Petite Arvine 2023 - 75cl

My first white wine could only come from Petite Arvine, this emblematic grape variety of the Swiss Alps, anchored in the soul of these mountains. Chiseled, vibrant with citrus fruits and a unique freshness, this wine, like an alpine landscape, is unlike any other. This Petite Arvine did not go through malolactic fermentation, in order to preserve all its lively freshness.

The harvest took place when the first signs of noble rot were beginning to appear. When the Petite Arvine "curdles", it is the heralding sign of a beautiful aromatic, ample and generous, promising a wine of great richness and depth.

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 495 meters
Harvested by hand on September 23, 2023
Indigenous yeasts
Aged in vats for 6 months
Light filtration before bottling
1032 bottles produced
Total SO2 less than 40 mg/L.

Grape variety

100% Petite Arvine.

Vinification

20 mg/L of SO2 were added during the harvest. After direct pressing, careful settling was carried out, followed by the incorporation of a native yeast starter.

To block malolactic fermentation, 50 mg/L of SO2 were added. Light filtration was carried out one week before bottling, and the free SO2 was adjusted to 25 mg/L five days before bottling.

The wine was bottled on April 15, 2024.

Tasting

A Petite Arvine full of texture, offering a touch that is both straight, precise and chiseled, which blossoms with a beautiful amplitude in the mid-palate. The aromas of peach and delicate exotic fruits mingle with a subtle floral touch, while careful work on the bitters nuances the tasting, bringing depth and elegance.

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 year 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 white wines are very delicate and, without falling into exuberance, they reveal a beautiful aromatic expression, subtle and nuanced, like a gently whispered promise. The acidity, preserved by the diversity of maturities, brings a welcome freshness, offering the wines a precious harmony.