[update 4 September: Herrera photo added]
Sierre, Valais, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Vinea, Switzerland’s largest wine event, celebrated its 14th year over the weekend with 10,000 visitors. Notable this year was the greater presence of young people and more women.
A group of five 19- and 20-year-olds, overheard having a lively discussion about Malvoisie and Marsanne wines, said they had come for the day from Yverdon.
“No, we don’t have anything to do with agriculture or the wine business,” one grinned.”We just thought we’d like to know more about wine and this is a great place to learn. We’re having fun.”
Sunny weather and the possibility of sampling 1,500 wines for SFr30 a day clearly helped pull the crowds. The wine fair has gradually been adding a rich mix of events to give visitors related activities for the two days and broaden Vinea’s appeal.
Tasting sessions of top wines from Argentina and Chianti Classico wines for connaisseurs were popular, as were guided walks along 5km of the spectacular Wine Trail to learn about many of the 60 different grape varieties grown in canton Valais, most of which are nearly ready to harvest.
For the wine producers, Vinea this year moved up the date of the the awards ceremony, to Friday morning, for the Mondial du Pinot Noir. It is the only international contest for wines made from this single grape variety, which many in the business consider to be
among the world’s most prestigious wines.
Two celebrities of different sorts drew attention: Swiss Cabinet member Pascal Couchepin caught many people’s eye as he wandered along the main street of Sierre sampling wines like anyone else in the crowd.
Photo: Swiss cabinet member Pascal Couchepin, centre
A 24-year-old Chilean woman won the hearts of journalists
and winemakers alike when she walked up to receive one of the top four
awards at the Mondial du Pinot Noir.
Carolina Herrera accepted the prize for her cellar, Casa Marin Vineyard for its San Antonio Pinot Noir Lo Abarca Hills Vineyard 2004 wine.
The cellar is Chile’s closest to the Pacific Ocean, 4 km from the
coast. It was created only seven years ago and is one of many vineyards
run by women, but owner Maria Luz Marín has gained a particular
reputation for daring and innovation. Herrera, who became an oenologist
two years ago, was surprised at the fuss about her youth and the fact
she is a woman.
“We have so many women doing this in Chile!” The
winning bottle was made under the direction of another oenologist at
the cellar but Herrera made the trip to Switzerland as part of an
educational journey – her first – to visit European vineyards.
“I want
to learn as much as I can about Swiss and French wines. There are so
many wonderful wines here, even more than I expected.”
Vinea was also popular with students from hotel schools in the region,
giving them the possibility of an intensive wine tasting course.
Photo: students from Les Roches hotel school in Bluche, near Crans-Montana, Valais.
Editor’s note: GenevaLunch will
be carrying a series of articles this week, as part of our Among the
Vines blog, on truly blind tasting, biodiversity in the vineyards, the
best affordable Swiss wines, and more. Check out our GenevaLunch Community pages over the next few days.