GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – You have two wonderful chances to learn about older Swiss vintages in the next few days. If you’re one of the people who thinks Swiss wines should only be drunk young, you’re in for a major surprise.
Tomorrow evening, 20 February, 15 restaurants in Geneva, Vaud and Valais are taking part in La Nuit des Vieux Millésimes, an evening of extraordinary food and wine pairings. There are still some places left (next year I’ll be able to alert you to this date much earlier). Programme and menus
Alexandre Truffer, who is behind the annual event, now in its third year, points out that “the best Swiss wines continue to improve for several years, and they can stand up to time well for several decades.”
My own experience of this wonderful evening last year was pure magic: a several-courses meal paired with only sweet wines, which I joined because I didn’t believe it was possible to have a meal with 7 sweet wines, or that it would be so good. Chef Pierre Crépaud at Le Crans, a very chic little hotel and spa in Crans-Montana, is one of the chefs who has a special offer again this year. Emmanuel Charpin, one of the best wine teachers around, comments on the wines.
For background, read my article on older Swiss vintage wines from March 2013.
A second event is the Festival des Vieux Millésimes (festival of older vintages), the only wine fair in Switzerland where you can taste – and buy – older vintage wines: Saturday 22 February in Aigle. Check the events calendar on this page for details.
The festival features wines from 25 vintages between 1974 and 2007, with wines from at least five producers in each of several cantons.
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