The Swiss encounter
Sylvia Wu
Surrounded by classical wine countries (France, Italy and Germany), Switzerland exports only a small fraction of its wines – despite their high quality. Therefore, opportunities to taste a range of Swiss wines in London, such as the 67 Pall Mall tasting at the end of last year, are unmissable.
The indigenous variety Petit Arvine produces many floral, textured yet fresh Valais region whites – such as those from Domaine Jean-René Germanier (via Alpine Wines) and Les Celliers de Vétroz (Origin Wine). The more neutral Chasselas can exude delicate minerality and peachy weight – try Clos de la George, Premier Grand Cru 2023 from biodynamic producer Hammel Terres de Vins. An orange Gewürztraminer, Omnis Orange Nature 2023 from Domaine Henri Cruchon (Alpine Wines) in the Vaud region, was a surprise find – crystallised ginger and marmalade harmonise beautifully with lychee and white blossom, balanced by a serious, dry palate. Among the reds, Domaine Henri Cruchon’s Le Cruchon Pinot Noir 2023 is an ethereal, perfumed beauty, while the Le Vin de l’A, L’Alter-natif Pinot Noir 2022 showcases darker fruits and savoury herbs. From the Upper Rhône (Valais), the Domaine des Muses, Réserve Syrah 2020 (Gauntleys of Nottingham), with its peppery dark fruit concentration, exceptional elegance, and solid structure, was my favourite.
Viña Leyda: Pinot Noirs touched by the Pacific
Ines Salpico
The geography of world-class Pinot Noir is changing rapidly, as classic regions (not least Burgundy) grapple with climate change and economic challenges. Exciting new provenances are leveraging their cool climates, entrepreneurial energy and winemaking talent to produce some of today’s purest expressions of the fussy variety.
I joined winemaker Viviana Navarrete and viticulturist Tomás Rivera of Viña Leyda for a chat about the development of its Pinot Noir program in coastal Chile’s Leyda Valley. The two have been at the helm of the pioneering project since its inception; when Viña Leyda planted its first vineyards in 1998, it became the first producer of the since-created eponymous appellation. Navarrete and Rivera described a humbling process that has led them to shed assumptions and focus increasingly on discovering the identity of the local terroir.
A vertical tasting of the Lot 21 Pinot Noir reflected this journey: if in the first-released vintages extraction and overripeness obscured sense of place, the 2020 vintage (£34.82 Winesquare) shows incredible purity of fruit, elegance of tannins and an unmistakable Pacific-kissed freshness. As does their newly released flagship Origin Pinot Noir 2020, a wine that will surely turn heads in years to come.
A slice of heaven in Mexico’s Valle de Guadalupe
Clive Pursehouse
El Cielo’s Gustavo Ortega Joaquín and Georgina Estrada
When Gustavo Ortega Joaquín planned his retirement as a hotelier in central Mexico, he envisaged perhaps a boutique B&B in the vineyards. On a visit to Baja California’s vineyards, he was smitten with the region. A few years later, Ortega Joaquín opened El Cielo, the winery, in 2013. He’s since added several hectares of vineyards and a luxury resort in the Valle de Guadalupe. Hiring the talented Jesús Rivera and sparing no expense in the cellar, the wines of El Cielo are among Mexico’s finest. These are world-class wines with an international pedigree.
The 2019 Polaris, a Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc, is classical. Red-fruited and savoury, with mint leaf and blood orange notes, the wines are taut and fresh at lower alcohol levels. The 2019 Aristotles is a Pinot Noir at a diminutive 12% alcohol with undeniable elegance. Fresh, sweet red fruits, gorgeous hibiscus florals and ample savoury herbs. These are exciting wines because they testify to the capacity of Mexico’s flourishing wine culture and the potential to grow and craft great wines in the desert of the Baja…
Source : https://www.decanter.com/magazine/editors-picks-february-2025-548933/
