General Flashcards
Common vinification technique, virtually absent in Germany and Austria, often utilized in Swiss whites to combat high acidity

Malolactic Fermentation
bisses

Steep channels to funnel mountain water for irrigation
- Built in Switzerland since the middle ages
- Climate is very dry - in some areas, expecting 1/3 the rainfall of Bordeaux
Four French-speaking cantons that produce wine

- Valais
- Vaud
- Genève
- Neuchâtel
Switzerland
Top four producing cantons

- Valais
- Vaud
- Genève
- Ticino
Ticino specialty
Main red grape

Merlot
Oeil-de-Perdrix
- Sparkling rosé of Pinot Noir
- Neuchâtel (W, N of Vaud)

Sylvaner
Swiss synonym

Johannisberg

Valais
River
The Rhône River

(northernmost appellation!)
Fendant

Local synonym for Chasselas in Valais

Dôle

Blend of Pinot Noir and Gamay
- min 85% comb

Vins de Glacier

- Maderized wine of Rèze grapes stored in high-altitude soleras
- Specialty of the Valais (Vin Jaune-like)

Gwäss

Gouais Blanc in Valais

Savagnin
Two synonyms

- Heida
- Païen

Marsanne
Valais synonym

Ermitage

Pinot Gris
Valais synonym

Malvoisie

Flétri
Wines made from raisinated grapes

Where is Vin du Glacier aged?
The Val d’Annivers
(above Sierre)

Charte Grain Noble ConfidenCiel
Charte Grain Noble ConfidenCiel
- “Seal of Quality” for traditional sweet wines
- Created in 1996
- Some 30 producers banded together to encourage tradition of great wines from vine-dried grapes. These producers sign a charter agreeing to respect rules whose key points are to:
- Traditional Valais grapes planted in the best areas, from vines at least 15 years old:
- Petite Arvine, Ermitage, Johannisberg, Amigne, Paien and Malvoisie
- Leave grapes to develop a high level of natural sugar in the must (min 130 degrees Oechslé, without adding sugar)
- Let the wines mature a min 12 months in wood (casks or barrels)
- The Grain Noble ConfidenCiel is given only after an internal tasting session by the group, which retains wines judged sufficiently worthy
- Traditional Valais grapes planted in the best areas, from vines at least 15 years old:
Switzerland
Five main wine producing cantons
- Valais 5100 ha
- Vaud 3900 ha
- Geneva 1300 ha
- Ticino 1000 ha
- Neuchâtel 600 ha

Valais AOC
9 Grands Crus

-
Fully
- Petite Arvine, Ermitage (Marsanne), Gamay, Syrah
-
Saillon
- Petite Arvine, Humagne Rouge, Cornalin, Syrah
-
Leytron
- Chasselas, Humagne Blanc, Humagne Rouge, Cornalin
-
Chamoson
- Johannisberg(Silvaner), Petite Arvine, Pinot Noir, Syrah
- Vétroz
- Chasselas, Gamay, Pinot Noir, Amigne
- Pinot Noir and Gamay may be bottled individually, and as Dole to be labelled as ‘Grand Cru’
- Chaptalization prohibited for white varietals
- Min. 7,000 vines per hectare
- Amigne de Vétroz Sweetness Indicators (required from the 2005 vintage forward):
- One bee (Sèche/Trocken): 0-8 g/l residual sugar
- Two bees (Légèrement Douce/Halb Süss): 9-25 g/l of residual sugar
- Three bees (Douce/Süss): 25+ g/l of residual sugar
- Chasselas, Gamay, Pinot Noir, Amigne
- Conthey
- Fendant, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cornalin, Gamay
- Min. 8,000 vines/ha
- Fendant, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cornalin, Gamay
-
Ville de Sion
- Chasselas, Ermitage(Marsanne), Dole, Syrah
- Pinot Noir and Gamay may not be bottled individually, and be labelled ‘Grand Cru’
- Chasselas, Ermitage(Marsanne), Dole, Syrah
-
Saint-Léonard
- Chasselas, Pinot Noir
-
Sierre
- Petit Arvine, Ermitage(Marsanne), Cornalin, Syrah

