A Guide To The Wine Region of German-Speaking Switzerland In Switzerland
By: Samuel Petersson
Tags: Guide, Winemaking, Wine, Switzerland, White Wine

Interlude

Welcome to this post about the region of German-Speaking Switzerland within Switzerland. Yes, a very confusing region name, but that’s the name. In the last post we covered the region of Geneva. A region known for being one of the warmest in the country and the producer of some really great red wines from the Gamay grape.

We are doing these posts or guides to learn more about the vast world of wine out there. To feel more comfortable navigating it. Much like the other posts we will cover the history of the region, the style of wine that is made, climate and geography and of course some places to look for. So without further ado, let’s get started!

History of the region

So for the history of the region it is important to look at the country as a whole. As with history much of the stuff happening actually has a significant effect on all places. But they are one of the oldest ones producing wine in the whole of 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

The style of wine that is most prevalent here is red wine. More specifically red wine made from Pinot Noir, as red grapes make up a total 70 % of the total cultivated land. The wines show an incredible elegance and structure. Something that is easier achievable when the climate is cooler. The tannins become more prevalent but also tight and gripping when drinking. This creates a more pleasant mouthfeel that makes you able to identify the red fruits easier.

A flavour focus that is so popular here. As for white wine, the most planted grape is Muller-Thurgau. A grape that fits in perfectly with the cooler climate. Getting more fresher tones and a lightness to it. Not something that will hold up very well with age maybe but they can be exceptional when still young. Lots of green apples running through them, but also a slight spiciness with almost ginger like tones. Also here, good structure and complexity. The Swiss winemakers sure know what they are doing.

Climate and geography

The climate of the region is heavily influenced by the Alps. Bringing in cool winds and tempering the region. Making it harder to get full and richer wines. But the wineries play into this making style that are more fresh and lively. Given that the region is the largest one in Switzerland it also therefore holds the most amount of grape varieties but more importantly, microclimates.

This is the reason for being able to sometimes create full and rich wines. This term microclimates refers to such things like lakes, rivers or foehn (warm winds). These attributes help in making it more suitable for certain vines to be grown there. It helps in retaining a stricter balance in temperature throughout the season. But although these things exist, it is still hard for some varieties to reach full maturity.

Recommendation

So what type of wine do I like then when it comes to the region of German-Speaking Switzerland? For me the answer is quite clear, red wine. If you have been following for some time then you might already know that I really like Pinot Noir made from cooler climates. The wines just have such a great elegance to them. They age beautifully with the tannins rounding off and giving room and support to the fresh red fruit flavours to come forth.

These wines can however be very hard to come by as we have mentioned in other posts regarding Switzerland, they only export under 2 % of the total national wine production. A very low number making the wines also have a higher price tag to them. But if you are to do some research to buy wine, then look for vineyards close to water. Here you can almost guarantee that the temperature has been even and the grapes haven’t rushed in ripening.

Last words

That’s a wrap for this post about the region of German-Speaking Switzerland in Switzerland. I hope that you have enjoyed reading this and feel more knowledgeable and maybe even inspired to go out and get some wine from here. Stay tuned for the next post where we will cover the region of Three Lakes.

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