Bern, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The Swiss grape harvest in 2007 was very good in terms of quality, with a quantity that was lower than the 10-year average used by Swiss federal agriculture authorities (FOAG (search in French: l’année viticole 2007)), they confirmed Thursday. Experts predicted as early as August 2007 that it would be a very good year, and Lake Geneva region and Valais winemakers in November said they believed, based on first tastings, that 2007 would be a very good year.

An exceptionally warm, early spring made an early harvest possible and in cantons where a longer autumn is especially important, notably in Rhone valley communes, October 2007 provided weather that resulted in excellent quality grapes. A detailed report is published each April by OFAG.

Valais remained by far the largest grape-growing region, with 395hl (hectalitres) of grape juice while Vaud, the second-largest winemaking canton had 308hl and Geneva had 97hl. White grapes were 49% and red 51% of the overall harvest, in line with recent years’ crops, but with large variations. Vaud produced 73% white while in Geneva it was 46% and in Valais 41%. Valais is increasingly emphasizing its red wines, which are starting to win international attention as top of their varieties.

Ed. note: A kilo of grapes is considered to give 0.8 litres of juice.

Background:

• "Geneva’s wines move into the future," GenevaLunch 3 October 2007
• "Why we love old wines," interview with Raymond Paccot, 31 December 2007