TN: A true once-in-a-lifetime tasting - 27 wines by Marie-Thérèse Chappaz

WARNING: Long read ahead!

Typically there are three types of tastings. There are mundane tastings in which you taste wines you’ve either tasted before or wines you could taste any day you wanted to, then there are interesting tastings where the wines are a bit special or you wouldn’t otherwise taste but a tasting setting is a perfect spot for them, and there are those special tastings in which you actually get to taste something you really don’t see every day - maybe even wines you see only once in your lifetime.

But then there are yet those one-of-a-kind tastings that are more like a field trip to a unicorn zoo than wine tastings. This Chappaz tasting belongs to this category.

Marie-Thérèse Chappaz is considered to be one of the best winemakers in Switzerland - some even claim her to be the best one. While her wines might be sometimes a bit divisive, there is still no question that she makes very impactful wines that often seem to coax out every single drop of potential residing in every grape she grows.

She lives in Valais, the predominantly French-speaking canton situated at the southwestern edge of Switzerland, immediately to the west of Savoie, France. Although not originally planning to become a winemaker, she embarked upon this path when she was given her own parcel of vines when she was 17. In 1987 she took over the 1,5-hectare family estate, farming vines but selling the fruit. In 1988 she bottled her first own vintage and in 1989 she opened the winery, starting to bottle and sell her own wines. In 1997 she started the conversion to biodynamics and since 2003 all the fruit has been farmed biodynamically under Demeter certification. Since then her winemaking has become even more minimal, preferring to keep any inputs both in the vineyard and in the cellar to a bare minimum. She, however, employs some inputs, so apart form a few wines, her production is not completely hands-off natural - just minimal intervention.

Chappaz, her work and her wines have also gained quite a bit of recognition - already in 1996 she was Gault et Millau’s Winemaker of the Year and since then she was been awarded several other awards, probably more so than any other Swiss winemaker.

Due to the scarcity of Swiss wines (the Swiss seem to prefer drinking their wines themselves instead of exporting them), the fame and acclaim of Chappaz and the small production (Chappaz farms only 11 hectares / 27 acres), the wines are really hard to come by. Every now and then one can find some of the entry-level wines outside Switzerland, but even they tend to get rather pricey (Chappaz’s entry-level wines sell locally for 20-30€, but tend to sell for 45-60€ outside Switzerland), but most of her more expensive bottles are quite rare even in Switzerland. The few rarities are true unicorns which are heavily allocated, virtually never exported and are almost impossible to find in secondary markets.

But thanks to one enthusiastic Swiss-Finnish wino, we had an unprecedented one-of-a-kind tasting where we went through a huge slice of Chappaz’s production, getting a clear picture of what her wines are all about. There were also a few other wines as well, but the emphasis was very heavily on Chappaz wines.

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Part I: Fendant
(Fendant aka. Chasselas is probably the most important variety in Valais. Known to be rather neutral and often low in acidity, it usually makes soft, simple everyday whites of no remarkable character. Grown also on the French side of the border in Savoie.)

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Pale, youthful whitish-green color. Youthful, fruity and quite intense nose with vibrant aromas of ripe apple and quince, some juicy pear, light sappy notes of aromatic herbs and a hint of honeyed richness. The wine feels surprisingly ripe and concentrated on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and a faintest touch of subtle CO2 prickle on the tongue. Bold flavors of red apple, some honeyed richness, a little bit of stony minerality, light herbal spicy notes and a primary hint of candied gummi bear character. Despite the subtle CO2 tingle and medium-to-moderately high acidity, the mouthfeel is quite oily and rich in texture, suggesting noticeable dry extract in the wine. The finish is rich, intense and quite concentrated with bold, lengthy flavors of peach and very ripe red apple, some stony minerality, a little bit of sappy herbal spice and light sweet notes of exotic fruits.

A surprisingly big, ripe and concentrated Chasselas with lots of power and some sense of dry extract. Some people found the wine a bit too heavy and ponderous, but to me the wine managed to retain good sense of balance despite its body and power - perhaps because I was expecting something more typical of Fendant: a simple, neutral white with low acidity and lack of freshness. Although the wine isn’t high in acidity, it still shows more acidity, depth and complexity than what is typical for the variety. This was easily among the best Chasselas wines I’ve ever tasted - I hope the wine won’t lose its charm and exuberance as it passes its youthful stage, but retains its great sense of power and concentration. This was something not unlike an Alpine Condrieu - big, ripe and weighty wine, but one capable of greatness in deft hands. Highly recommended. (93 pts.)

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Youthful and moderately intense yellow-green color. Quite sweet, expressive and somewhat primary nose with aromas of peach, some candied notes of gummi bear, a little bit of phenolic spice, light banana notes and a hint of something gaseous - hard to say what’s going on here, since excessive SO2 in a Chappaz wine sounds unlikely. The wine is ripe, fresh and vibrant on the palate with a medium body and youthful flavors of ripe white peach, some spicy phenolic notes reminding me a bit of a classic Tripel beer, light juicy notes of red apple, a little bit of stony minerality and a faint hint of leathery funk. The moderately high acidity lends good sense of freshness to the wine, even though the overall feel is a bit on the mellow side - as is expected of the variety. The finish is clean, quite long and tasty with flavors of fresh red apple, some juicy white peach, light stony mineral notes, a little bit of Tripel-like phenolic spice and a hint of sappy herbal character.

A sophisticated, bright and focused Chasselas. Compared to the Fendant La Liaudisaz 2020 that was tasted alongside, this wine shows more freshness with its slightly higher acidity and lighter body, but at the same time it comes across as more delicate, as La Liaudisaz shows so much more concentration, depth of flavor and complexity. I found both the wines very lovely, but even though I normally favor freshness ad precision over fruit and concentration, the opulence and complexity in La Liaudisaz won me over this time. Very slightly, mind you. This is a lovely wine as well, but I’d say it could use a handful of years more in a cellar, just to let it pick up a bit more complexity with age. (92 pts.)

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  • 2016 Marie-Thérèse Chappaz Fendant Président Troillet - Switzerland, Valais (15.11.2021)
    100% Chasselas from the esteemed Président Troillet parcel in the steep Les Claives vineyard. Although this parcel produced some of the most exceptional Fendant wines, Chappaz pulled the Chasselas wines 2017 as the up-to-centenarian Chasselas vines in Président Troillet were producing only diminishing yields, making Chasselas farming in this parcel untenable. Thus, there are not going to be any more Président Troillet cuvées of Chappaz Fendant in the future. Fermented spontaneously. 12% alcohol.

Medium-deep yellow-green with a youthful lime-green hue. Contrasting the younger Fendant wines we tasted alongside this wine, the nose here feels slightly dull with woolly aromas of lanolin, some chalk dust and vague notes of red apple. Surprisingly little going on here. The wine is more expressive on the palate, but still perhaps a bit dull with flavors of spicy red apple, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of ripe white peach, light waxy tones, a hint of damp wool and a vague touch of something rubbery - perhaps reduction? The rather high acidity keeps feels atypically high for this often so low-acid variety and lends great sense of freshness and structure to the wine. The finish is ripe and juicy but also quite acid-drive with bright flavors of fresh red apple, some waxy tones, a little bit of damp wool, light stony mineral notes, a hint of tangy salinity and a touch of juicy white peach.

A nice, enjoyably fresh and structured Fendant that shows great sense of balance and intensity. The brightness and complexity here are on a level that very few Chasselas wines can attain. However, it feels as though age has not treated the wine as well as I would’ve hoped, as there is some dull, woolly lanolin character that really doesn’t add that much depth to the flavors as it strips the wine of freshness. All in all, this is a fine and exceptional Fendant, but despite all its freshness and intensity, it suffers a bit from its dull, woolly notes and thus comes as a bit underwhelming compared to the more vibrant and expressive 2020 Fendants we tasted. I hope the wine was in some sort of slump now, so there would be hope that it would come around with some additional aging. (89 pts.)

