TRAVELLER

TEXT MIKE BENNIE

UP AND AWAY Right: Domaine de Beudon. Opposite: Mythopia’s .

he , ’s largest wine Tregion, is nestled close to the Savoie of France and runs along the Rhône Valley to the fringe of . Snow-capped peaks, that include the Matterhorn and part of Mont Blanc, seem to stretch forever, and the alpine village of Zermatt is a popular destination for tourists. is slinky, long in flavour and again Valais is not just Switzerland’s largest wine region, but also its oldest. It is home to delicate, like many of the of Beudon. some of Europe’s highest , stretch- ing up to the village of Visperterminen, Domaine de Beudon Marion’s father was an early adopter of where vines tuck into terraced slopes at 1150 www.beudon.ch biodynamics, in 1936 he started introducing metres above sea level. Ludicrous angles Domaine de Beudon is a remarkable place; a Rudolph Steiner’s practices in his nursery, mean vineyards are often tended by hand, pint-sized farm perched on the steep side of and then farm. Marion continued farming though primitive looking train tracks for a towering rocky mountain, isolated from all biodynamically in the 1960s, about the time shifting grapes up and down the hillsides do else and locally known as the “vineyard in she lost her father while he was foraging for help to make working the land a little easier. the sky”. The property, which sits above the crystals near Mont Blanc. “It was terrible, Valais is well-known in Switzerland but commune of Fully, was planted in 1947, but for him to die in the mountains while expense and interest seem to limit the spread although people have lived on this remote, looking to further his beliefs was good,” she of its intriguing wines, and the unofficial elevated farmland for well over 100 years. offers. “Biodynamics is very important to us. grand crus of the region – Fully, Conthey, “There are two ways to visit us,” explains We want to show that if it is possible at Saint Leonard, Vetrox and Salgesch – aren’t proprietor Marion Granges. “One is by small Beudon, then it is possible everywhere.” exactly household names. That being said, cable car or you can walk for an hour.” After The six hectares under vine looks like a ask an in-the-know Swiss about the pinot an early start, a stroll through the gently garden with flowers, vegetables and fruit noir or fendant () of Valais, and undulating forest at the base of Domaine de trees growing in the vineyard. “We believe they tend to give glowing approval. Beudon’s 800 metre-high perch above the we produce better fruit when its grown in Varieties found across the other appella- picturesque valley seemed very appealing. harmony with nature,” says Jacques. tions include blanc, , But the muddy flanks of the forest quickly Production of wines under their own gewürztraminer, , , turned to broken rocks and grasses with label began in 1971 and the technique has and sylvaner, alongside lesser narrow paths weaving around increasingly hardly varied since. The grapes are hand- known amigne and rèze. For reds, is steep ledges which dropped away to the base picked and sent to a crusher, the widely planted as are hybrid local varieties of the perilously sheer rise. must then travels down a long pipeline to the including gamaret and garanoir with , After about 45 minutes the walk became shed which sits on more level ground humagne rouge and a few indigenous grapes a mountain climb. The ledges narrowed and below. No additives are used and no filtering including dollinoir, cornalin and durize. It’s things started to get a bit hair-raising. Strug- occurs throughout the . Neutral a broad palette to be working with. gling to stay upright on the edge of the cliff, vessels are predominately used for fermenta- While large-scale winemaking is com- the next section of track revealed a foot-wide tion, which takes place naturally. mon, an undercurrent of small, like-minded ledge and a chain-rope bolted into the rock. “In older times whites and reds weren’t Peak producers are helping to elevate the offering The drop was straight down hundreds of made as differently as they are now. It’s only from supermarket wines to a more tantalis- metres. No thanks. The rickety, old cable car about 50 to 70 years ago that we began mak- ing range of biodynamic and organic wines was now looking like a very good option. ing more floral and not as strong Performers that speak of their pure alpine sites. The quaint and rustic contraption is back in flavour,” explains Jacques. “We use more High in the Swiss a band of vignerons This cutting edge of Swiss wine is rearing at the base of the mountain. Locals will tell skin contact in our white winemaking.” its head in wine festivals like RAW and The you about the time the cable car fell off its Varieties planted run from pinot noir, are relying on biodynamic and organic Real Wine Fair in London, and canny im- rails and plunged down the mountain. It left gamay and riesling to local grapes including practices to produce tantalising small-batch porters are beginning the march of these Marion’s husband Jacques seriously injured fendant (chasselas), sylvaner, petit arvine intriguing wines to Australia. An increasing in hospital, and meant the only access to and gamaret. Beudon also makes a Schiller wines that speak of their pristine sites. number of small producers farming sustain- Beudon was up the daunting mountain path. wine with both white and red grapes co- ably and producing wines with minimal “It wasn’t a big deal, we just had to take fermented from a field blend . intervention makes a compelling reason to everything up and down by hand for a few Tasting across a number of , the

