Just don't ask the French what they think of Swiss wine

The best Swiss Red I have had so far was a Cornalin. Adrien Mathier in Nouveau Salquenen. Goes for about 30 CHF. http://www.mathier.com/

The best ones seemed to get bought BY the Swiss, so never see a retail outlet.

fduvall

Okay, I've had decent Swiss wines in restaurants. But they could never be found in wine shops anyway. It's still a hit and miss, so I don't bother remembering the name and just opt for known imports.

I was told by Swiss colleagues to never buy a wine under about 20chf, and to only buy red wines over 30chf...I know this is a generalisation but its also quite true of swiss wines I find.

Apparently, some Swiss wine is excellent (for example Dézaley Grand Cru produced by Maison Testus in Lavaux) but is produced in such small quantities that it is completely absorbed by the local market.

They are often interested to try local wines, even if they are not high quality, as am I.

If you are talking quality there is no wine in the world that is superior to a good Pomerol or Saint Emilion Grands Crus.

To everyone, my original intention is to seek advice as to what kind of wine I should try myself or when entertaining guests, if members understand what is the meaning entertaining. You can offer vintage wines , but you stand out like a soar thumb among good commrades.

If anyone can recommend some good CH wines, I feel like be able to blend in with my commrades by trying and offering during dinner entertainments.

But I do not want members to get into not good taste discussion because of my original posting.

therefore, to Phos and Mk2, I offer my sincere apology for getting you to start writing to this thread. And to the Administrators or Senior Veterans, I wish you judge the context of this thread and not the persons who writes to it.

M

You'll pay a premium for Mathier, there are other wineries in Salquenen/Salgesch that are also quite good, but a bit less expensive.

I've found excellent Swiss wines for under 15chf, including some whites under 10chf. We got one great deal on some Riesling-Silvaner that was great, but the vintner couldn't sell it because it was too old. At 5 chf/bottle we were happy to take some of it off his hands.

A good number of Swiss wines never even make it to a store or restaurant. A couple of the wineries we think have excellent wine only sell wine at their winery, or sometimes via a website and/or at wine festivals. If you see a winery whilst wandering about, drop in, you might be surprised.

Actually, you are right. I could pick up some wine tips on this thread.

Testuz have a cave (shop) between Lutry and Vevey where you can taste their wines and buy direct from the supplier and so become part of the "local market"
http://www.testuz.ch/contacts.asp?l=1

Their Dézaley Grand Cru L'Arbalète is very good.

Obrist in Vevey has a big wine boutique you can visit:
http://www.obrist.ch/fr/

In fact most premium growers have caves which you can visit and taste. Another big one is Badoux in Aigle:
http://www.badoux.com/

Or if you prefer Valais:
http://www.maye.ch/iframes.html
http://www.fernand-cina.ch/

I can recommend the cuvé prestige from Cina (just under 30CHf a bottle and if you like Rosé "La Gorgonne" Oeil de Perdrix from Fils Maye. The best red I have found in CH is:
http://www.rouvinez.com/en/wine.php?id=20

Most will send a box to you through the post if you are too far away for a visit.

Oh, right. Surely there is good wine in the French part of Switzerland. My earlier comments were about wine from the German parts.

I am quite partial to a " Oeil de Perdrix" which is most acceptable.

Another wine that I find friends like has a Lizard on the bottle, I am sorry but I cannot remember the name.

There are good French & Swiss wines & some terrible ones.

Have fun trying them out

Honestly, much as we love 'em, girls are hopeless sometimes. It's like saying what car you drive? Answer... a blue one.
Smackerjack, would it be this wine?:
http://swiss.dreyfusashby.com/badoux_aigle.htm

Badoux also do an excellent rosé Oeil de perdrix called "La Chanterelle". Much more like a Provence rosé than the Gorgonne I mentioned from Fils Maye, though both are good.

That's the point, for me. Some of the Geneva reds are fine, but you aren't going to find them anywhere except on the vineyard doorstep or in the owner's mate's restaurant (e.g. Le Curling at La Jonction). In fact, some are sold out before harvest. No doubt partly for sentimental or patriotic reasons. As a surrogate frenchman (22 years and counting) I was prepared to be underwhelmed by swiss wine and found plenty of good stuff, admittedly on expenses .

I agree. I have had recommended to me some Swiss wines that are only fit to clean the toilet with.

Yes Nev - you are right - now I must try to remember the name!!!!!

Oh yes, and the car that I drive is a er..........um.....
It's got 4 wheels, silver and a wheel bolted on the back door

I've never had a Swiss wine that *wowed* me, and I've tried quite a few. I thus stick to French and new world wines, and the occasional Italian.

The fact that I cannot remember a single Swiss wine probably says a lot. Overpriced watery whites, or overpriced tannin filled reds seem to be the run of the mill here. I've drunk great German wines, excellent Austrian desert wines, but Swiss.... well they excel at a lot of other things, but oenology is not one of them.

Some of the best wines I've had are:

d'Arenberg Dead arm Shiraz (Aus) - liquid of the gods, very viscous, this wine is a meal in itself, best enjoyed sans food, at least 60 CHF a bottle.

Jim Barry Cabernet 1996 (Aus) - left me, my wino father and my über wino uncle speechless, all with big fat grins on our faces as we enjoyed this one, around 25 CHF a pop.

Hahn Estates Merlot (USA) - excellent price / quality, about 20 CHF a pop. The standard vin de table for an enjoyable meal in my family.

Smackerjack, it's "Aigle les Murrails" love.