A Guide To The Wine Region of Three Lakes In Switzerland
By: Samuel Petersson
Tags: Guide, Winemaking, Wine, Switzerland, White Wine

Interlude

Welcome to this post about the region of Three Lakes in Switzerland. A region built up by some others that we will shortly cover. For me Three Lakes is always associated with a very high quality of the wine. In the last post we discussed the region of German-Speaking Switzerland. The largest region in the country.

We are doing all this to learn more about the world of wine and feel more confident navigating it. You can expect to learn about the history of the region, the style of wine that is made here, climate and geography and of course some recommendations as to where you should buy if quality is important. So without further ado, let’s get started!

History of the region

So if you want to learn about the history of the region then you should rather learn about the country’s history. This is because it will be similar and apply to every region here. The country is one of the oldest ones in Europe. Maybe not to the same extent that Geogrien is as they have history dating back more than 5000 years. In Switzerland there has been evidence found that wine was made as early as 200 years BC in the region today known as Valais.

It was a small bottle made in ceramic found in a celtic tomb and text on the ceramic suggested that it once upon a time contained wine. The people of the country had a history of offering wine to the dead, but it can be assumed that they themselves als had traditions of consuming it. This was around 150 years BC. After a century or so, the Romans appeared and established more and more vineyards drastically and the whole industry flourished. They got the chance to export a huge amount as the Roman empire grew and grew more.

The actual production wine in the country has to be one of the best kept secrets in the entire world. There is a very small amount of wine that ever sees sites outside of Switzerland. The Swiss just love their own wine too much. The entire country holds about 15,000 hectares of cultivated vineyards and there are about 1,500 different producers. The country was like many others in Europe the victim of the Phylloxera disaster that happened during the 19th century. Botanists from England traveled to North America to do research on the native vines growing there.

They brought some back with them not knowing that they carried diseases not experienced by the European native varieties. This resulted in many bones having to be cut down and the winemakers were faced with a very hard decision. Either they could continue with the native ones and riske the infection ones again or they could try and create hybrid ones that could withstand the disease. This was a major influence for the diversified grape varieties that now make up the country’s vineyards.

The style of wine

So what is the style of wine that is made here then? We said that the region is built up with other smaller regions that will also get their own posts. So in the region of Neuchatel and Bern the only red grape that is actually grown here is Pinot Noir. It is also the only red one that is allowed to be grown. For me the style of wine made here always screams quality and elegance. A perfect balance that is very hard to achieve properly.

You might think they are the same, but not necessarily. Maybe they go hand in hand a lot but they can be the difference between something great and something divine. As for white grapes grown here, the most famous one is with Chassele. Basically the signature white grape for the country too. The region might be more interesting though for some of the sparkling wine. Some producers and bottles even fetched some great claims and awards. The sparkling wine selection is for the most part only made from Chardonnay, or at least the very best is with that grape.

Climate and geography

So what kind of climate is most prevalent here then. I have often read about the great conditions it holds for growing vegetables and managing agriculture. Does this mean that vines grow good here too? Well, it depends a lot on the types of grape that the winemakers want. Thankfully they often choose the ones that are best fitted for cooler climates and balanced temperature. Here Pinot Noir shines with the opportunity of showing great elegance.

The prolonged ripening season makes the wines concentrate more and gives the winemakers a greater time frame for harvest. They can almost pinpoint the best time to start and the consequences do not become as severe. Often with these cooler climates the red wines will be more tannic and structured. Cool winds from the alps and the tempering element of the lakes helps the wineries in keeping a clean and balanced climate throughout the growing season.

Recommendations

So what kind of wine do I like the most from here? For me I tend to go for the Pinot Noir wines. Although I have to admit that there are not a lot of times that I have had the chance to try wines from here. The few ones have for sure left a mark though. Elegance and structure with great tannic elements are what I look for. These qualities are usually only found with the wines made from vineyards in close proximity to the lakes.

Last words

That’s a wrap for this post about the region of Finger Lakes in Switzerland. A region maybe best known for really good Pinot Noir. Something everyone can appreciate. I hope that you have enjoyed reading this and feel more confident navigating the world of wine now. Stay tuned for the next post where the region of Neuchatel will be covered.

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