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Part II: Other Whites

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  • 2019 Marie-Thérèse Chappaz Assemblage Blanc - Switzerland, Valais (15.11.2021)
    A blend of Sylvaner sourced from the Charly vineyard and Muscat from the Claives vineyard. Aged in old barriques. 14% alcohol. Total production approx. 300 bottles.

Pale straw yellow color. Wonderfully heady, perfumed nose redolent of musky floral notes of Muscat, followed by aromas of lychee, some rose-scented hand lotion, a little bit of grapey fruit and a hint of passion fruit. The wine is broad, ripe and tropical on the palate with a slightly oily texture and vibrant flavors of ripe apricot, stony minerality, some juicy nectarine, a little bit of perfumed floral character, light notes of lychee and a hint of zesty citrus fruits. The moderately high acidity feels high enough to lend good sense of balance to the wine. The long finish is ripe, complex and juicy with vibrant flavors of juicy citrus fruits, perfumed floral tones, a little bit of peach, light fragrant nuances of rose-scented hand lotion, a hint of grapey fruit and a touch of stony minerality.

An excellent, heady and noticeably floral white wine that smells like a dessert wine with its unctuous, sweet nose, yet its dry taste doesn’t come across as out of context when the wine hits the palate. Although the wine is only partially made from Muscat, this drinks like a very powerful and concentrated dry Muscat all the way. It might be a bit difficult to pair a wine this floral and heady with anything, but that doesn’t change the fact that Chappaz can coax some exceptional power and concentration from her vines while still retaining absolutely amazing sense of balance and harmony. Treat this wine like it was a dry Grand Cru Muscat and you won’t go wrong. Terrific stuff. (92 pts.)

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  • 2020 Marie-Thérèse Chappaz Pinot Gris Nature - Switzerland, Valais, Saillon (15.11.2021)
    Unlike Chappaz’s other wines, this is not labeled as “Grain X”, just Pinot Gris Nature. This is a Pinot Gris from Saillon, macerated with the skins for some weeks and vinified without any added SO2. 13,8% alcohol.

Deep, dark and very hazy coppery color. Robust, spicy and quite savory nose with aromas of stewed rose hips, some peppery spice, a little bit of leathery funk and a hint of acetic VA. This smells really unlike any other Chappaz wine. It is dry, angular and quite sauvage on the palate with a medium body and somewhat robust flavors of bretty funk, some bruised apple, light tangy saline notes, a little bit of phenolic spice and a mild acetic hint of VA. The overall impression is rather funky and quite smooth in texture, thanks to the medium-to-moderately high acidity and no perceptible tannins. The finish is long, dry and funky with flavors of bruised apple, tangy salinity, some chopped nuts, a little bit of stony minerality, light robust notes of savory spices and a hint of acetic VA.

A very robust, wild and funky skin-contact white that feels unlike any other wine in the Chappaz range. This is in no way a poor orange wine, but the overall feel is a bit too robust and sauvage for my taste - especially considering how pure and vibrant Chappaz wines normally are. This is an interesting experiment, but it feels the wine might require a few more iterations before it reaches the level one can expect from a Chappaz wine. (86 pts.)

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Intense yellow-green color that still retains remarkably youthful lime-green hue. The nose feels quite sweet and noticeably ripe but also somewhat evolved with almost candied aromas of gummi bears and marshmallow, followed by lighted notes of strawberry cream, some white peach, light evolved woolly notes of lanolin, a hint of sweet Golden Delicious apple and a touch of hay. The wine is ripe, rich and moderately full-bodied on the palate with juicy flavors of yellow stone fruits, some vague spicy notes, a little bit of banana, light candied notes of peach candies and gummi bears, an evolved woolly hint of lanolin and a sweet touch of apple jam. Although the wine shows some evolution and the flavors have integrated quite well with one another, the wine still comes across as a hodgepodge of fruit flavors without much sense of focus. The medium-plus acidity keeps the wine in balance, but doesn’t lend much sense of freshness to the wine. The finish is ripe and juicy with a medium-long aftertaste of ripe exotic fruits, some damp wool, light sweet notes of banana, a little bit of apple jam, a hint of peach and a vague touch of something spicy.

An enjoyable and moderately balanced white, but also one that really doesn’t leave a lasting impression. The wine is noticeably ripe, slightly sweetly-fruit, a bit on the soft side and without any distinctive character of its own. It feels like the five different grape varieties didn’t really add much of their strengths to each other, but instead leveled each other out. This feels like a ripe and pleasant weekday white, but nothing I would be eager to return to. I doubt any further aging can rectify things, as the wine feels like it is as good as it is going to get. Although the wine will probably keep for quite a long time, I’d say drink now or in the next handful of years. (86 pts.)

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Part III: Arvine
(Arvine aka. Petite Arvine is considered to be among some of the finest Valais white varieties, often making pure, mineral and Alpine whites, but in warmer vintages and climates capable of making wines that can be quite big and powerful, even heavy and cumbersome. Grown mainly in Switzerland, but can also be encountered in Aosta Valley, where it is known exclusively as Petite Arvine.)

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Quite intense yellow-green color. Rich, tropical and still somewhat primary nose with concentrated aromas of quince, some peachy fruit, a little bit of sweet apple jam, light fragrant notes of exotic spices and a hint of honeydew melon. Lots of ripe, sweet fruits here. The wine is rich, intense and quite concentrated on the palate with a full body and almost voluptuous flavors of honeydew melon, some white peach, a little bit of extracted waxy character, light sweet notes of apricot marmalade and a hint of apple jam. The overall feel is very ripe and even slightly viscous with the moderately high acidity lending some sense of balance to the wine. The high alcohol lends some warmth and even a hint of boozy character to the wine. The concentrated finish is rich and juicy with quite lengthy and slightly sweetly-fruited flavors of white peach, some honeydew melon, light stony mineral notes, a hint of apple jam and a touch of fruit cocktail. The high alcohol makes the wine end on a rather warm note.

An impressively big but also somewhat heavy and burly Petite Arvine that doesn’t really show any of that Alpine mineral feel the variety is known for, instead opting to emphasize its heady, almost overripe fruit and quite voluminous body. Although enjoyable, this wine drinks more like a Condrieu than a classic Petite Arvine and thus comes a bit too heavy and ponderous for my taste. Good stuff all the same, but could use a bit more balance. Hopefully the wine sheds some of that baby fat as it ages in the cellar. (88 pts.)

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  • 2018 Marie-Thérèse Chappaz Grain Arvine de Fully - Switzerland, Valais, Fully (15.11.2021)
    100% Arvine from the Coteaux des Épalins, Les Claives and Les Seilles vineyards. Fermented spontaneously. The label says legerement doux, i.e. off-dry or medium-sweet. 14,9% alcohol.

Surprisingly pale, almost neutral whitish-green color. Very rich and sweetish but also slightly restrained nose with aromas of overripe grapey fruit, some creamy tones, light diacetyl notes of melting butter, a little bit of extracted waxy character, a hint of ripe white peach and a whiff of alcohol. The wine is very ripe, quite mellow and somewhat noticeably off-dry on the palate with a rather full body and quite oily overall feel. The texture feels broad and silky. Lush flavors of white peach, some apple jam, a little bit of lemon marmalade, light boozy notes of high alcohol, a hint of overripe grapey fruit and a touch of vague spicy character. The medium acidity doesn’t really lend much sense of balance or freshness to the wine. The finish is round, mellow and medium-sweet with medium-long flavors of ripe white peach, some apple jam, light boozy notes of alcohol, a little bit of cantaloupe, a hint of marmaladey citrus fruits and a touch of tangy salinity. The high alcohol makes the wine end on a rather warm note.

