Pinot Noir from Chamoson 2023 - 75cl

Pinot Noir, this emblematic Burgundian grape variety with which I grew up, is a true passion that I could not give up. When the opportunity arose to take care of this old plot of Pinot Noir, nestled on the splendid terroir of Prés des Pierres in Chamoson, I did not hesitate for a moment. It is with immense joy that I produce this Pinot Noir in a style that pays homage to finesse and elegance, qualities that this grape variety knows how to reveal with such subtlety, in the pure Burgundian tradition.

This wine was born in Switzerland. Here, no synthetic inputs, neither in the vineyard nor in the cellar. Instead, it is herbal infusions, fermented extracts and compost tea that watch over the vine, like benevolent companions, gently accompanying it at each stage of the season in addition to copper and sulfur to limit the spread of mildew and powdery mildew. Thus, this wine breathes the land that saw it grow, free and sincere, in harmony with the rhythms of nature.

Altitude of the plot 550 meters
Harvested by hand on September 14, 2023
Indigenous yeasts
Aged in vats for 6 months
Light filtration before bottling
2788 bottles
Total SO2 less than 30 mg/L

Grape variety

100% Pinot Noir.

Vinification

No SO2 at harvest time, cold pre-fermentation maceration for 3 days, incorporation of a native yeast starter from 15°C, one trapping per day during fermentation, pressing after 16 days of maceration.

Added 10 mg/L of SO2 after malolactic fermentation, light filtration 1 week before bottling, adjusted to 25 mg/L of free SO2 5 days before bottling.

Bottled on April 17, 2024.

Tasting

In a resolutely gourmet style, this pinot noir, dressed in a bright garnet red, seduces with its fine and elegant nose of raspberry. On the palate, it reveals a beautiful lemony dynamic that ends with an explosion of red fruits. This wine, full of fruit, will perfectly enhance a dish of tender veal or eggplant parmigiana, offering a tasty and harmonious pairing.

Storage

Magnificent on the fruit from the first year, if we offer it a refuge where freshness and humidity are in balance, this wine will wait, patiently, for 3 to 8 years, before revealing all the richness of its character.

Vintage 2023 in Valais

The vintage 2023 was like an unpredictable adventure for the vine, where the elements, sometimes gentle, sometimes cruel, seemed to want to challenge the patience and know-how of the winemaker. Spring, initially generous in rain, nourished the earth to excess, and as summer set in, the capricious sky alternated between burning heat and unexpected coolness. The vine, courageous but vulnerable, suffered trials, especially under the onslaught of the burning sun of July and August, which slowed down its natural course. And then, one day in July, hail struck, leaving scars on the leaves and grape clusters, but fortunately for the winemaker, the fine weather in August allowed some of the wounds to heal.

Since the beginning of May, the winemaker, like an attentive guardian, had been watching. Faced with the threats of mildew and powdery mildew, he protected his treasure with constant care, preserving what could be preserved. Thus, after a timid start in April, the vine, in fits and starts, took off. The flowering, in June, rapid and full of promise, gave hope for a generous harvest. The maturity of the grapes, although disparate, carried with it the promise of wines of rare quality, the fruit of this complicity between nature and man.

The harvest, generous, turned out to be similar to that of the previous year, even surpassing the expectations of recent decades. The sugar, in each grain, recalled the best years, close to 2019 for some grape varieties, evoking 2014 for others.

Thus, the 2023 vintage promises to be a subtle melody. The reds are dense while retaining a subtle elegance. They charm with their bouquets combining ripe fruits and delicate spices. The perfect balance between the silky softness of the tannins and a well-controlled acidity gives them a distinguished personality, both complex and refined.