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 […]
France
Italy, France, Switzerland: 7 Ceps regional wine competition winners named
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – The 7 Ceps wine competition is an interesting variation on the theme of “best of” that for most competitions means best of a grape variety or a politically defined region. These are wines from a geographically linked area, the vineyards in the greater Mont Blanc region with producers in Italy, France and […]
Swiss cheese industry boosted by free trade
We’re eating more than 400 grams of cheese a week per person BERN, SWITZERLAND – The Swiss cheese industry benefited in the first five years of free trade with the European Union, a study released 30 October shows. Exports slowed down in 2011 due to the strong Swiss franc, but in the first half of […]
World’s top Merlots are Swiss, French, Romanian and Lebanese
Bordeaux takes top prize, Ticino winery named world champion GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – The Earl Roumage winery in St Germain du Puch, France, won both the Best Merlot Varietal (single grape) and the Best Foreign Varietal Merlot prizes at the Mondial du Merlot wine competition, the Vinea Association in Sierre announced Friday 28 September. Cantina Monti […]
France’s new mandatory breathalyzer-in-car rule in effect 1 July
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – A warning to all French motorists, but also tourists traveling through France starting 1 July: you must have a self-check alcohol test in your car. The new French regulation, designed to cut down on alcohol-related road accidents, calls for every car to carry a valid breathalyzer, meaning the expiry date must be […]