Although Petite Arvine is known for its often Alpine, very mineral quality, this wine showed very little if any such character - instead this was atypically high in alcohol and conspicuously sweet in taste, making this wine drink more like a Viognier than a Petite Arvine, but with too much residual sugar. There is remarkable sense of power and concentration here, true to the Chappaz style, but the wine is just too fat, sweet and flabby for my preference. This wine feels like the grapes just got way too overripe before harvest, stripping it of all the freshness and precision that is so vital to a good Petite Arvine. I hope the wine could improve with some cellaring, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. (84 pts.)

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Intense, concentrated neon yellow-green color. Concentrated, somewhat evolved and quite seductive nose of beeswax, honeydew melon, some apple jam, light perfumed floral tones of orchard flowers, mineral hints of wet stones and a zesty, grapefruit-driven touch of citrus fruits. The wine is broad, concentrated and slightly oily on the palate with a full body and intense flavors of acacia honey, pear jam, some slightly sauvage waxy notes, a little bit of wizened apricots, light phenolic notes of subtly bitter spices, a hint of apple sauce and a touch of cool, stony minerality. The wine shows tremendous intensity and staying power with some obvious tactile feel and sense weight. Although the rather soft medium-plus acidity doesn’t lend that much freshness to the wine, it keeps the wine structured enough to make the wine appear balanced. The finish is rich, oily and somewhat warm due to the rather high alcohol. The wine ends on a long, powerful aftertaste of honeydew melon, sweet apple jam, some waxy funk, a little bit of acacia honey, light beeswaxy notes, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of wizened stone fruits.

A big and remarkably concentrated Petite Arvine with formidable intensity of flavor and depth of taste. This is not a delicate and mineral Petite Arvine made in the traditional “Alpine” style, but instead an exceptionally bold and concentrated powerhouse of a wine that bears more resemblance to the ripe white Rhônes or Timorassos of Piedmont. Although the wine isn’t particularly high in acidity, it doesn’t come across as clumsy or excessively soft at any point. The wine might gain some additional tertiary complexity with some further aging, but it is drinking quite wonderfully already now, so I don’t see any further aging necessary. Highly recommended. Drink now or keep. (91 pts.)

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Pale yet quite intense yellow-green color. Fresh, sappy and precise nose with aromas of chopped herbs and crunchy red apples, some ripe honeyed tones, a little bit of juicy Golden Delicious apple, light sweet notes of cantaloupe, a developed hint of beeswax and a touch of white peach. The wine is firm, concentrated and full-bodied on the palate with intense flavors of ripe apricots and honeydew melon, some poached pears, a little bit of ripe honeyed character, light evolved notes of toasty pastry character, a sappy hint of chopped herbs and a sweet touch of very ripe white peach. The mouthfeel is somewhat oily with subtly viscous feel, but the overall feel is wonderfully focused and structured, thanks to the high acidity. The finish is juicy, concentrated and somewhat warm with high alcohol. The dry yet ripe aftertaste shows persistent flavors of juicy white peach and apricot, some poached pear, a little bit of honeycomb, light evolved toasty nuances, a hint of fresh red apple and a touch of dried aromatic herbs.

A remarkably concentrated and impressive powerhouse of a Petite Arvine with lots of intense fruit and depth of flavor. Despite its obviously high ripeness, the wine doesn’t come across too sweet in character nor has the acid level been compromised, keeping sure the wine shows great sense of freshness and structure. The high alcohol shows a bit, especially towards the aftertaste, but otherwise this is pretty much spot on. Very impressive stuff by all accounts. Drinking well now, but will improve for years more. (93 pts.)

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Palish to medium-deep yellow-green color. The nose feels somewhat restrained and slightly reductive with aromas of ripe white fruits, some stony minerality, a little bit of crunchy red apple, light skunky notes of reduction and a woolly hint of lanolin. The wine is ripe, juicy and quite rich on the palate with a moderately full body and clean, slightly neutral flavors of ripe Golden Delicious apple, some honeydew melon, a little bit of waxy funk, light stony mineral notes, a hint of very ripe pear and a touch of wool. The high alcohol lends some heat to the palate. The medium-to-moderately high acidity keeps the wine nicely in balance. The finish is rich, juicy and moderately warm with clean, ripe and slightly sweetish flavors of ripe Golden Delicious apple, some white peach, a little bit of wet stone minerality, light juicy notes of very ripe pear and a hint of something waxy.

A nice, ripe and still very youthful Petite Arvine that feels a bit closed and reductive at the moment. At 6 years of age the wine doesn’t really show any signs of age, apart from subtly woolly nuances in the background - otherwise the wine is still very youthful, brimming with ripe and quite powerful fruit flavors. The alcohol could be a tad lower, since it shows quite a bit - especially towards the end of the aftertaste - as the flavors feel otherwise a bit muted, letting the alcohol stay in the foreground. I hope the wine will lose its reduction and open some from here with further aging - at least the wine seems to show good potential for future development. Very enjoyable stuff, recommended. (90 pts.)

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Medium-deep yellow-green color. Clean, slightly restrained and quite seductive nose with slightly sweetish aromas of acacia honey and meadow flowers, some ripe white fruit, light steely mineral notes, a little bit of fresh red apple, a mineral hint of stone dust and a touch of sweet cantaloupe. The wine is surprisingly ripe, concentrated and sweetly-fruited on the palate with a full body and intense flavors of cantaloupe, apple jam, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of woolly lanolin, light juicy notes of ripe pear, a hint of crunchy green currants and a touch of honeydew melon. There’s a little bit of evolution, but the overall feel is still quite youthful without any obvious notes of tertiary complexity. The rather high acidity lends great sense of freshness and structure to the wine. The slightly sweetish finish is long, rich and juicy with clean, youthful flavors of pear jam and ripe red apple, some apricot-driven stone fruit, a little bit of stony minerality, light honeyed tones, a hint of juicy cantaloupe and a touch of woolly lanolin.

An excellent, surprisingly concentrated and remarkably balanced single-vineyard Petite Arvine that shows tremendous amount of ripe fruit and power, but enough minerality, acidity and underlying freshness to keep the wine impeccably in balance. The overall feel suggests the wine is not young anymore, but the wine is still surprisingly youthful for its age and I have no doubts it will continue to improve for many, many years more. In our vertical lineup of Chappaz Petites Arvines from 2019 to 2014, this was the most impressive wine, but also among some of the best Chappaz white wines I’ve tasted. Unless one is looking for a light, delicate and “Alpine” Petite Arvine, this is one of the best examples of the variety. Outstanding stuff! (94 pts.)

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Part IV: Two Top Valais Whites

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Quite deep and concentrated yellow-green color. Rich, powerful and moderately toasty nose with aromas of noticeably ripe yellow fruits, some toasty notes of oak spice, a little bit of creamy richness, light woody notes, a hint of sweet nectarine and a touch of smoke. The oak influence is quite noticeable, but it never feels excessive or overdone. The wine is dense, concentrated and quite oily on the palate with a full body and quite opulent flavors of pineapple and honeyed richness, some buttery notes, a little bit of sweet, toasty oak spice, light juicy fruit notes of apricots and nectarines, a little bit of exotic spice, a perfumed hint of floral character and a touch of creamy oak. The medium-plus acidity makes the wine feel quite round and mellow, but is high enough to keep it in balance. The finish is long, rich and oily with some obvious alcohol warmth and a complex aftertaste of sweet acacia honey, ripe apricots, some toasty oak character, light buttery notes, a little bit of apple jam, a floral hint of perfumed violets and a subtly bitter touch of apple peel.

