Wine writer Yves Beck, who posts frequently on Facebook, set me straight there on what seems to be an urban myth about the Swiss countryside. I’ve been told by many people that Valais is the only canton that authorizes watering for vines. I mentioned it recently because Salgesch (called Salquenen in French), near Sierre, sits […]
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Five wines for Chinese visitors
Last week I gave a presentation on Swiss wines and led a tasting session of five wines from western Switzerland for a group of 30 Chinese managers from Harbin. They are following a three-week intensive course at the Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz’s International Programme in Solothurn. Strong interest, lively discussions and wonderful questions all around. Here are […]
Bern takes steps to let wine stocks flow
BERN, SWITZERLAND – Lower wine consumption in most markets, over-production in 2011, a high Swiss franc and stocks of wine that aren’t moving lie behind a decision by Bern to allow AOC (appellation d’origine contrôlée) wines to be sold as table wines. The extraordinary measure starts 1 June and will be in effect until the […]
Biodynamic wines, slipping into the mainstream
New guide provides useful tool GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Organic wines, known as “bio” in French, and more particularly biodynamic wines, were long regarded suspiciously by many consumers, conjuring up vague (and not quite right) images of hippy wines made with animal horns and consumed with unpalatable brown rice. Those were the bad old days and […]
Regional travel & wine: French Jura
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – France’s Jura mountains are defined by deep, secret forests and rushing streams, so it is always a surprise to suddenly come upon snug villages edged by magnificent vineyards. Coming down into Arbois, there is such an abrupt change of scenery and state of mind that your arrival calls for a pause. A […]