Grape varieties
Vaud, with its impressive variety of soils and extraordinary terraced vineyards has a unique strength.
Every great wine worthy of the name is first of all a terroir wine, a wine that reflects faithfully the richness of its soil, its micro-climate and the work of the men and women who oversee its development. A wine that has character and personality, that tells a story, a wine with which we can identify. A wine that shows only the characteristics of its grape variety can be interesting, but without real interest for serious wine tasters.
What pleasure, though, when terroir notes are added to a varietal wine! This, then, is the strength of canton Vaud. It doesn’t matter if it’s a Chasselas, Mondeuse, Plan Robert or Pinot Gris wine – the crucial aspect is the determination to match quality with great terroirs in order, year after year, to reap the best of what nature offers us, authentic, inimitable wines.
Chardonnay
Chardonnay has a very high potential for excellent quality wines that range from dry to sparkling to sweet. These are wines of great elegance, powerful, full, with complex fruit aromas, enhanced by the grape’s minerality.
Chasselas
The distinctive feature of this grape is that it absorbs extraordinarily well the typicity of its terroir, reflecting beautifully each of its specific aspects. Primary aromas are well supported, with the wine producer’s work adding another layer of complexity. Chasselas is the Vaud grape variety par excellence.
Merlot
Merlot is a remarkably supple wine that is notable for its somber, deep colour and its elegantly seductive fruit. It gives very interesting wines that are notable for their elegance – as long as the wine producer’s work is exacting and the vines are grown with an ideal exposure.
Pinot blanc
Pinot blanc gives richly structured wines that can verge on noble in their elegance. Its bouquet of white flowers is irresistible.
Pinot gris
Pinot gris is remarkable for its robe of yellow with gold highlights and its discreet nose. Well-structured, concentrated and round, sometimes almost buttery. Pinot gris can also give wines that are sweet and unctuous
Plant robert
Also known as plant Robez or Robaz, this is a very old red variety grown on small vine parcels spread around the Lavaux appellation area. Records show its presence in the 19th century, but it is without doubt older. In 1966 the variety was saved in extremis. It has a deep robe, which is almost grenadine in tone, and spicy to the point of peppery notes.
Syrah
Syrah gives superb, rich wines. The grape ripens late and is very demanding in terms of climate. It gives red blends more colour and strength, as well as the spicy opulence for which it is well known.
Doral
The grape is the result of a cross between chasselas and chardonnay. It is produced in Small quantities and gives wines with a delicate fruit bouquet, pleasant acidity and remarkable aging potential. Vinified as a still wine, and sometimes as a sweet wine, it develops a refreshing and pleasing range of aromas.
Pinot noir
Pinot noir is a very demanding grape variety, difficult to grow, which doesn’t do well with either too much or too little sun and which makes the wine producer pay dearly for making even the smallest mistake or for allowing any uncontrolled growth. These wines are generally light and fruity
Servagnin
Servagnin was the first pinot noir planted in the Morges region, in the 15th century. It has an aromatic nose with notes of woodland berries and bark. The appellation servagnin is used only by wine producers in Morges who follow a strict of regulations.
Gewurztraminer
Its bouquet has no equal : intense, almost overwhelming, an extraordinary combination of voluptuous rose notes, spices and exotic fruits. Equally noteworthy is its distinctive robe, with warm golden highlights.
Cabernet sauvignon
The distinctive feature of this grape is that it absorbs extraordinarily well the typicity of its terroir, reflecting beautifully each of its specific aspects. Primary aromas are well supported, with the wine producer’s work adding another layer of complexity. Chasselas is the Vaud grape variety par excellence.
Mondeuse
This typically Vaud grape variety gives a wine with a likeable rustic edge, appealing thanks to its very aromatic and charming nose with earthy notes and violets, very ripe berries and mushrooms with a hint of copper. In mouth, mondeuse is full-bodied with a pleasing acidity, concentrated with silky, elegant tannins and an impressive fruitiness.