A substantial, weighty and noticeably concentrated Marsanne with a somewhat noticeable streak of oak, which hasn’t normally been the case with Chappaz wines - I suspect this wine was opened just way too early for its own good, as the woodier notes have not integrated yet with the bold fruit. However, this wine doesn’t reach the exceptional quality of the 2016 vintage, which was equally concentrated in flavor, but lighter in body and higher in acidity. This wine is so big it is starting to get a bit clumsy with its noticeably high alcohol, relatively modest level of acidity and rather weighty body. The wine is surprisingly balanced for such a big and tactile white wine, and it does show exceptional power and complexity, but it still lacks the finesse and harmony the best Chappaz wines show. Thrilling stuff, but not a bullseye this time. (91 pts.)

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  • 2019 Cave Caloz Leila - Switzerland, Valais (15.11.2021)
    A Muscat fermented spontaneously, macerated with the skins, vinified without any SO2 and bottled unfiltered. 12,5% alcohol.

Pale and slightly hazy straw yellow color. Wonderfully expressive, fragrant and strikingly IPA-like nose with vibrant aromas of exotic flowers and musky spices, some rose, a little bit of grapefruit, light juicy notes of apricots, a hint of apple jam and a touch of orange rind. Although there are the tell-tale floral aromas of Muscat, I still would guess this was a modern, hop-driven IPA, if this was served blind from a black glass! The wine is dry, floral and very expressive on the palate with a medium body and still remarkably IPA-like flavors of musky flowers and rosewater, almost hoppy notes of grapefruit zest and pine needles, some passion fruit, light grapey notes, a little bit of stony minerality, a hint of apple peel bitterness and a touch of leesy yeast. The bright, high acidity lends great intensity and sense of structure to the wine. The finish is fragrant, floral and very persistent with slightly wild yet not funky flavors of perfumed, roses and musky flowers, some grapefruit, light grapey notes, a little bit of lactic MLF character, a hint of leesy yeast and a touch of apple peel bitterness.

A brilliant, characterful and very distinctive Muscat that is very true to the variety and remarkably IPA-like in flavors, both at the same time. Although there is some sense of wild, sauvage character to the wine, it doesn’t feel particularly funky or natty at any point - instead the wine is wonderfully clean, precise and on point at all times. A superb and very singular Muscat that manages to bring in all the best sides of this distinctive variety. Highly recommended. (93 pts.)

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Part V: Gamay, Pinot Noir & local curiosities

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Luminous, translucent and still quite youthful ruby color. Youthful, fruit-forward nose of dark forest fruits, some savory notes of peppered raw meat, a little bit of toasty oak spice, light primary notes marmaladey raspberry, a brambly hint of blackberry and a sweet touch of mocha oak. The wine is ripe, clean and juicy on the palate with a medium body and bright flavors of brambly black raspberry, succulent dark plum, some stony minerality, a little bit of savory wood spice, light primary notes of marmaladey red fruits, a hint of wild strawberry and a sweet touch of dark-toned, toasty oak. The structure relies more on the rather high acidity than on the soft, gentle medium-minus tannins. The finish is ripe, juicy and moderately long with flavors of sweet red fruits, some toasty oak spice, a little bit of raspberry marmalade, light plummy notes, a hint of peppery Pinosity and a touch of brambly blackberry and black raspberry.

A nice, balanced and tasty red. Harmonious and accessible with a good combination of ripe fruit flavors and nice freshness. The overall feel is a bit oaky for a Chappaz wine, but I can imagine the toasty notes will integrate with the fruit in due time. Although Dôle is typically a wine better suited for early drinking, this wine seems to be capable of some aging, seeing how very youthful it still is at the age of 4 years. I’d say this might hit its peak at 8-10 years of age, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it happened later. Enjoyable stuff that will benefit from further cellaring. Excellent value at 20 CHF (approx. 19€). (89 pts.)

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Dense, almost fully opaque blackish-red color with a youthful, subtly purple hue. The nose feels dark-toned, subtly sweet and quite ripe yet savory with aromas of sunny dark fruits, some licorice root, light smoky tones, a little bit of black Bassett’s wine gum, a hint of blueberry, a mineral touch of stone dust and a whiff of salty liquorice. The wine is dense, dry and somewhat round on the palate with a medium body and savory flavors of pronounced licorice character, earth, some brambly raspberry tones, a little bit of gamey meat, light evolved notes of wizened black cherries, a hint of elderberry and a touch of savory wood spice. Structurally the wine is a bit on the soft side due to the medium acidity and quite ample yet ripe and mellow tannins that seem to lack some grip and contribute mainly to the texture, not to the structure. The finish is ripe and sunny yet dry with very gentle tannic and quite complex flavors of licorice root, and earthy spices, some juicy black cherry, light plummy tones, a little bit of astringent chokeberry, a hint of woody oak spice and a touch of elderberry.

A lovely, balanced and quite distinctive Swiss red filled with layers and nuances. I wish the wine would show more firmness and sense of structure, but at least it has enough tannins and acidity so it doesn’t lack any balance. However, where the wine excels in is its depth of flavor, the nuances ranging from earthy and savory to sweet and fruity, from subtly woody to gamey and umami-rich in its meatiness. Quite captivating stuff. Although the wine would merit even higher score had it been more structure-driven, it is pretty wonderful all the same. Highly recommended. (92 pts.)

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  • 2020 Marie-Thérèse Chappaz Grain Gamay - Switzerland, Valais (15.11.2021)
    100% biodynamically farmed Gamay grown on the granitic soils of Combe d’Enfer and Les Claives vineyards in Fully. Vinified partly in whole bunches to tame the firm structure of the grapes. Fermented spontaneously. 13% alcohol.

Youthful, rather slightly translucent and quite inky, dark ruby appearance. Fragrant but also rather sauvage and quite primary nose with expressive aromas of brambly raspberries, some zesty notes of brett, a little bit of barnyard, light blackberry and boysenberry tones, a lactic hint of MLF, a touch of sappy greenness and a whiff of damp moss. The description might sound a tad vegetal, but the nose isn’t at all herbaceous, just showing rich overtones of funk and earthiness along with primary fruity notes. The wine is lively, fresh and rather sauvage on the palate with a medium body and crunchy flavors of brambly raspberries, some sappy herbal notes, a little bit of tart lingonberry, light animale notes of farmhouse funk, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of ripe dark berries. The overall feel is relatively stern and structure-driven, thanks to the pronounced acidity and moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The long finish feels lively, spicy and rather grippy with fresh yet funky flavors of tart lingonberries, cranberries and some brambly raspberries, a little bit of ripe blackberry, light funky barnyard notes, a bretty hint of leather and a lifted touch of slightly acetic VA.

A very youthful and quite wild but also very structure-driven and dead-serious Gamay that drinks more like a Morgon or Moulin-à-Vent made in a Burgundian style than something like a simple Beaujolais-Villages Gamay. The style here is quite unadulterated, untamed and funky, but unless one is very averse to brett, there’s lots of depth and complexity to the taste, making this a real treat. At the moment the wine feels a bit awkward and too youthful for its own good, showing some candied primary fruit and unintegrated lactic notes of MLF, but I’m positive this wine will come around just beautifully after a few years of aging. Based on the fruit intensity and structure, this will age remarkably well for many years more. Don’t drink now - let the wine wait for another 2-4 years minimum, but preferably 7-10 years, or even longer. Once the wine ages so more, it will be a Gamay that can challenge the best names in Beaujolais. (91 pts.)

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  • 2018 Marie-Thérèse Chappaz Grain Nature Champ Dury - Switzerland, Valais, Charrat (15.11.2021)
    100% biodynamically farmed Gamay and Pinot Noir from the Champ Dury parcel in the north-facing Charrat vineyard in Fully. Fermented spontaneously, vinified without any sulfites. 13,5% alcohol.