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF DOMAINE DE BEUDON AND MIKE BENNIE. visit the dizzying vineyards of Valais. years,” explains Marion. outstanding wines included Cuvée Antique,

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TREAD CAREFULLY ROLLING ON Jacques Granges in his Domaine de Beudon. vineyard. Right: Marie- Left: Monique and Thérèse Chappaz. CHOSEN PATHS Bertrand Caloz. The road to Mythopia (above). Centre: cable car to the “vineyard in the sky”. a textural, amber-hued wine which shows says with a sweeping gesture across his Among all this are healthy, vibrant fruit 2010 Finito Terre de Tsampon is a petil- fresh perfume with a touch of richness, like vineyard, which seems buried under plants, and vines. “It’s a unified program, the fruit is lant naturel, a lightly sparkling sylvaner still . “We are about a complete picture of farmland that epitomise the Valais wine apricot nectar. The fine, sandy tannins finish trees and flowers, and teaming with animal amazing, and we feed ourselves and our alive with bubbles from bottle fermentation. the region, about the of our site, region so definitively. with a lick of brine-like acidity. The fendant life. It resembles a small forest. animals from the biodiversity of the vine- It has a muted perfume offering some florals using the varieties as the mouthpieces,” says She is renowned for her meticulous is given eight days skin for addit- The striking scene is brought about by yard. Our secondary and tertiary food crops and is nutty to taste with a fine tight bead. proprietor Bertrand Caloz. approach to , minimal interven- ional character. years of ecology research and practice by can be sold commercially; we profit in so There’s a touch less clarity in this wine as it Wines from these lower flats of Valais still tion in winemaking, and her exploration of A fine, gently savoury de Gamay Schmidt. “One of the leading distinctions of many ways from our vineyard,” says Schmidt. reaches to more savoury, dusty fringes. manage to maintain a delicacy and purity, various soil profile . While Chappaz offering maraschino cherry fruit character societies is seen through ecological collapses Vineyards here are set in terrace-like lots 2011 Primogenitur Pinot Noir however, particularly on this site which regularly sees is elusive, her vineyard suggests great with enough tannin and crunch to refresh through history. Economics is linked to this. on mad angles up the slopes of the Valais’ is the opposite, made in a ‘nouveau’ style long, cold winters offset by a sudden burst of vitality with abundance of flowers, plants, the palate is produced from gamay plant- Why settle on an income from just grapes mountains. It’s picturesque, but Schmidt with as the linchpin. warmth through spring and flowering. insects and birds intermingling. ed at around 500 metres and 800 metres, and wine when you have space on your land quickly points out the irrigation systems The wine is fresh, crisp, light and gently Vines range from 30 or so years old to Her wines see much airtime in Switzer- “cultivated with love at the top and bottom for secondary and tertiary crops between that jut out from the vines of neighbouring sweet-fruited with delicacy and vibrancy; a around 60 years old for the pinot noir. land due to her profile, with wine bars in of the farm,” says Jacques. the vines? If you have soil and biodiversity vineyards. “They are mostly for spraying classic vin de soif. Again, fendant is the yardstick. The 2012 Geneva, Zurich and, more locally, in Valais, The Schiller, now produced across Swit- health, why not find greater social health chemicals more efficiently,” he explains. 2010 Pi-No is a more serious wine, fine- Coteaux de is a mineral-laden wine of popping corks on her cuvées. The best wines zerland as an officially named wine style, through balance of our ecosystems?” asks “People here are reliant on this, but their tuned with ribbons of suede tannins and flinty, delicate texture and a bright, frisky tasted included the joyous field blend, 2012 is floral scented with a crisp and delicate Schmidt. His work is demonstrated through vineyards seem so sad.” Of course, Schmidt’s showing game meat-like complexity and fruit profile. The 2011 Paien is produced Rhodonite, a blend of merlot, pinot noir, vineyard is farmed without chemicals. A savouriness. It’s an elegant, beautiful wine. from savagnin and one of Colline de Daval’s gamay, syrah and cornalin that results in a natural whirlpool system in an adjacent 2011 Insoumis Pinot Noir is a late-picked, most complex, interesting whites. It is slip- finely balance, tightly wound wine. There is Tremendous peaks and the kaleidoscope of creek acts as a vortex to mix biodynamic and concentrated and powerful wine with rich, pery in texture with a smoky perfume and gentle spice and savouriness with a trim line farmland epitomise the Valais wine region. other preparations for the farm. dried fruit and spice characters; a heady generous fruit flavours with a lick of brine- of acidity holding the wine long and firm. Schmidt took over the 35-year-old vine- drop that tastes quite exotic in its own way. like acidity. The wines all have a brightness, 2012 Petit Arvine Grain Blanc is a complex texture and a heft of red grapes showing his organisation