2022 Cave St. Pierre Fendant Réserve des Administrateurs, Switzerland, Valais, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2022
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-

This is 100% Chasselas from the Valais region of Switzerland.  Light gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with a bit of toast and slight caramel notes (Oak?) along with lemons and slight minerality.  Light to medium bodied.  On the palate, this has big acidity with lemon/citrus.  It has a "chewy" texture.  Good finish.  This nice on its own but would be better with soft cheeses.  Drink over the next couple of years.  An interesting wine.

2016 Philippe Viallet Vin de Savoie, France, Savoy, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
85
Grade: 
B

This is a blend of four grapes in the French portion of the Alps; Jacquere, Chasselas, Chardonnay, and Altesses.  Light green gold in color.  The nose is all about the minerals.  Not much fruit.  Oily texture.  Good acidity.  Lean minerality on the palate.  This win begs for food but nothing too heavy.  It retails for $14.  A nice lunch wine but more pleasing for those with European wine tastes.  

Swiss Wine: The Best Wine You've Never Tasted

“It’s difficult to export wine because we drink a lot” is the response I got when asking why Swiss wine does not exist on the international market. Switzerland, a tiny independent country in the heart of Europe with a population of 7.5 million, is divided further by languages; French, Italian, German, and Romanche.
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Vins de France 101: Alsace, France’s Little Wine Treasure

Take a deep breath. While exhaling, say “Ahhhl zas.” It resonates like a yoga mantra with the emphasis on “Ahhh.” The phonetic version of Alsace reveals the beauty of this little border province and the prominence of one of France’s smallest wine regions. It harbors a medieval landscape from a bygone era. Half-timbered houses, cobbled streets, and Romanesque churches have you anticipating someone heavily cloaked in costume to walk by you munching on a giant turkey leg.
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