Quite dark, almost fully opaque yet not extracted blackish-red color with a slightest hint of youthful blue. The nose feels dry, savory and somewhat gamey with slightly dull aromas of earth and smoke, some sweet dark berries, light inky notes, a little bit of vague nuttiness, an acetic hint of smoke and a touch of tobacco. Contrasting the savory nose, the wine feels ripe, soft and quite mellow on the palate with flavors of sunny dark fruit, almost marmaladey black raspberry, some acetic notes of VA, a little bit of juicy black cherry, light strawberry notes, a hint of tart cranberry and a touch of gamey meat. The overall feel is quite gentle, thanks to the medium-plus acidity and easy, light tannins. The finish is wild, funky and quite long with almost nonexisting tannins and crunchy flavors of brambly raspberries, tangy salinity, some acetic VA, a little bit of salted nuts, light inky notes, a hint of crunchy cranberry and a touch of sweet dark fruit.

A surprisingly soft and solar red wine that is quite a bit on the “nature” side of things, as the label suggests. A total antithesis to the clean, fruity and surprisingly polished Dôle - another Chappaz Pinot-Gamay blend - that was even somewhat oaky in style, this feels like the same wine, but made to cater to the naturalist palates. Although the wine is still perfectly enjoyable and fully drinkable, it is a bit too funky and acetic to my preference. Even though I’m not a fan of oaky flavors, I must admit I enjoyed the oakier yet cleaner Dôle more than this Gran Nature that is slightly more natty than what I’d prefer. Based on its rather soft and accessible overall style, this doesn’t really feel like a wine that calls for cellaring - drink earlier rather than later. (83 pts.)

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Part VI: The Single-Vineyard Pinot Noirs

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Pale, fully translucent and very slightly hazy cranberry-red color. Fragrant, layered and quite seductive nose full of textbook Pinosity: ripe red raspberries, earthy spices and sweeter notes of allspice, some meaty notes, a little bit of savory wood spice and a hint of cranberry juice. The wine is juicy, rich and silky on the palate with a medium body and quite ripe flavors of strawberries and raspberry marmalade, some savory notes of oak spice, a little bit of cranberry juice, light peppery notes that remind me a little of New Zealand Pinot Noir, a hint of strawberry jam and a touch of sweet, toasty oak. The wine is quite gentle and mellow with its surprisingly modest acidity and easy tannins. The finish is rich, soft and very gently grippy with medium-long flavors of ripe raspberry, some meaty umami, a little bit of strawberry jam, light peppery notes, a hint of toasty oak and a touch of allspice.

A pleasant, vibrant and fruity Pinot Noir that is aromatically very true to the variety. However, the overall feel is somewhat on the soft side and perhaps showing a bit too much oak for my preference. I wouldn’t mind the oak treatment if the wine felt like it could age long enough to integrate all that wood, but based on the rather soft and easy nature of the wine, it really doesn’t strike me as a wine that was built to age. This is a nice and very approachable red, but apparently built for the shorter-term, lacking the freshness and zip I love in a good Pinot Noir. With a bit more acidity this could’ve been a pretty lovely little wine. (88 pts.)

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  • 2019 Marie-Thérèse Chappaz Grain Pinot Les Esserts - Switzerland, Valais, Charrat (15.11.2021)
    100% biodynamically farmed Pinot Noir from the Les Esserts parcel in the limestone-rich Charrat vineyard - the original parcel from which Marie-Thérèse started to make her own wines. 14% alcohol.

Moderately deep and relatively little translucent blackish-ruby red color. Dark-toned, solar and quite sweetish nose with ripe aromas of almost marmaladey black raspberries and slightly wizened black cherries, some plummy tones, a little bit of sweet figgy fruit, light meaty notes, a toasty hint of sweet oak spice, a boozy touch of alcohol and a whiff of licorice. The wine is rich, juicy and eminently ripe on the palate with a rather full body and slightly sweetish, solar flavors of succulent dark berries, some toasty oak spice, a little bit of licorice, light cherry marmalade tones, a hint of mocha and a touch of dark plum. The noticeable ripeness extends to the rather soft structure of the wine, a result of only medium acidity and quite gentle, fine-grained tannins. The finish is rich, gently grippy and juicy with long, sweetly-fruited flavors of cherry marmalade and blackberry jam, some chocolatey notes of mocha oak, light strawberry nuances, a hint of licorice and a touch of dark, plummy fruit.

A quite substantial and noticeably ripe Pinot Noir that is more about sweet, solar fruit than freshness, elegance and precision. The somewhat noticeable oak influence has yet to integrate with the fruit, making the wine come across as rather modern and polished, only accentuating the sweeter elements in the fruit department. Although pleasant and fully enjoyable, I can’t say I’m particularly enamored with this style of Pinot Noir - this is just too ripe, soft and sweetly-fruited for my preference. (86 pts.)

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Very youthful, deep and almost completely opaque dark ruby color. Noticeably sweet, fruit-driven and succulent aromas of very ripe black cherries, some plummy notes, a little bit of vanilla oak, light chocolatey notes of toasty mocha oak, a hint of clove and a touch of licorice. The wine is rich, solar and sweetly-fruited on the palate wit ha rather full body and juicy, ripe flavors of dark forest fruits and marmaladey raspberry, some vanilla oak, a little bit of tart cranberry, light meaty notes of umami, a toasty hint of sweet oak spice and a touch of clove. The overall feel is a bit on the soft side, although the medium-to-moderately high acidity and gently grippy tannins bring some welcome firmness and sense of balance to the wine. The finish is rich, juicy and moderately oak-driven with very gentle tannic grip and somewhat sweetish flavors of wizened black cherries, some sweet oak notes of vanilla and cloves, a little bit of tart cranberry, light meaty notes of umami, a hint of ripe strawberry and a toasty touch of mocha oak.

A rather fat and surprisingly oak-heavy Pinot Noir from Marie-Thérèse Chappaz - a producer I normally associate with fresh, pure-fruited and complex wines. Although this wine showed a bit more structure than its single-vineyard sibling Grain Pinot Charrat Les Esserts 2019 that was tasted alongside, this Charrat came across even sweeter-fruited and more noticeably oaky in style, resulting in a wine that felt like a sweet, oaky and marmaladey crowdpleaser. Although Chappaz can make some wonderful Pinot Noirs in best vintages, it seems 2019 wasn’t a particularly successful vintage when it comes to Valais Pinot Noir. I really hope some aging might make those oakier notes integrate a bit better with the voluptuous fruit. (85 pts.)

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Quite deep, dark and moderately opaque cranberry red color. Clean, sappy and crunchy nose with wonderfully pure and precise aromas of ripe cranberries and sour cherries, some ferrous notes of raw meat, a little bit of earthy and peppery spices, light smoky notes of phenolic character, a hint of savory wood spice and a touch of darker-toned yet fresh, sappy fruit. The wine is ripe yet wonderfully crunchy, clean and focused on the palate with bright, invigorating flavors of sour cherries and tart cranberries, some licorice root, light tangy notes of saline minerality, light tart notes of sappy red plums, spicy hints of allspice, red peppercorns and savory wood and a ferrous touch of blood. Wonderful sense of textbook Pinosity here. Good sense of structure, thanks to the high acidity and gentle, textural grip. The finish is rich yet tangy with a little bit of tannic grip and long, complex aftertaste of crunchy cranberries and sweeter-fruited notes of black cherries, some salty minerality, light earthy notes, a little bit of peppery Pinosity, a sweeter hint of vanilla oak and a touch of licorice root.

A wonderfully fresh, precise and rather Burgundian Pinot Noir that is all about sappy red fruits, good sense of structure and more savory or earthy complexity that deftly frames those fruitier nuances. The wine is still very youthful and the oak is yet to integrate fully with the fruit, but based on the fruit intensity and sense of structure here, this is going to be aging gracefully for many more years. It can be drunk already now, but most likely this wine will only continue to improve over the next handful or two of years. Recommended. (93 pts.)

