Zurich, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Switzerland’s top winemaker is oenologue Madeleine Gay, cellarmaster at the country’s largest cooperative, Provins, in Sion. She was awarded the honour of “Swiss winemaker of the year” Friday evening at the annual Swiss Wine Night in Zurich, when the country’s finest wines are named by the Grand Prix du Vin Suisse competition.

Top honours for the best wine went to Vins des Chevaliers in Salquenen for its single grape red wine, Chevalier Rouge 2006. The Vinissimo award makes it the “best Swiss wine” – the one that received the most points from the judges – among the 1,800 entered in the competition, which took place at the end of June.

Edy Geiger, who runs a small winery in Saint Gallen, was given the Prix Bio Suisse in recognition of his pioneering work with bio wines, for his Buechberger Maréchal Foch Barrique 2006 – Prix Bio Suisse.

Sixty-six wines were named as finalists in 11 categories in August, and Friday evening the three best wines in each category were awarded prizes. The complete list of winners is available on the Grand Prix des Vins Suisse site online. Among the 2008 surprises: producers in Graubuenden won all the top awards for Pinot Noir, for which they are nevertheless well known, and the third place Merlot went to a Valais wine which is vinified by a cellar in canton Vaud.

The Grand Prix du Vin Suisse is Switzerland’s only national, independent competition, open to all winemakers, with no quotas or pre-selections. It is organized by Vinea in Sierre, which organizes several international wine competitions, and Vinum, European wine review.