GENEVA, SWITZERLAND / AMONG THE VINES – The last shopping weekend before Christmas is a favourite time for stopping by wineries and seeing if there is something for your spouse, best friend or favourite client. Here is my personal pick of cellars that are holding open houses Saturday 14 December, most of them from 10-17:00, but there are plenty of others, many of them very good.
Try the sparkling wines, sweet late harvest wines in Valais, and in many cases the 2012 reds that are just now going on the market.
Neuchatel
Chantal Ritter Cochand gives you a taste of Neuchatel wines – don’t miss the Pinot Noir – Saturday at the Marché de Noel du Coq d’Inde in Neuchatel as well as at the winery in Le Landeron, rue de Soeure 4.
Vaud
Domaine Dames de Hautecour, Mont-sur-Rolle, Saturday and Sunday, 6 artisans and their wonderful food specialties as well as wine-tasting.
Henri Cruchon Vigneron wines (and what a collection), tasting session in Clarens/Montreux at bar à vin Ô 20 délices, Friday 13 December 17-21:00.
Cave Emery, Aigle, NOT Saturday, but a great new option on Tuesdays: from 16:45 to 18:15, in front of the Eglise du Cloître, Alain Emery recounts stories around wine (he speaks English). The Chasselas is wonderful.
Valais
Be sure to look for late harvest, sweet wines, one of the specialties of this region. Otherwise, be open to trying what the wine producer suggests, and you’ll have some wonderful surprises.
Cave Pierre-Maurice Carruzzo, Chamoson, raclette offered with the wines
Cave de la Madeleine, André Fontannaz, Route Cantonale 118, 1963 Vétroz – particularly the Cornalin and the Amignes
Cave La Romaine, Flanthey, Friday 13 from 17-20:00 and all day Saturday – sample chef Deny Secco’s foie gras, salmon and magret de canard with wines from this up and coming winery
Cave Maurice Zufferey, Chemin des Moulins 52, Muraz/Sierre – small but beautiful, so try everything