Switzerland

Question 1

What is a state in Switzerland called?

How many?

Answer 1

Canton. There are 26 autonomous cantons of Switzerland each with their own official language.

Question 2

What are the four nationals languages of Switzerland

Answer 2

French (western), German (Eastern), Italian (Southern), and Romansch (a Romance language spoken predominantly in the southeastern Swiss canton of Grisons (Graubünden); a descendant of the spoken Latin language)

Question 3

What four countries border Switzerland

Answer 3

France (West)
Germany (North)
Austria (East)
Italy (South)

Question 4

What four French-speaking cantons produce wine in western Switzerland?

Answer 4

Valais, Vaud, Geneva, and Neuchâtel “NEW-sha-tell”.

Question 5

What Italian-speaking canton borders Italy’s Lombardy region and what grape do they focus on?

Answer 5

The canton of Ticino and they focus on Merlot. Best versions occasionally achieve Pomerol-like richness.

Question 6

What is the most cultivated grape in Switzerland?

Answer 6

Chasselas, producing refined, mineral-driven wines.

Question 7

What is Sylvaner known as in Switzerland?

Answer 7

Johannisberg

Question 8

Name two indigenous white grapes of Switzerland.

Answer 8

Amine of Vétroz
Petite Arvine (found more in Italy's Valle d'Aosta.)

Question 9

What is the most important canton in Switzerland?

Answer 9

Valais

Question 10

What is Johannisberg?

Answer 10

Synonym for Silvaner in Switzerland

Question 11

What is Fendant?

Answer 11

Synonym for Chasselas in Switzerland.

Question 12

What is Dôle?

Answer 12

A blend of Min 85% combined Pinot Noir and Gamay in Valais.

Question 13

What is Salvagnin?

Answer 13

Light red blend of Pinot Noir and Gamay (possibly with some gamaret and garanoir), the first appellation created in switzerland in 1960. It accounts for about half of all wine produced in the canton of Vaud.
-Vaud’s answer to Valais’ Dôle; Min. 10% Pinot Noir, Min. 50% Gamay, Min. 20% Gamaret and/or Garanoir

Question 14

Where would you find the production of Dole vs Salvagnin and what is the difference between the two?

Answer 14

Dole is a style found in the Valais
Salvagnin is a traditional appellation found in the Vaud
-Essentially the same thing but Salvagnin uses an older clone of Pinot Noir called Servagnin (“Salvagnin” for many years was a bastardized version of the Servagnin grape and eventually became the appellation based on Gamay and the Servagnin grape.)

Dôle:
Min. 85% combined Pinot Noir and Gamay, plus Garanoir, Gamaret, Ancellotta, Diolinoir, Carminoir, Merlot, Syrah

Salvagnin
Blend: Min. 10% Pinot Noir, Min. 50% Gamay, Min. 20% Gamaret and/or Garanoir

Question 15

What is Valais’ most widely produced wines?

Answer 15

Fendant (Chasselas) and Dôle (a blend of Pinot Noir and Gamay)

Question 16

Where in Switzerland is Valais

Answer 16

South western Switzerland clustered along the bank of the Rhône River, establishing Valais as the river’s northernmost appellation

Question 17

What is Vin des Glacier?

Answer 17

A maderized wine stored in high altitude soleras based on an old indigenous grape of Switzerland called Rèze. A little like Jura’s Vin Jaune.

Question 18

What canton borders Jura on the north shores of Lake Geneva?

Answer 18

Vaud

Question 19

What are the 6 regional AOC’s of Vaud

Answer 19

-Chablais AOC (easternmost; Chasselas reaches record ripeness)
-Lavaux AOC (stretch between Chablais and La Côte; vine terraces built by Cistercians became a World Heritage Site; contains both Grand Crus: Dézaley and Calamin)
-La Côte AOC (westernmost; less than spectacular vineyards travel in arch towards Geneva.)
North of Vaud on the banks of Lake Neuchâtel:
-Vully AOC
-Côtes de l’Orbe AOC
-Bonvillars AOC

Question 20

What are the two grand crus of Vaud?

Answer 20

Dézaley and Calamin both in Lavaux

Dézaley-Limestone, smoky
Cgt
Calamin-Clay, flinty

*pairing “both are nectar with fried perch at a table beside the lake.”

Question 21

What is a bisses? Pronounce like italian “bis”

Answer 21

Steep channels of mountain water, to irrigate vines built by Valais growers in the Middle Ages.

Question 22

What is the principle grape in Geneva?

Answer 22

Gamay along with Chasselas and Pinot Noir

Question 22

What is Chasselas known as locally in Vaud?

Answer 22

Dorin (more historically known as this)

-Vaud is in fact the birthplace of Chasselas

Question 24

Name three synonyms for Chasselas in Switzerland

Answer 24

Fendant (Valais)
Dorin (Vaud)
Gutadel (small amount in Eastern Switzerland)

Question 25

What are the 5 major wine producing cantons of Switzerland?

