GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – It’s a busy wine news season in Switzerland.

A corporate wine for watch clients; Vaud in Japan

High-end watchmaker Hublot last week named Patrick Fonjallaz’s “Dézaley de L’Evêque” 2014 its 2015 wine of the year, with 1,000 bottles slated to carry the company’s name and be served to its clients. Hublot last year signed a special partnership with the OVV, Office des Vins Vaudois, one part of which calls for a group of Hublot representatives and wine professionals to select a wine each year, in a blind tasting, that will serve as the company’s official wine.

It is the only firm to do so. This year’s Chasselas from the Lavaux region is remarkable for its “extraordinary complexity”, says Ricardo Guadalupe, CEO of Hublot, who notes its freshness and fruity flavour.

Chasselas goes to Japan, successfully

Le Temps carries an article on the warm welcome that Chasselas wine from Vaud are enjoying in Japan following a recent, second marketing trip there this year. The six wine producers who took part in the trip, co-sponsored by the OVV and Hublot, say they have orders and there are now 24 restaurants, mostly high-end, that carry Vaud wines. Chasselas is viewed by a number of chefs there as a delicate and therefore good wine pairing with their fine cuisine.

September Vinea wine fair has full house

The Vinea wine fair in Sierre, held the first weekend in September every year, says it has a full house as registration for wineries came to a close this week. The open air fair will have 72 producers at individual stands and nearly 80 others who will take part through six associations that group together wineries: AOP IGP Suisses, Clos Domaines et Châteaux, the Mondial du Chasselas, Schaffhauser Blauburgunderland, Sion Capitale des Vins, Ticinowine. Seven of the eight winners of the Swiss Winery of the Year award are registered.

The fair, to be held in the area between the city’s Hôtel de Ville and the train station, will  have a new layout with a star-shaped circuit for visitors and new all-weather tents. Another new feature is an evening post-event party with live music and a cash bar. Mark the dates:

Vinea wine fair 2015
Friday 4 September: 15:00-20:00, CHF30
Saturday 5 September: 11:00-19:00, CHF30
“after-event”, 4 and 5 September: 19:00-23:00, free entry with a VINEA wine fair ticket, or CHF10 entry per person.

Geneva’s Sélection offers some surprises

The annual Sélection des vins de Genève awards this week held some surprises, starting with a Pinot Noir as the top wine and a record number of gold medals for one winery. The canton certainly grows Pinot Noir but it is less known for it than for its Gamay, red blends and whites.

Cave Les Crêtets in Peissy won the coveted boar sculpture awarded to the wine with the highest overall number of points for Philippe Plan’s 2014 Pinot Noir. He also won the award given by the Geneva café and restaurant owners’ association, for his Cabernet Franc 2013.

Peissy is also home to Domaines Les Perrières, which won a record 9 gold medals as well as the Tradition Trophy for the highest combined points for its 2014 Gamay and Chasselas. (My report on the awards and gold medal winners to follow shortly)

Giroud’s outstanding tax bill stands for now, says high court

Dominique Giroud’s financial woes look a bit worse this week, with the federal high court refusing to suspend an outstanding tax bill while the wine producer from Sion fights it in court. His lawyers say he doesn’t have some CHF9 million to pay the bill from three tax authorities, and his house will have to be auctioned off and jobs at the winery could go.

The Federal Tribunal, Switzerland’s high court, is scheduled to hear his appeal in coming weeks, but no matter what the decision, his legal worries continue, with outstanding cases over accusations of fraud and hacking journalists’ emails. The winery was renamed Château Constellation last year and Giroud stepped down as director of the company, but he remains financially involved, according to local media.