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Very dark and dense, almost fully opaque black cherry color with a youthful purplish hue. Wonderfully fragrant and bright nose with pure aromas of ripe forest fruits, some juicy bilberry tones, a little bit of fresh black cherry, light crunchy notes of chokeberries, a hint of savory wood spice and a touch of sappy red fruit. The wine is lively, crunchy and relatively weightless yet still chewy on the palate with a medium body and intense flavors of tart cranberries, some ripe raspberries, a little bit of earthy Pinosity, light brambly notes of black raspberries and blackberries, a hint of black cherry and a touch of savory wood spice. The overall feel is firm and surprisingly tightly-knit, thanks to the high acidity and moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The rather long finish is ripe, slightly sweet-toned and moderately grippy with quite intense flavors of boysenberries and juicy black raspberries, some inky tones, a little bit of brambly black raspberry, light tart notes of cranberries, a hint of fresh cherry and a touch of vanilla oak.

A lovely, pure and fragrant Pinot Noir with wonderful sense of freshness and unadulterated Pinosity. This wine shows more freshness and sense of structure than most of the other Chappaz Pinot Noirs we tasted, at the same time showing very minimal oak influence - something that doesn’t seem to be that common in Chappaz Pinot Noirs. Overall the wine feels wonderfully harmonious and precise, but perhaps still a bit too youthful and nervous - unlike most Chappaz Pinot Noirs, which seem to be ready from the get-go, this wine feels even at the age of 5 years like it could do with some additional aging. I’d say this wine starts to drink well only after another 3-5 years and will improve for a lot longer. Expect the score to go up with age. Recommended. (91 pts.)

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Pale, moderately translucent and very luminous raspberry-red color. Very ripe and sweetly-fruited nose with aromas of juicy forest fruits and boysenberries, some succulent black cherries, a little bit of savory wood spice, light sweeter oak notes of vanilla and cloves and a hint of wild strawberry. The wine is very broad, juicy and noticeably ripe on the palate with rather sweet-toned flavors of strawberries and raspberry marmalade, some toasty oak spice and sweet clove-driven baking spice, light earthy notes, a hint of allspice and a sweet touch of jammy dark fruit. The balance relies more on the firm, moderately high acidity than on the light, gentle and polished tannins. The finish is slightly more grippy in comparison with somewhat sweet-toned flavors of ripe cherries, some peppery spice, a little bit of meaty umami, light oaky notes of cloves, allspice and vanilla, a hint of strawberry jam and a touch of earthy Pinosity.

Another 2019 Chappaz Pinot that seems to suffer from excessive ripeness - the wine shows nice, vibrant Pinosity and the acidity manages to keep the wine together, but the overall impression is nevertheless on the sweet and soft side of things. Furthermore, the oak influence feels both rather pronounced and quite unintegrated at the moment, lending the wine a glossy sheen of vanilla, clove and allspice, accentuating the already sweet fruit flavors. Enjoyable, but not that promising and - especially if compared to the older vintages that were lighter and drier - not really my cup of tea. I wish this 2019 vintage was just a one-off thing for Chappaz and the Grain Pinots would return to their lighter, drier and more structure-driven style in the subsequent vintages. (89 pts.)

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Part VII: The Magical Stuff

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  • 2019 Marie-Thérèse Chappaz Grain Mariage - Switzerland, Valais, Leytron (15.11.2021)
    A blend of two biodynamically farmed Aostan varieties that have made their home in Valais: Humagne Rouge (local synonym for Cornalin) and Cornalin (confusingly, local synonym for Rouge du Pays, a variety that has disappeared from Aosta). Both varieties come from the Champs Longs vineyard in Leytron. Fermented spontaneously. 13,5% alcohol.

Very deep and only slightly translucent blackish-crimson color with a youthful blueish hue. Youthful, fragrant and quite seductive nose with lots of everything: crushed peppercorns, ripe forest fruits, some ferrous notes of sanguine meat, light funky notes of leather and barnyard, a little bit of sweet cherry-driven red fruit, a hint of crunchy crowberry, an acetic touch of VA and a whiff of alcohol. The nose tiptoes the fine line between fruit-driven and natty without going overboard in either direction. The wine is dry, clean, and quite savory on the palate with a medium body and a silky texture. There are bright, dry flavors of crunchy chokeberries and black raspberries, some sanguine notes of iron, a little bit of tangy salinity, light meaty notes of umami, oaky hints of vanilla and clove and a sweet touch of ripe dark berries. Good balanced overall feel, thanks to the rather high acidity and firm, gently grippy medium-minus tannins. The finish rich and juicy yet quite fresh with a long, harmonious aftertaste of black raspberries and ripe cherries, some wild strawberry tones, a little bit of peppery spice, light oaky notes of clove and spicy wood, a hint of earth and a touch of something smoky.

A very nice, sophisticated and characterful Valais red that doesn’t suffer from the sweetness, softness and excessive ripeness that the 2019 Chappaz Grain Pinots did show. Although the ripeness here is evident, the overall feel is drier, more focused and structure-driven in comparison, making the wine drink really well now but also show good potential for future development. The oak treatment shows a little, but not too much, and I can imagine it will fade away over the years as the wine ages. All in all, a lovely effort and definitely one of the best Chappaz 2019 reds. Highly recommended! (92 pts.)

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  • 2017 Marie-Thérèse Chappaz Grain Syrah - Switzerland, Valais, Fully (15.11.2021)
    100% Syrah from the old vines in La Forêt and youngvines in Les Claives vineyards in Fully. Fermented spontaneously, macerated for 28 days with the skins, aged for 12 months in oak barriques. 13,7% alcohol.

Dense and fully opaque black cherry color with a youthful, blueish hue. The nose feels savory, robust and quite pungent with intense aromas of smoke, game and crushed peppercorns, some tobacco, a little bit of charred bacon, light brambly notes of blackberries, a hint of gravelly minerality and a reductive touch of rubber. The wine is lively, fresh and crunchy on the palate with a medium body and very intense flavors of crunchy blackberries and ripe black raspberries, some ferrous notes of blood, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light smoky notes, a hint of savory wood spice and a touch of peppery spice. The overall feel is wonderfully firm and sinewy, thanks to the pronounced, tangy acidity and moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is long, savory and quite grippy with dry flavors of blackberries and tart crowberries, some ferrous notes of blood, a little bit of tobacco, light stony mineral notes, a reductive hint of gunpowder smoke and a touch of crushed peppercorns.

An excellent, classically styled and quite structure-driven Syrah with all the textbook elements of the variety. This is wine is really true to the variety and honestly puts many a Northern Rhône Syrah to shame with its remarkable intensity, purity and sense of harmony. The overall feel is very youthful and still a bit nervous, making me think this wine is probably going to need a lot of time before it reaches its apogee. Will enter its drinking window within a few years, but probably won’t be hitting its peak within the next 10-15 years. Decant the wine and let it aerate for a few hours if opened now. All in all, a fantastic Syrah, highly recommended. (94 pts.)

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  • 2013 Marie-Thérèse Chappaz Grain sauvage - Switzerland, Valais (15.11.2021)
    100% biodynamically farmed Humagne Rouge (a local synonym for Cornalin) from the tiny, terraced Planche Billon parcel in the Les Claives vineyard in Fully. Fermented spontaneously. Due to the tiny production on this vineyard (only 400 liters annually), the wine is bottled only in magnums to maximize its aging potential, and in effect making this wine virtually Chappaz unobtainium. 13% alcohol.

