5 Swiss red wines featuring distinct grapes

MENTION SWITZERland and most people picture soaring snow-capped peaks, high-quality watches, hand-crafted chocolates and dashing tennis players winning Wimbledon year after year after year.

cially during the Middle Ages.

Regions

While Switzerland’s only roughly the size of Vermont and New Hampshire combined, this relatively small country has six distinct wine regions with roughly 40,000 acres of vineyards. Many of the wines recommended this week come from Valais in the heart of the Alps east of Geneva. Switzerland’s other five wine regions are Vaud (north of Geneva), Geneva itself, Ticino (south of the Alps near Milan, Italy), Three Lakes (just west of Bern) and German-speaking Switzerland (several spots near Zurich).

Grapes

But did you know that Switzerland also makes great wine?

If not, you’re not alone. Swiss wines rarely make the journey abroad or across the ocean.

But if you ever happen to find yourself in this charming country nestled in the heart of Europe, make sure you try some of their wines. They’re outstanding and affordable, especially if you buy them in a grocery store or local market.

(The wines purchased for this week’s column all cost less than $20 a bottle at a grocery store in Zurich.) Best of all, many Swiss wines feature grapes you probably have never heard of or tried before, like humagne and diolinoir. This week, you can learn more about Swiss wines, where they grow them, some of the most common wine grapes as well as tasting notes for five Swiss red wines. Hope you enjoy.

History

People in Switzerland have been making wine for more than 2,000 years, according to Swiss Wine, the country’s official wine association. And, like neighboring France, you can thank the monks and monasteries in Switzerland for creating many of Switzerland’s vineyards and wineries, espe-

Like many places, pinot noir is the most popular grape in Switzerland. Roughly 29% of vineyards in the country contain pinot noir grapes, which are called blauburgunder in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. The next most popular grape is chasselas, a white wine grape that accounts for 27% of Swiss wine. Other popular grapes include gamay and merlot for red wine, as well as muller-thurgau and chardonnay for white wine. But what makes Swiss wine so exciting is all of the other lesser-known grapes you’ve probably never heard of or seen anywhere else and which you can read more about below.

Tasting notes

• 2022 Schiterberger Blauburgunder

Grape: Blauburgunder (pinot noir)

Region: Zurich (German speaking Switzerland)

Tasting notes: When I set out to buy wines for this tasting in Zurich, I was amazed by all the Swiss red wines made with lesser-known grapes. That’s why I chose this particular one, not knowing that blauburgunder is another name for pinot noir. In any case, I’m glad I bought this wine, which has a soft, light, gamay-like finish similar to a young Beaujolais wine from France. Its bright, refreshing flavors range from fresh blackberries and raspberries.

• 2020 Fleur Du Rhone

Grape: Humagne

Region: Valais, Switzerland

Tasting notes: Humagne grapes account for less than 1% of wines made in Switzerland. In fact, there’s only about 74 acres of humagne grapes planted in Switzerland’s Valais region and you won’t find them anywhere else in the world, according to “Wine Grapes” by Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding and Jose Vouillamoz. Winemakers in Switzerland have been making wines with humagne grapes since the 1300s, but they have slowly become more popular there. So what do humagne wines taste like? Judging from this particular one, bright, lively and refreshing with hints of ripe cherries and raspberries.

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