MONTREUX, SWITZERLAND / AMONG THE VINES – Music and wine, a nice combo, was on the Montreux agenda late Thursday, with canton Vaud wine awards handed out. Mathieu Jaton, the new director of the Montreux Jazz Festival, opened the ceremony. Here’s the list of the top winners in each category. I’ll add my comments, links […]

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND / AMONG THE VINES – Paolo Basso was named the World’s Best Sommelier 2013 in Tokyo 29 March, in front of an excited crowd of 4,000. “We’ve never had so much attention – the media coverage there was huge!” the sommelier from canton Ticino says. He was in Féchy Friday 31 May for […]

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND / AMONG THE VINES – Vully is a small region familiar to Swiss lovers of fine wine, but worldwide fans of popular international wine, Syrah, will scratch their heads to hear the name – and yet a Syrah from here has just taken a surprise silver medal at the Mondial du Syrah wine […]

LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND / AMONG THE VINES – If you didn’t make it Saturday to the Caves Ouvertes, Vaud’s turn for wineries’ open days, it’s not too late and it’s a good option for a wet, wet Sunday. Here’s how it works: you pay CHF15 for a glass at your first winery, keep it with you […]

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND / AMONG THE VINES – The 2013 Merlot wine world champion is from Switzerland – Chamoson in canton Valais – and the best Merlot at the international Mondial du Merlot competition is from canton Ticino. The Swiss made an impressive showing, with canton Ticino alone winning but Merlots from Italy and France also […]