Luminous, moderately translucent and still surprisingly youthful blood-red color with a pale, almost colorless rim. At first the nose feels somewhat stuffy with aromas of earth and skunky reduction, but slowly the wine starts to open up, gradually losing its musty notes and introducing fruitier elements to the fore. After an hour or so, the nose feels wonderfully complex with layered, slightly sweet-toned aromas of brambly blackberries and ripe dark plums, some boysenberry jam, a little bit of Bassett’s black wine gum, light spicy notes of crushed peppercorns, a lifted hint of anetole or fennel, a touch of gunpowder smoke and a meaty whiff of salami. Once the wine has opened up fully, there is so much of everything going on here. The wine is ripe, clean and crunchy on the palate with remarkably focused flavors of brambly blackberries and licorice root, some meaty notes of salami and roasted game, a little bit of tangy salinity, light spicy notes of crushed peppercorns, a hint of smoky reduction and a touch of blood pudding. The overall feel is quite structured, thanks to the high acidity and medium tannins that feel quite gentle at first, but slowly pile up on the gums, making the wine feel more grippy than it initially felt like. The finish is dry, long and somewhat grippy with layered, savory flavors of gamey meat and salami, some ferrous notes of blood, a little bit of tart lingonberry, light smoky nuances, a hint of peppery spice and a touch of forest floor.

A beautiful, complex and fascinating Valais wine that shows more depth and complexity than any Cornalin from Aosta Valley has shown. At first the wine felt somewhat stuffy and it really didn’t show its best, as some even questioned whether the wine was in sound condition, but slowly things started to turn around as the wine breathed and transformed in the progress. After an hour or so, the wine didn’t exhibit any stuffy nuances, just a little bit of smoky reduction, and otherwise was all about fresh, crunchy fruit and quite pronounced savory and meaty tones. Although the wine doesn’t feel particularly primary or super-youthful anymore, it didn’t really exhibit any aged nuances either. It’s obvious this wine is built for the long haul and is capable of improving even further from here, even though the wine is remarkably impressive already now - hands down the greatest red wine in our Chappaz tasting. (95 pts.)

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Quite deep golden yellow with a deeper, coppery core. The nose feels simply ridiculously concentrated with heady, exuberant botrytis-driven aromas of honey, cloudberry jam, some orange marmalade, light floral notes of honeysuckle, a little bit of beeswax, a hint of toasty oak spice and a touch of dried exotic fruits. The wine is sweet, concentrated and remarkably powerful with ridiculously intense flavors of acacia honey, some toasty notes of savory oak spice and caramel, a little bit of dried apricot, light creamy oak tones, a hint of cloudberry jam and a touch of orange marmalade. The rather high acidity lends great intensity to the wine and keeps it nicely in balance. The finish is rich, concentrated and remarkably powerful with noticeably sweet flavors of apple jam and lemon marmalade, some beeswax, a little bit of blood orange, light creamy oak tones, a hint of dried tropical fruits and a touch of oaky caramel.

A fantastic Swiss sticky that sort of borders both the TBA style (with the remarkable intensity and concentration of fruit) and the Sauternais style (with the breadth of fruit and subtle yet noticeable use of toasty oak). Exceptional sense of power, depth and concentration, combined with remarkable sense of structure and freshness - nothing I wouldn’t expect of a Chappaz sweet wine. These wines never seem to disappoint. Outstanding stuff, like always. So highly recommended, (95 pts.)

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Part VIII: The Palate-Cleansers

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  • 2017 Odinstal Weissburgunder 350 N.N. - Germany, Pfalz (15.11.2021)
    100% biodynamically farmed Pinot Blanc. Fermented spontaneously, full MLF, vinified without any sulfites, aged for a long time on full lees. Bottled lightly filtered with a minimal dose of SO2. 12% alcohol.

Pale, neutral, whitish-yellow color. Aromatically very restrained and somewhat closed with a somewhat pronounced streak of flatulent reduction that fortunately slowly blows off as the wine aerates. Light aromas of juicy golden apple, some sappy herbal character, light crunchy notes of golden currants, a hint of smoky and slightly skunky reduction and a touch of woolly lanolin. The wine is lively, clean and crunchy on the palate with tangy and somewhat neutral flavors of tart citrus fruits, some saline notes, a little bit of smoky reduction, light stony mineral nuances, a hint of steely minerality and a touch of chalky bitterness. The acidity feels surprisingly modest, not really bringing much zip or structure to the wine, yet it still manages to feel very balanced, not really suffering from the lack of high acidity. The finish is clean, quite long and slightly salty with quite crunchy flavors of lemony citrus fruits, some chalky mineral notes, a little bit of ripe green apple, light leesy nuances of yeast and a hint of steely minerality.

A nice, clean and somewhat restrained Pinot Blanc that veers more towards refreshing neutrality rather than flavorless austerity. Although the wine isn’t flashy or fruity - like many Pinot Blancs and Weissburgunders can be - the wine is still full of finesse and eminently drinkable. The weirdest thing here is that the wine tastes and drinks like a high-acid wine, yet it is surprisingly modest in acidity when you start to think about it. Although I would’ve loved had the wine shown more acidity, this is thoroughly enjoyable all the same. As it is still very youthful, I can see the wine improving for at least a handful of years more - although I suspect the evolution won’t necessarily be particularly large. (87 pts.)

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  • 2017 Odinstal Riesling Basalt - Germany, Pfalz (15.11.2021)
    100% biodynamically farmed Riesling from a vineyard planted in 1983 to basalt soil. Fermented spontaneously, vinified without any sulfites, aged for a long time on full lees. Bottled lightly filtered with a minimal dose of SO2. 12,5% alcohol.

Pale and slightly evolved straw-yellow color. Ripe, somewhat sweet-toned and slightly waxy nose with aromas of nectarine and juicy apple, some beeswax, a little bit of skunky reduction, light sweeter notes of lemon marmalade and honey and a hint of fresh white peach. The wine is lively, fresh and light-to-medium-bodied with dry, sleek and precise flavors of lemony citrus fruits and tart Granny Smith apple, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of tangy salinity, light wild notes of waxy funk, a hint of crunchy quince and a touch of skunky reduction. Although the wine shows quite a bit of ripeness, it shows relatively little sweetness and barely any weight. The high acidity lends great sense of structure and focus to the wine. The finish is fresh, lively and crunchy with clean and quite persistent flavors of lemony citrus fruits and green apples, some steely mineral notes, a little bit of apple peel bitterness, light skunky nuances of reduction, a hint of tangy salinity and a touch of smoky minerality.

A wonderfully fresh, dry and precise Riesling that isn’t as rich and tropical as one might expect from a 2017 Pfalz Riesling, but is instead quite lean and somewhat minimalist in style, true to the “less-is-more” style typical of Odinstal. Although the wine really doesn’t feel particularly youthful at the moment, it still comes across as a bit nervous and reticent, which makes me think that this wine could really benefit from further cellaring. Although very drinkable already now, I’m positive this wine will improve from any additional years it can stay in a cellar and if opened now, it will benefit from any aeration one can give it. Drink if you must, keep if you can. Recommended. (91 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

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We were in Switzerland for a week last month and I was allowed one wine visit and really wanted to visit her in Fully for that visit but the logistics just didn’t work (though we did take a train through Fully at one point), and we toured the Grand Cru vineyards on the shores of Lac Leman instead. I was very sorry not to get to visit her and walk through her gnarly vines, so thank you very much for this extraordinary report!

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Thank you. I have had her wines in Switzerland - I will return over summer, so will seek out a few more to try.

If you can point me in direction of some other names to try, feel free :slight_smile:. I never see them where I live.

Cool tasting; I have only had a few of her wines as they are very hard to get outside of Switzerland (as most Swiss wines are).

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Thanks for the report and detailed notes. Much appreciated. Being born in the region, I’m not surprised that the Pinot Noirs didn’t perform as well as other reds. It’s the most planted red variety locally but it’s just too hot in this valley during the summer months. Seems much more of a Syrah climate and that’s also my experience. For Pinot Noir there are better regions in Switzerland: A) The Bündner Herrschaft (canton Graubünden) with its top producer Studach, Donatsch with his “Unique” (both rather Burgundian in style) and Gantenbein (often a touch to bold/extracted and oaky for me) and B) The Neuchatel/Pays des Trois Lacs region with its top producer Domaine de la Rochette (Les Rissieux, Les Margils), Caves de Chambleau (Pur Sang), Domaine Saint Sebaste (Perriere), Maison Carree (Hauterive; all rather Burgundian in style). Unfortunately, many (but not all) of these wines are very hard to find (even locally in Switzerland) and prices have gone up considerably (Donatsch’s Unique Privee fetch prices of $500-1000) per bottle and are only auctioned off, Domaine de la Rochette’s wines can’t be found anywhere and if a bottle pops up it’s between $300-500).

