Provins, Fendant “L’Alpage”
Valais, Switzerland 2019 (750mL)
Regular price$28.00
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Provins, Fendant “L’Alpage”
I can’t believe this is the first time we’ve offered a Fendant from the Valais region of Switzerland. I can assure you that we’ve tried, many times, before: This, to me, is a foundational white wine, and not just because it gets me daydreaming about skiing the Alps and downing a bottle with some fondue during lunch.
Fendant is the Valais’ name for Chasselas, Switzerland’s premier white-wine variety, and for those of you who’ve tasted Chasselas before, you know two things: (a) its makes beautifully textured, terroir-expressive wine, and (b) it is usually prohibitively expensive. The prices of Swiss wines reflect the high cost of Swiss living, not to mention the impeccable quality of the bottles. Further, less than two percent of Swiss national wine production ever leaves the country. So, when a perfectly affordable bottle of the most quintessential Swiss wine imaginable finds its way to us, my heart beats a little faster. It’s the foundation of Swiss wine culture—soft, delicate, herbal, and bone-dry while maintaining fantastic richness of flavor. Provins’ “L’Alpage,” a label developed in collaboration with American importer Eric Solomon, is as delicious as Fendant can possibly be without drinking it in an Alpine ski chalet. But look at the gorgeous Art-Deco Swiss travel poster label and you might just be transported...particularly as the wine disappears. Whether it’s aprés-ski or aprés-work, Fendant will take you places you may never have been before!
I like to serve Fendant at a crisp 45 degrees, although the floral notes will develop more as the glass warms and the wine opens up. It tastes like the perfect opposite of Sauvignon Blanc—dry, delicate, a tiny bit salty, a touch floral, with a haunting smokiness on the finish. Notes of fresh quince, elderflowers, Anjou pears, and mint sparkle with almost imperceptible effervescence. Medium acidity makes for a mouthwatering pairing with traditional Swiss Raclette—little knobby potatoes, cornichons, salami, and crusty baguette all drizzled in potent cheese melted on a hot griddle. You’ll see first hand why the two go well together; the Fendant keeps the cheesy decadence in check and you’ll be ready to hit the slopes again after a quick fireside nap. And if you’re done for the day, a second bottle will help with digestion! It’s the Swiss way.
Fendant is the Valais’ name for Chasselas, Switzerland’s premier white-wine variety, and for those of you who’ve tasted Chasselas before, you know two things: (a) its makes beautifully textured, terroir-expressive wine, and (b) it is usually prohibitively expensive. The prices of Swiss wines reflect the high cost of Swiss living, not to mention the impeccable quality of the bottles. Further, less than two percent of Swiss national wine production ever leaves the country. So, when a perfectly affordable bottle of the most quintessential Swiss wine imaginable finds its way to us, my heart beats a little faster. It’s the foundation of Swiss wine culture—soft, delicate, herbal, and bone-dry while maintaining fantastic richness of flavor. Provins’ “L’Alpage,” a label developed in collaboration with American importer Eric Solomon, is as delicious as Fendant can possibly be without drinking it in an Alpine ski chalet. But look at the gorgeous Art-Deco Swiss travel poster label and you might just be transported...particularly as the wine disappears. Whether it’s aprés-ski or aprés-work, Fendant will take you places you may never have been before!
The delectable “L’Alpage” hails from Valais, the sunniest and driest of all Switzerland’s wine-producing regions. Here, craggy mountains erupt from carpets of patchworked vine. The astronomical price of vine-worthy land means each tiny plot is jealously guarded and lovingly farmed by hand. The Swiss have carefully preserved their national agricultural heritage (imagine clanking cowbells echoing off green mountains) and in doing so, continue to farm some of the world’s prettiest and least-accessible vineyards. The dizzyingly steep south-facing slopes are terraced, some even worked with pulleys, but all are cared for with a fervor bordering on obsession.
Provins is no exception. I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect when I learned today’s bottle comes from a winemaking cooperative, but the more I learned about Provins the more I fell in love with their operation. Back in the 1920s, small winegrowers refused to compromise the quality of their fruit despite the rising cost of traditional viticulture. They banded together to form an independent organization which promised to purchase their grapes. Fast-forward 100 years, and Provins is the largest wine producer in Switzerland, a guaranteed destination for some of the most conscientiously grown grapes in the entire country. They farm 800 hectares of vines, total, intent on preserving the traditional varieties of the Valais (hello, Chasselas!) and celebrating their most esteemed terroirs.
The team is led by winemaker Luc Sermier, who created this wine to encapsulate the spirit of Fendant, the magical way it seems to warm your marrow after a long day outdoors. Fruit for this bottling was selected for its impeccable typicity, grown on limestone and schist terraces at roughly 2,300 feet of elevation. Hand-harvested grapes were gently pressed before fermentation and aging on lees in stainless steel without bâtonnage (lees-stirring)—a delightfully straightforward process that leaves the bright, focused flavors perfectly intact. It glows all the more brightly for its simplicity. I couldn’t have dreamt of a better interpretation of Fendant, but you’ll get Swiss bonus points if you chill this bottle in the snow prior to tasting!
