Blame it on the season, when we’re all dreaming of snowed-in ski lodges and cocktail hours by the fireplace, but we have a full-on Swiss Alpine wine extravaganza today. After this morning’s Gamay rarity we just couldn’t resist a bonus treat from the region's most renowned variety, Fendant, a.k.a. Chasselas. Of course we aren’t just talking about your average Valais blanc (which are all pretty good), but a tiny production, single-vineyard stunner from the Grand Cru of Vétroz. Grown on very steep, terraced slopes that have a solid bedrock of granite and black schist, this is mountain wine at its very finest. There is clearly some magic in the crisp, clear air and glacial drip water here. How else do you explain the ability of an otherwise obscure variety to produce a wine that is bursting with mountain meadow wildflowers, perfectly ripe orchard fruit, and buckets of rocky minerals? It must be Alpine magic. So, are you ready to take the aprés ski aesthetic to the next level? Then grab as much of the “Amandoleyre” as you can before it’s gone!
In case you missed our little primer on the Valais Canton (region) and it's wine this morning, here’s a refresher: The Valais is one of the places, a spot like Côte-Rôtie or Ribeira Sacra, that you take one look at and just know great wine is made there. This is Switzerland’s biggest wine region, but context is important—at roughly the same acreage as the Côte d’Or, the Valais is still miniscule. Vineyards in the Valais commune of Vétroz, where the Papilloud family farms, perch precariously at the base of the Swiss Alps and overlook the Rhône River (yes, the same one). A near-constant wind locals call the fohn keeps the microclimate unusually warm and dry for these northern latitudes. This is a hard place to work; the best vineyards are terraced on an almost 90% slope, making work by machine all but impossible. About 40% of all Swiss wine is made here, but considering this nation is dominated by towering peaks where nothing grows, that 40% does not add up to much wine.
If wine production in the Valais is relatively small, then their Grand Crus are miniscule. A quirk of Swiss law allows the use of the cru names on labels as long as 85% of the fruit is from said cru, and the rest from neighboring villages. But if it says “Grand Cru” it all comes from that place, and in the case of Romain and Vincent Papilloud’s Vétroz we’re talking about a single parcel named “Amandoleyre” after the almond trees that have historically grown there. Romain (father) and Vincent (son) are dedicated organic farmers who spend their days in the vineyards and evenings in the cellar. Their vineyards are all on very steep slopes, and so farming is always hard, manual work. In the cellar they take a gentle, non-interventionist approach which is both possible and well deserved thanks to their labor in the vines.
Fendant is known as Chasselas in France, where it makes some lively but generally overlooked wines in the Northern Rhône and Savoie regions, but in the Valais it is one of the main attractions. The special micro-climate of this Alpine valley seems to bring out the very best in this variety, and a glass of the “Amandoleyre” Grand Cru is all the evidence needed to bring this point home. Serve cool and crisp like the mountain air it’s grown in, in an all-purpose stem, and you’ll be greeted by a bevy of fresh-picked wildflowers, lemon peel, yellow apple, nectarine, honeysuckle, white pepper, anisette, and crushed rocks. The medium-bodied texture is so loaded with minerality the wine seems almost prickly, and very, very fresh. It’s a no-brainer with an assortment of Alpine cheeses and charcuterie, or fondue of course, but I also like it with fresh lake fish; local trout is great but if you can find perch try the traditional Swiss preparation below. It’s a perfect ending to a day on the slopes, or just a busy day of holiday shopping.