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That’s a sum …

The petite arvine grain noble is generally stunning …

My last great Chappaz :
Suisse Valais Marie-Thérèse Chappaz Grain Arvine La Louye (Petite Arvine) 2014 : 18/20 - 7/5/2021

A remarkable expression and I agree with an “outstanding stuff” …

Cool notes, Otto. Good effort and detail.
If you want to see the vineyards, I put several of them up on youtube years ago. Look up “Chappaz vineyard walk”, there are several parts.
I imported Chappaz for a few years, almost everything that she makes, and there is a cool newsletter on my website.
There will likely be another wave in the coming months, ironing out the details.
She is a wonderful human being.

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I bought them from you.
All in if you get them again!

This certainly needs a TL;DR.

Lots of interesting takes, the Chasselas wines and Syrah in particular stand out.

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Great report, Otto. I know little of the wines, but certainly look forward to trying. Usually not something I comment on, but she has cool labels.

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Thanks for the great writeup and the reminder to pull some of these from storage. I have only had a two or three and don’t really have a sense for the wines.

Very cool event to attend; jealous!! I lived in Geneva for 18 years and fortunate enough to have been a client for 15 years. An incredible human being, fantastic winemaker and always generous with her time. Her pickup weekends are the stuff of legends. I never got my head around her Pinots…

Otto, one thing: whilst Cornalin and Humagne Rouge are closely related, to Swiss winemakers they remain two separate varietals. For those interested in following the wines of the Valais, the best website is the interprofessional www.lesvinsduvalais.ch available in French, German and English. They do an annual interprofessional gold/silver/bronze medal program.

Anyone in Switzerland second Saturday in September, do not miss the annual wine walk: www.marchedescepages.ch 50 wineries (many of the best) along a route between Sierre and Salgesch/Salquenen. Guaranteed amazing time; tickets on sale end of July.

For those seeking out a few names: visit Maurice ZUFFEREY in Sierre (savior of Cornalin, amazing Petite Arvine, and a truly amazing gentleman and mountaineer), Denis MERCIER in Sierre (another great producer of Cornalin and Syrah), and Simon MAYE in Saint-Pierre-de- Clages (his old vine Syrah is arguably one of the best reds in all of CH), Cave La Romaine in Flanthey (Joel BRIGUET), Philippe DARIOLI in Riddes…the list is endless. Feel free to ping me via PM if anyone is ever heading there.

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Thanks for the writeup! I finished the stash I bought from Mr. Panzer quite a while ago and look forward to being able to grab more…the rose is pretty awesome too after a few years.

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Thanks for the write up. Which took longer, the tasting or writing up this thread?

That sounds like an awesome experience, thanks for the notes. I have gone through a few of her wines and I think I have two left. I would love to pick up some more.

We were in Switzerland in the beginning of June and I really wanted to go for a tasting but it was about 2.5 hours away from where we were staying. Reading your notes makes me wish I had sucked it up and told my wife we were doing it.

Yeah, Swiss wines tend to be quite impossible to find outside Switzerland! Anyways, I’m by no means a Swiss wine guru, but some names I’ve enjoyed in the past, ie. you might want to keep an eye on:

Valentina Andrei (Valais), Markus Ruch (Eastern Switzerland), Henri Cruchon (Vaud), La Maison Carrée (Neuchâtel), Domaine de la Rochette (Neuchâtel), Tom Litwan (Eastern Switzerland), Azienda Mondo (Ticino) and Anne-Claire Schott (Bielersee).

Yeah, re: Pinot Noir - that has been my experience as well. Haven’t been particularly impressed with the Valais Pinots, but the ones grown closer to Germany have been much better. I’ve had both Studach and Gantenbein and they’ve been impressive, but also quite big, extracted and oaky as well. However, the Gantenbein wines seem to age remarkably well and lose some of their oak and power in the process, so probably they’re good if you’re willing to sit on them for 20 years first! And that’s after you’ve managed to find some wines first and are willing to pay hundreds of $'s per bottle! pileon

I’ve had also a bottle of Domaine de la Rochette Pinot Noir a few years ago when it was “only” 130€ per bottle. :smiley: It’s crazy how Swiss top Pinot Noirs are on a Burgundy pricing train, but nobody outside Switzerland knows anything about it, because nobody ever sees a bottle of Swiss wine, let alone gets to taste it!

The biggest problem with Cornalin is that it’s a name that is used to refer to two distinct yet closely related varieties and the meaning changes depending on where you are.

The first variety is Rouge du Pays - a variety originating from Aosta Valley, but not cultivated there anymore. To my understanding, Rouge du Pays is grown today only in Valais, but as it is a cross of two Aosta varieties (Petit Rouge x Mayolet), it’s pretty obvious that it didn’t originate there. The variety was on the brink of extinction in the 1970’s but it was rescued by taking cuttings from a few surviving wines - and at the same time was for some reason renamed from Rouge du Pays to Cornalin, creating confusion with the “true” Cornalin.

The other variety is that aforementioned “true” Cornalin, which is an old variety from Aosta and a natural progeny of Rouge du Pays. Very little of it is cultivated in Aosta anymore, but it has been grown for a long time in Valais under the name Humagne Rouge (and from its parentage it’s also quite obvious to see that Humagne Rouge is not related in any way to the similarly named white variety from Valais, Humagne!).

So when one is speaking about Cornalin, I find it important to clarify whether it’s Petit Rouge (ie. “Swiss Cornalin”) or Humagne Rouge (ie. “Aosta Cornalin”). [cheers.gif]

Anyone in Switzerland second Saturday in September, do not miss the annual wine walk: > www.marchedescepages.ch > 50 wineries (many of the best) along a route between Sierre and Salgesch/Salquenen. Guaranteed amazing time; tickets on sale end of July.

For those seeking out a few names: visit Maurice ZUFFEREY in Sierre (savior of Cornalin, amazing Petite Arvine, and a truly amazing gentleman and mountaineer), Denis MERCIER in Sierre (another great producer of Cornalin and Syrah), and Simon MAYE in Saint-Pierre-de- Clages (his old vine Syrah is arguably one of the best reds in all of CH), Cave La Romaine in Flanthey (Joel BRIGUET), Philippe DARIOLI in Riddes…the list is endless. Feel free to ping me via PM if anyone is ever heading there.

Great tips, thanks!

You’re probably the first one to think how much time it actually takes to compose these reports. [wow.gif] While I admit it actually took some time to comb through the photos, put them all together and write the TNs and whatnot, the tasting still took quite a bit longer! champagne.gif

You’re probably the first one to think how much time it actually takes to compose these reports. [wow.gif] While I admit it actually took some time to comb through the photos, put them all together and write the TNs and whatnot, the tasting still took quite a bit longer! champagne.gif
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Thank goodness! If the write up took longer then that would take all the fun out of tastings. [cheers.gif]

The question of self aware time management brings this question to mind:
Otto, do you have any children?
I say that as a perpetually exhausted father of a 3 year old, who lives in the small cracks in between. …
Per becoming a parent, I heard the French cliché “ça change la vie” one million standard issue times, and it’s a truism that needs no more and no less…
If you do have children, do please tell me your secret, how do you find the time?

So fantastic, thank you! I had the pleasure to have a number of her wines while we were living in Switzerland, and they were always interesting. And we met her once at the Villa d’Este Wine Symposium, a lovely woman.

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Lol no, I imagine all this would be pretty impossible if I had any!