The Ithaka Institute which yard in 2004. Since then he has produced There’s a lot of character-filled wine in the crunch and lift, even the 2010 Chardonnay wine with savoury nuttiness coupled to deep berry fruit character. consults on “biodiversity climate farming” some extraordinary wines including pinot cellar, born from this remarkable site. “We with barrel ferment and time on lees seems gently honeyed characters and a polished Gamay as a is highly perfumed manifested through a calculated charter. noir, fendant and sylvaner. see Mythopia as a Utopia of sorts, but an to pop out of the glass – unsurprising seeing textured. It’s rich, vibrant and fresh. and offers amaro-like sour sweetness with a The charter offers advice on farming, His humble winery is in a cellar below his applicable and practical one. An example for as though the commune of Sierre is known Another complex white, 2011 Ermitage SE CHAPPAZ, DOMAINE DE BEUDON AND MIKE BENNIE. light crunch to the texture, while the pinot from encouraging soil rejuvenation and È house, located in a neighbouring village to R others,” states Schmidt. “Mythopia is a as the sunniest place in Switzerland. Grain d’Or is a marsanne with immense noir is slinky, long in flavour and again health to transforming vineyard land into his vineyard. The cellar is cool with a low- É mythical location. Or it will become one!” The red wines are not quite as exciting, power and presence. Though trim across the delicate, like many of the wines of Beudon. biodiverse wonderlands. “We try to make slung ceiling and contains a small clutch of but still have some mojo. The 2012 Coteaux palate, it shows depth of roasted nuttiness “We know this is a very special site,” says rich soil with plenty of bioactivity, the qual- old barrels from which Schmidt draws his Colline de Daval de Sierre is a refreshing pinot noir with cher- coupled to wet stone-like minerality. It’s Marion. “We are preserving it for coming ity of wine comes from this and the presence wines. He uses no additions and little or no www.collinededaval.ch ry pip and maraschino fruit, a light and a curious and glorious wine. 2012 Grain generations, and farming it with great love.” of other plants.” In the past vines grew wild sulfur in his winemaking, yet the wines are Colline de Daval may not have achieved the clean wine. A rogue syrah, brought to the Gamay is also striking, a supple wine of Perched at a rustic wooden table in the lee of in forests and weren’t cultivated. Schmidt is incredibly fresh and youthful to taste, even proud heights of Beudon or the aspirational tasting table as a 2013 barrel sample, shows farmhouse funk and bittersweet fruit char- the family home, gazing out across Valais’ trying to replicate this environment. with bottle age. practices of Mythopia, but their la lutte promise with meaty, gamey, savoury intent. acter with crisp texture. 2012 Grain Cinq is Alps and valley, it’s hard not to appreciate The vineyard is astonishing, and as per The mouth-watering 2010 Fendant Terre raisonée, or reasoned struggle, approach to compelling, showing layers of sweetness, just how remarkable Beudon is. the charter, it is strategically planted and de Manneau is pure, floral and bright, farming, sees biodynamic practices in place Marie-Thérèse Chappaz benign bitterness, richness and spice through managed. Peach and other fruit trees grow almost peppery in scent and taste with and minimal chemical input in the vineyard. www.chappaz.ch a blend of pinot blanc, paien, sylvaner, petite Mythopia at the end of vineyard rows, and hedges are spring field-like aromas and a nuttiness The family-run producer sits on a rise above Marie-Thérèse Chappaz is arguably one of arvine and marsanne. www.mythopia.ch planted to increase insect and animal life. in flavour. 2012 Disobedience sees fendant the valley floor in the commune of Sierre. Valais, if not Switzerland’s, best-known In a region where identity is often lost in Mythopia’s proprietor, winemaker and, most In ‘hot spots’ of about 50 square metres per spend 35 days on skins and two years in Mountains dominate the landscape from winemakers. Her wines under the Domaine volume of wine, the setting has inspired a importantly, ecologist, Hans-Peter Schmidt hectare, more trees, flowers and fruits are barrel, rendering an orange hued wine of which the fruit is sourced. The estate has five de la Liaudisaz name come from her eight- growing clutch of winemakers who show a is a lean and energetic man. He wants to nurtured. Wasp nests are encouraged, mini- depth, toastiness and complexity with hectares of land under vine, set on typical hectare, biodyamic vineyard set high in the dedication to their land and understand the change the way people farm vineyards. ature sheep trim lower lying vines and chalky tannins in tow. Its presence on the chalky soils and planted with fendant, pinot mountain country, offering views of those potential of fruit and wine from considered,

“Here we are trying to make a garden,” he chickens produce manure. palate is as striking as it is delicious. PHOTGRAPHY COURTESY OF COLLINE DE DAVAL, MARIE TH noir, chardonnay, gamaret, savagnin and tremendous peaks and the kaleidoscope of more sustainable farming. Proscht! v

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