Winegrowing in Geneva is as multicultural as the city itself
Big variety
In Geneva, the winegrowers grow one of local and international grape varieties. Almost everything is included – Chasselas, Chardonnay, Gamay, Gamaret and many more. With considerable success, as three examples show.
The Geneva wineries, at least some of them, probably claim the Swiss diversity record for themselves: the companies cultivate an incredible variety of grape varieties. There can be up to 20 different grapes – per estate. You experiment, you plant again if the results in the glass are not enough – be it pure wines or assemblages from several varieties. The range is as international as the city of Geneva itself: in addition to the local Chasselas, Gamay, Pinot noir, Gamaret, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc and many more can be found in the around 1400 hectares of vineyards.
Jean-Pierre Pellegrin from the Domaine Grand’Cour is one of the best and most innovative inventors in the wine-growing canton. The wine poet, as he has already been called, has over a dozen varieties and wines in his portfolio. They are vinified and matured in plots, in steel tanks, in concrete eggs, in wooden barrels. Everything is tightly packed and neatly arranged in the basement.
From the wines tasted on the occasion of a NZZ reader excursion, the excellent, fresh Sauvignon blanc 2021 stands out, which expresses more the terroir and less the variety. The authentic white wine is matured in 500 liter wooden barrels, shows a not too obtrusive aroma of black currants and spicy notes, is dry, medium-heavy, elegant, straightforward and balanced.
Sophie Dugerdil from the domain of the same name in Dardagny is almost a “one-woman show”. She cultivates nine hectares, also with a wide range of different grape varieties. The red wine Typiquement Vôtre 2020 is a good success. The blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon is aged in barriques. The bouquet is characterized by black berries and spicy toasted notes. On the palate, power and elegance combine to form a balanced unit. The wine has good potential for change.
A character is the winemaker Stéphane Gros, whose winery is also an event location. He is the seventh generation to run the family business. His wines are also unique. Like other Geneva producers, Gros relies on a number of grape varieties – for example Merlot. The varietal 2019, matured in small wooden barrels, can mature for several years: ruby red color, open bouquet of dark fruits and spicy notes, still youthful, dense, elegant, well structured, harmonious and long-lasting.