Valais
Number of Grand Crus

9 Grand Crus

W to E
-
Fully
- Petite Arvine, Ermitage (Marsanne), Gamay, Syrah
-
Saillon
- Petite Arvine, Humagne Rouge, Cornalin, Syrah
-
Leytron
- Chasselas, Humagne Blanc, Humagne Rouge, Cornalin
-
Chamoson
- Johannisberg(Silvaner), Petite Arvine, Pinot Noir, Syra
- Vétroz
- Chasselas, Gamay, Pinot Noir, Amigne
- Pinot Noir and Gamay may be bottled individually, and as Dole to be labelled as ‘Grand Cru’
- Chaptalization prohibited for white varietals
- Min. 7,000 vines per hectare
- Amigne de Vétroz Sweetness Indicators (required from the 2005 vintage forward):
- One bee (Sèche/Trocken): 0-8 g/l residual sugar
- Two bees (Légèrement Douce/Halb Süss): 9-25 g/l of residual sugar
- Three bees (Douce/Süss): 25+ g/l of residual sugar
- Chasselas, Gamay, Pinot Noir, Amigne
-
Conthey
- Fendant, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cornalin, Gamay
- Min. 8,000 vines/ha
-
Ville de Sion
- Chasselas, Ermitage(Marsanne), Dole, Syrah
- Pinot Noir and Gamay may not be bottled individually, and be labelled ‘Grand Cru’
- Chasselas, Ermitage(Marsanne), Dole, Syrah
-
Saint-Léonard
- Chasselas, Pinot Noir
-
Sierre
- Petit Arvine, Ermitage(Marsanne), Cornalin, Syrah
Amigne de Vétroz
Sweetness indicators

Sweetness Indicators (required from the 2005 vintage forward):
- One bee (Sèche/Trocken): 0-8 g/l rs
- Two bees (Légèrement Douce/Halb Süss): 9-25 g/l rs
- Three bees (Douce/Süss): 25+ g/l rs
Valais

Grand Cru for Pinot Noir and Chasselas only
Saint-Léonard
-
Fully
- Petite Arvine, Ermitage (Marsanne), Gamay, Syrah
-
Saillon
- Petite Arvine, Humagne Rouge, Cornalin, Syrah
-
Leytron
- Chasselas, Humagne Blanc, Humagne Rouge, Cornalin
-
Chamoson
- Johannisberg (Silvaner), Petite Arvine, Pinot Noir, Syrah
-
Vétroz
- Chasselas, Gamay, Pinot Noir, Amigne
- Pinot Noir and Gamay may be bottled individually, and as Dole to be labelled as ‘Grand Cru’
- Chaptalization prohibited for white varietals
- Min. 7,000 vines per hectare
- Amigne de Vétroz Sweetness Indicators (required from the 2005 vintage forward):
- One bee (Sèche/Trocken): 0-8 g/l residual sugar
- Two bees (Légèrement Douce/Halb Süss): 9-25 g/l of residual sugar
- Three bees (Douce/Süss): 25+ g/l of residual sugar
-
Conthey
- Fendant, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cornalin, Gamay
- Min. 8,000 vines/ha
-
Ville de Sion
- Chasselas, Ermitage (Marsanne), Dole, Syrah
- Pinot Noir and Gamay may not be bottled individually, and be labelled ‘Grand Cru’
-
Saint-Léonard
- Chasselas, Pinot Noir
-
Sierre
- Petit Arvine, Ermitage (Marsanne), Cornalin, Syrah