Answer 25

``` In order: Valais Vaud Geneva Ticino "ti-CHEE-no Neuchâtel "NEW-sha-tell" ```

Question 26

What body of water is Vaud on? | What body of water is Valais on?

Answer 26

Vaud- Lake Geneva/Léman | Valais- Rhône River (vineyards most right bank)

Question 27

``` What is Charte Grain Noble ConfidenCiel? Allowed Varieties: Minimum Vine Age: Minimum Must Weight: Minimum Aging: ```

Answer 27

A label seal of quality for traditional sweet wines in Valais, created in 1996. Allowed Varieties: Ermitage (Marsanne), Petite Arvine, Amigne, Johannisberg (Silvaner), Malvoisie (Pinot Gris), Païen (Heida, Savagnin Blanc) Minimum Vine Age: 15 years Minimum Must Weight: 130° Oechsle (no chaptalization) Minimum Aging: 12 months in wood

Question 28

9 Grand Crus of Vaud AOC

Answer 28

Conthey Varieties: Fendant, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cornalin, Gamay Min. 8000 vines per hectare. Chamson Varieties: Johannisberg(Silvaner), Petite Arvine, Pinot Noir, Syrah Fully Varieties: Petite Arvine, Ermitage (Marsanne), Gamay, Syrah Leytron Varietes: Chasselas, Humagne Blanc, Humagne Rouge, Cornalin Saillon Varieties: Petite Arvine, Humagne Rouge, Cornalin, Syrah Saint-Léonard Varieties: Chasselas, Pinot Noir Sierre Varieties: Petit Arvine, Ermitage(Marsanne), Cornalin, Syrah Valle de Sion Varieties: Chasselas, Ermitage(Marsanne), Dole, Syrah Pinot Noir and Gamay may not be bottled individually, and be labelled 'Grand Cru' Vétroz Varieties: 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

Question 29

What do the bees indicate on a bottle of Vétroz?

Answer 29

``` 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 ```

Question 30

What 2 climatic features make grape growing in Switzerland possible?

Answer 30

The country’s lakes and föhn “foon” (like “goon”), the warm autumn wind which warms up sizable portions of the south of the country enable full grape ripening to take place in many valleys and on lakesides. And in the Valais in the south west, the upper Rhône Valley, sunshine is so dependable (an average of more than 2,000 hours a year, rising sometimes to more than 2,500 hours) that vineyards can be as high as 750 m/2,460 ft, and some, such as Visperterminen, reach 1,150 m above sea level. The Valais is sheltered by the alps and, like south east Switzerland, benefits particularly from the föhn, but it can be dry and irrigation with mountain water is sometimes necessary.

Question 31

What is the main concern for Swiss winemakers?

Answer 31

Erosion -slopes as steep as 90% in places, and, in some regions, rainfall make soil erosion the prime concern. Terraces are common in Switzerland’s steep vineyards, and cover crops are increasingly common.

Question 32

What is the essential stylistic difference between Swiss winemaking vs German and Austria winemaking?

Answer 32

In Swiss wine acidity is seen as an evil rather than a virtue and malolactic conversion is routinely practised.

Question 33

Where is the Gotthard Massif?

Answer 33

A mountain range in the Alps in Switzerland, located at the border of four cantons: Valais, Ticino, Uri and Graubünden. It is home to the first vineyards on two of the world’s great wine rivers, the Rhine and Rhone which both rise, remarkably close to one another, in the Gotthard Massif.

Question 34

Does Switzerland produce more white grapes or red grapes?

Answer 34

Red grapes (58%). The Swiss drink twice as much red wine as white, and the late 1990s saw widespread conversion of what were largely white wine vineyards to red, notably Pinot Noir.

Question 35

What is Pinot Noir also known as in Switzerland?

Answer 35

Blauburgunder or Clevener.

Question 36

What grapes are focused in Neuchâtel?

Answer 36

Pinot Noir, grown on the south-facing slopes above Lake Neuchâtel. - Oeil-de-Perdrix is the famous rose version - also produce a delicate Chasselas, often enlivened by slight spritz; some producers relase an unfiltered Chasselas, a welcome variation on the usual recipe, on the third Wednesday in January.

Question 37

What is Savagnin known as in Switzerland? (2)

Answer 37

Heida and Païen Visperterminen in the Valais is home to some of the highest vineyards in Europe, where Heida is made into table and dessert wines and achieves splendid density and richness.

Question 38

Biggest cooperative in Valais?

Answer 38

Provins. Makes about 1/5 of all Valais’ grapes.

Question 39

What is Humagne Rouge?

Answer 39

Cornalin (progeny of Rouge du Pays); indigenous variety from Valle d’Aosta, but more widespread in Switzerland.

Question 40

What “Premier Grands Cru” in Vaud? | What grapes are used?

Answer 40

Premier Grand Cru status in Vaud is awarded to individual wines based on Chasselas, Gamay, Pinot Noir, and Merlot