Cave Champ de Clos

The Conne family has been cultivating vines on the slopes of Lavaux since the 15th century, making Cave Champ de Clos a domain with over 500 years of winemaking heritage. The estate spans 12 hectares of vineyards spread across the most prestigious terroirs between Montreux and Lutry, right in the heart of Lavaux, the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The terraced vineyards face Lake Geneva, benefiting from the unique microclimate that makes this region so special. The vines grow on particularly well-exposed terraces, where the combination of sun, lake reflection and heat stored in ancient stone walls creates ideal growing conditions.

Christelle Conne took over the family estate from her parents Claudine and Jean-Michel Conne in 2013, becoming the first woman to run this historic domain. Her path to winemaking wasn't straightforward. She first studied tourism in Sierre and worked in the events industry for about ten years before making a professional conversion. For Christelle, chasselas is the grape that defines the estate: "The soil is perfect for Chasselas. It will always be our vine." She brings a fresh perspective while respecting tradition, focusing on each vintage's unique character rather than chasing trends.

The team works to produce excellent quality grapes in limited quantities while respecting the environment. An oenologist supported by a consulting oenologist handles all cellar work from pressing to bottling. Modern vinification methods are used to obtain high quality wines, and every year the wines are submitted to Terravin tasters, the quality label for Vaud wines. Regularly awarded in national and international competitions, Cave Champ de Clos ranks among the best Swiss producers.

The estate grows 55% chasselas and 35% pinot noir, along with other varieties including gamaret, garanoir, merlot, ancellotta, gewürztraminer, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc. The vineyards are spread across renowned sites in St-Saphorin, Chardonne, Epesses, Dézaley and Montreux in Lavaux, as well as parcels in Chablais at Aigle and Ollon, and in northern Vaud at Bonvillars. The range includes several distinctive cuvées like Le Sémillant from St-Saphorin, Plan Perdu from Dézaley Grand Cru, where steep vineyards overlooking the lake were first cultivated in the 12th century by Cistercian monks and traditional vinification gives this prestigious wine a harmonious and refined bouquet, and La Réserve du Tsar, a red dedicated to the vignerons from Chexbres who emigrated near Odessa in 1822.