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OMGD Switzerland Excursion

Bailliage of Fribourg, Switzerland
Valais, May 21-22, 2022

A peaceful walk between Miège and Salquenen
" We are aware of the enormous privilege that these winemakers granted us by opening the doors of their vineyards »

After two aborted attempts, both of which had to be cancelled due to well-known reasons, this highly anticipated two-day trip in Valais finally took place at the end of May, having been masterfully organised by our Vice-Échanson Thomas Wittlin.

The excursion gave us the chance to explore the cellars and vineyards of four winemakers: the Domaine des Crêtes in Noës, in the company of Martine Vocat; the Domaine Gregor Kuonen in Salquenen, in the company of Patrick Revey; the Domaine Chappaz in Fully, in the company of Marie-Thérèse Chappaz; and the Domaine Gérald Besse in Martigny-Combe, in the company of Gérald Besse.

We were captivated by the passionate and fascinating explanations given by these wine professionals about their work in the midst of nature and then by the precious nectar housed in their cellars. The outside heat and the gradient of the land gave us an appreciation of the physical effort required to carry out the necessary outdoor work. As we made our way through the vineyards, around clumps of mint and wild thyme, discovering the “benches” which, to those from flatter landscapes like us, looked more like slopes of varying degrees of steepness, it quickly became clear that many parts of the vineyards are quite simply inaccessible to vehicles or other machines, however small they might be, unless you happen to have a cable car.

Wine tasting is a real treat, and if you can combine it with an active pursuit and some wonderful company while also learning something knew, it’s even better. The peaceful walk on the Wine Path along the irrigation canal between Miège and Salquenen, and the fascinating guided tour of the wine museum in Salquenen, gave us the perfect opportunity to do just that.

The technology at work in the cellars was particularly impressive. The arduous work involved has been alleviated over the years, and the time this has saved has contributed to vastly elevating the quality of the wine. Limiting grape quotas by m² and the gradual move to organic or biodynamic cultivation have also helped.

However, viticulture, like many artisan trades, lacks qualified workers. For many winemakers, the task of planning for the future of their vineyards therefore looks like an uphill struggle. Which is even more unfortunate, as the wine, with its unique aromas, is delicious and there is nothing to stop this fabulous local product continuing to be a success in the future.

We are aware of the enormous privilege that these winemakers granted us by opening the doors of their vineyards for the weekend. Wine professionals are true virtuosos, who continue to dazzle us with their unique products year after year. Thanks to their know-how and their awareness of nature combined with new technologies, they create wines with the most exquisite aromas.

Their generosity enabled us to escape our world to explore theirs, as we discovered, observed and learned so many new things. This experience has delightfully enriched our vocabulary to describe the flavours of wine and we will take many happy memories with us as we look forward to our next trip.

Gabriele Wittlin
Vice-Chargée de Presse

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