New Year’s Eve was the perfect night to open a late harvest sweet Pinot Gris wine. Badoux makes this classy Lettres de Noblesse white wine that increases in elegance and richness as it ages in the bottle. The 2011 is now perfect, with apricot and honey notes, great depth and excellent balance between acidity and sweetness – the mouthfeel worked so well with the foie gras! This is a special Noble Rot (Botrytis) wine for me: I watched it being harvested on a brrrrrr! cold January day in January 2015 (2014 vintage). Take the small train up to Leysin from Aigle and you’ll see these vines on your left, high above the Aigle castle.
We started with pistachios, and their saltiness complemented it beautifully. Fois gras and sweet wines are classic tablemates, of course, and it didn’t disappoint for this first course, served on my mother’s American antique glass Fostoria dishes, a treat for rare occasions.
And then all of a sudden we are into the new year, kilos to lose in mind as we prepare meals, and there are a few evenings of lighter fare, such as cheese (it’s Switzerland) omelettes. What better than a Gamay, but one with character and aromas that beckon even in winter? Valentina Andrei‘s Gamay Combe de Noutse from the heights above Fully is just right. Classic Gamay notes of red fruits, but not overly marked by strawberries despite its youth (this was a 2018). She makes four Gamay reds and all are notable for the palate texture, very pleasing in winter. Santé!
Valentina Andrei Gamay 
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