words:

It’s not every year that the Grain par Grain cuvée shows up in our tasting notes…and for good reason, there have only been four vintages since the beginnings of the estate. These few liters are the result of fully botrytised grapes, picked in seven passages in the vineyards and pressed drop by drop in our small wooden press. But it was worth it when you taste the result and your nostrils revel in lime, passion fruit, Earl Gray tea with bergamot…this is a real nose of roasted grain, pure botrytis. It is a meditation wine with an unlimited lifespan and to be drunk without moderation thanks to its 3.5 degrees of alcohol…but in moderation because of the 54 liters offered by nature!

Such recognition is a real shot in the arm for growers of Petite Arvine and the Swiss wine industry. It’s an acknowledgment that the strategy to preserve and diversify autochthonous varieties in Valais is working and the outside world is taking notice.