Expert’s Choice: 18 Swiss reds and whites you need to try

Swiss wine is one of the wine world’s greatest hidden secrets.

This discreet and exclusive country only has about 15,000ha planted to vineyards, according to the national wine body Swiss Wine Promotion, producing around 0.4% of the global total.

Despite the country’s tiny size, there is incredible diversity in its soils, landscapes and grape varieties, creating notable differences among its wines. Its highest vineyard sites are perched above 1,100m.

See Robin Kick MW’s selection of Switzerland’s finest red and white wines

Vertiginous variety

Chiselled into steep hillsides, they provide sun-kissed, well-drained patches of land perfect for grape growing. Lakeside vineyards are bathed in gentle breezes, offering unique microclimates.

The country’s vineyards are spread across six wine regions.

Valais is the largest and is home to the highest concentration of the country’s indigenous grape varieties.

Vaud, the second largest, encompasses most of the vineyards along Lake Geneva’s shores.

The other regions are: Geneva, known for its experimental spirit; Ticino, the heart of Swiss Merlot; Three Lakes, which includes lake Neuchâtel, is a top area for Pinot Noir; and finally Deutschschweiz, a region that encompasses several German-speaking cantons, including Graubünden, Zurich, Schaffhausen and Thurgau.

Great grape diversity

Swiss Wine Promotion notes 168 grape varieties currently registered by the national Federal Statistical Office for use in the canton-based AOC system, although fewer than 100 are planted on an area of at least 2ha.

Many varieties are indigenous, and at more than 3,400ha Chasselas (called Fendant in Valais) is its most planted white grape.

Though it can be shy when young, exceptional versions from top terroirs are capable of ageing for many years, revealing notable complexity.

Chasselas is the variety to pair with sumptuous cheese fondues, but its food-friendly style makes it capable of accompanying many other dishes, such as lake fish and seafood.

Over the past 15 years or so, Petite Arvine has been winning over aficionados’ hearts and palates with its crisp acidity, peachy core and saline finish.

But there are so many other varieties worth seeking out: Räuschling, Humagne Blanche and Amigne, as well as Heida (aka Païen or Savagnin) to name a few.

Beguiling reds

Reds can be beguiling, too. Cornalin, whose origins are not entirely defined but are thought to lie in neighbouring Aosta in northern Italy, has taken on its own deep, vinous personality in Valais.

Well-known international varieties such as Pinot Noir, Syrah and Merlot can also produce world-class results.

Less constrained by the traditions that define many of its neighbours, Switzerland approaches wine with pragmatism and a spirit of innovation.

Agroscope, the country’s trailblazing research institute, has introduced pioneering grape crossings over the years, such as Gamaret, Garanoir, Diolinoir and Doral, alongside resilient Piwi varieties such as Divico – crafted with ecological sustainability in mind.

While less than 2% of Swiss wine leaves the country, its rare gems are increasingly making their way onto international shelves – especially in the UK, US and Asia – while also garnering more attention thanks to the accolades they’ve received from competitions such as the Decanter World Wine Awards.

There has never been a better moment to discover the singular charm of Switzerland’s wines.

Breath of mountain air: 18 Swiss wines to try

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