Valais
Grand Cru that permits Johannisberg

Chamoson
- Johannisberg (Silvaner), Petite Arvine, Pinot Noir, Syrah
W to E
-
Fully
- Petite Arvine, Ermitage (Marsanne), Gamay, Syrah
-
Saillon
- Petite Arvine, Humagne Rouge, Cornalin, Syrah
-
Leytron
- Chasselas, Humagne Blanc, Humagne Rouge, Cornalin
-
Chamoson
- Johannisberg (Silvaner), Petite Arvine, Pinot Noir, Syrah
-
Vétroz
- Chasselas, Gamay, Pinot Noir, Amigne
- Pinot Noir and Gamay may be bottled individually, and as Dole to be labelled as ‘Grand Cru’
- Chaptalization prohibited for white varietals
- Min. 7,000 vines per hectare
- Amigne de Vétroz Sweetness Indicators (required from the 2005 vintage forward):
- One bee (Sèche/Trocken): 0-8 g/l residual sugar
- Two bees (Légèrement Douce/Halb Süss): 9-25 g/l of residual sugar
- Three bees (Douce/Süss): 25+ g/l of residual sugar
- Chasselas, Gamay, Pinot Noir, Amigne
-
Conthey
- Fendant, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cornalin, Gamay
- Min. 8,000 vines/ha
-
Ville de Sion
- Chasselas, Ermitage (Marsanne), Dole, Syrah
- Pinot Noir and Gamay may not be bottled individually, and be labelled ‘Grand Cru’
- Chasselas, Ermitage (Marsanne), Dole, Syrah
-
Saint-Léonard
- Chasselas, Pinot Noir
-
Sierre
- Petit Arvine, Ermitage (Marsanne), Cornalin, Syrah

Valais

4 of the 9 Grand Cru that permits Petite Arvine
Fully, Saillon, Chamoson, Sierre
W to E
-
Fully
- Petite Arvine, Ermitage (Marsanne), Gamay, Syrah
-
Saillon
- Petite Arvine, Humagne Rouge, Cornalin, Syrah
-
Leytron
- Chasselas, Humagne Blanc, Humagne Rouge, Cornalin
-
Chamoson
- Johannisberg (Silvaner), Petite Arvine, Pinot Noir, Syrah
-
Vétroz
- Chasselas, Gamay, Pinot Noir, Amigne
- Pinot Noir and Gamay may be bottled individually, and as Dole to be labelled as ‘Grand Cru’
- Chaptalization prohibited for white varietals
- Min. 7,000 vines per hectare
- Amigne de Vétroz Sweetness Indicators (required from the 2005 vintage forward):
- One bee (Sèche/Trocken): 0-8 g/l residual sugar
- Two bees (Légèrement Douce/Halb Süss): 9-25 g/l of residual sugar
- Three bees (Douce/Süss): 25+ g/l of residual sugar
- Chasselas, Gamay, Pinot Noir, Amigne
-
Conthey
- Fendant, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cornalin, Gamay
- Min. 8,000 vines/ha
-
Ville de Sion
- Chasselas, Ermitage (Marsanne), Dole, Syrah
- Pinot Noir and Gamay may not be bottled individually, and be labelled ‘Grand Cru’
- Chasselas, Ermitage (Marsanne), Dole, Syrah
-
Saint-Léonard
- Chasselas, Pinot Noir
-
Sierre
- Petit Arvine, Ermitage (Marsanne), Cornalin, Syrah

Year Charte Grain Noble ConfidenCiel was created
1996
- “Seal of Quality” for traditional sweet wines
- 30 producers encourage tradition of vine-dried grapes sign a charter
- Traditional Valais grapes, best areas, min 15 yo vines
- Petite Arvine, Ermitage, Johannisberg, Amigne, Paien, Malvoisie
- min 130 Oechslé, w/o adding sugar
- min 12 mo wood (casks or barrels)
- Internal tasting

Charte Grain Noble ConfidenCiel
- “Seal of Quality” for what style of wines?
- For what region?
- How many members?
- Permitted grapes?
- Min Oecshlé?
- Min aging?

Charte Grain Noble ConfidenCiel
- Traditional sweet wines
- Valais
- 30 producers
- Amigne, Ermitage, Johannisberg, Malvoisie, Paien, Petite Arvine
- min 130 degrees Oechslé, without adding sugar
- min 12 months wood

Charte Grain Noble ConfidenCiel
Permitted grapes

Petite Arvine, Ermitage, Johannisberg, Amigne, Paien, Malvoisie
- “Seal of Quality” for traditional sweet wines
- 30 producers encourage tradition of vine-dried grapes sign a charter
- Traditional Valais grapes, best areas, min 15 yo vines
- min 130 Oechslé, w/o adding sugar
- min 12 mo wood (casks or barrels)
- Internal tasting
