New edition of Swiss Wine Guide launched
Update 23:45 Bern, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – And the winner is: Meinrad Perler, named the best winemaker in Switzerland for 2010! The news was announced Thursday evening, 28 October at a gala event and dinner for the world of Swiss wines, the award ceremony for the Grand Prix du Vin Suisse competition. From the Vinea Association and the Vinum wine review, who co-produce the competition comes this (details on GenevaLunch Friday):
“The Vinissimo Prize was given for the wine with the overall highest number of points in the competition. It went to Meinrad Perler of Agriloro SA in Arzo, Ticino, for his Sottobosco Rosso del Ticino 2008.
Meinrad Perler was also named Swiss Winemaker of the Year for achieving the best overall result in the competition, ahead of Diego Mathier from Salgesch/Salquenen in Valais and Provins Valais in Sion. Four criteria were taken into consideration in naming the Winemaker of the Year: the number of wines nominated, the number of categories with wines nominated, the number of winning wines and the best ratio of wines registered to wines nominated.”
Six wines were nominated for each of the 11 categories of wine and two of these 11 gold winners, for Switzerland’s leading white and red grape varieties, are from the Lake Geneva region:
- Chasselas – Saint-Saphorin, Le Sémillant 2009, Jean-Michel Conne, Chexbres, Vaud
- Pinot Noir – Le Satyre Pinot Noir La Côte 2009, Noé und Noémie Graff, Le Satyre, Begnins.
Agriloro has, for the past 15 years, been considered one of the top wineries in Ticino. Vinification is overseen by oenologists Sacha Pelossi and Philipp Ruettimann. Merlot is the leading wine on the 22-hectare domain, with vines in Tenimento dell’Or and Tenimento La Prella.
The 2011-2012 Swiss Wine Guide, co-published every two years by Vinea and media company Ringier Romande, was launched during the evening. This is the fourth edition of the reference work, which provides details about 450 top Swiss wine producers and is arguably the most complete source of information on Swiss wines in English. It is the second edition in English.
Note: I lead the team that produces the English text for the Swiss Wine Guide, which can be purchased for CHF39, online, from Vinea.