Everything you need to know about Valais wines

We love them as much as we tease them, but let's face it: the Valaisans know their wine and pamper their vines as much as their Subarus. In this guide, we're giving you plenty to chew on and material to theorize about the bottles you're about to taste.

The Famous Climate ☀️

We all know the legend, or we live it daily if we were born on the right side of the Rhône: once you pass the tunnels after St-Maurice, the drizzle stops dead and gives way to sunshine. It's thanks to its mild climate and steep landscapes that wine culture has carved out a special place in the lives of the locals.

The first traces of vines in the Old Country date back to the Iron Age. Legend doesn't say if it was to invent that questionable beverage you might have tasted at the Foire du Valais, unfortunately...

50 Grape Varieties in Service of Conviviality

The Valaisans make wines in their image: generous and convivial. On their soil, no fewer than 50 grape varieties are cultivated, many of them indigenous varieties that originated right here. A wine tourism destination par excellence, Valais continues to reinvent itself month after month, year after year, producing outstanding red, white, and rosé wines.

The most common red wines are Pinot Noir, Syrah, Humagne Rouge, Cornalin, Merlot, Gamay, and Diolinoir. As for white wines, you'll find Chasselas, Petite Arvine, Pinot Gris, Savagnin Blanc, and Sylvaner.

Among the selection of wines we've put together for you, Amigne is undoubtedly a magnificent flagship of viticulture in the canton of thirteen stars. We can also mention Petite Arvine and Cornalin on this list. Beyond that, several grape varieties found elsewhere in the world earn their stripes in Valais. The last bottle in our selection, a Johannisberg, is a typical appellation based on Sylvaner.

The Valaisans shine equally in creating red and white wines. In reds, Syrah, Pinot Noir, and Gamay compete with Cornalin and Humagne Rouge for the hearts of enthusiasts. In whites, Chasselas takes on the famous name Fendant to accompany your raclette or aperitif, while Savagnin Blanc goes by Païen or Heida.

Let's be clear: Valais is a true paradise for wine lovers. In this selection, we've chosen to highlight three winemakers who cherish their vines like no other: Thierry Constantin in Pont de la Morge, Julien Fournier from Cave des Promesses in Chamoson, and Claudine and Yvon from La Rodeline in Fully.

Our favorite Valais winemakers

It's hard not to repeat ourselves, but Valais is brimming with winemakers who are both generous and passionate. But beware, the canton has suffered from industrial production and mass distribution. You need to sort through to find gems among the high-yield producers. Lucky for you, we've done that work and we're introducing you to three winemakers who are as talented as they are committed.

Thierry Constantin, Pont de la Morge

"I don't cultivate the vine to produce fruit, I do it to craft wine" are the guiding words of Thierry Constantin, an essential, meticulous, and talented Valais winemaker.

While the winemaking process continues to improve, for Thierry, a great wine depends primarily on the quality of the grape, which is why he selects it with great care. The most important criteria in his eyes are respect for the environment, matching grape variety to terroir, and controlling yields.

On his land, you'll find authentic, elegant wines with character. They're defined by their freshness, power, and lightness on the palate.

Julien's take on Thierry Constantin:

Thierry Constantin is the soul of Valais for me. He's deeply involved in the Valaisan wine world, having even presided over the canton's association of winemaker-producers.

But above all, he's a personality in his own right. Someone frank, uncompromising, who makes wines in his image. He's the true reflection of his terroir. He's someone I really like, plain and simple.

Thierry Constantin

Pont de la Morge, Valais

Cave des Promesses, Chamoson

The adventure began for Julien Fournier in March 2018. With support from friends already in the business, he created Cave des Promesses with a simple mission: "produce the right grape in the right place, worked by a winemaker who knows his terroir."

St-Léonard, Martigny-Croix, Chamoson... at Cave des Promesses you'll find grapes from sublime terroirs, cultivated with respect for the environment.

The meeting with Julien Vogel is both simple and perfectly sums up our relationship with this winery:

I owe my discovery of Cave des Promesses to my father Charles, who lives right nearby in Savièse. He called me one day saying he'd met another Julien and that we should meet quickly.

No sooner said than done: we met, we tasted, we loved it, and we brought in all his wines. It's pretty straightforward: Julien Fournier only produces gems, in both white and red. Honestly, Cave des Promesses lives up to its name.

Cave des Promesses

Conthey, Valais

La Rodeline, Fully

The story of La Rodeline is above all a love story. That of Claudine Roduit and Yvon Defayes, together for over 40 years. Their estate name? A contraction of their two family names and Claudine's first name. Quite the story.

On their 5 hectares split between the crystalline soils of Fully and the limestone of Leytron, the couple produces wines that authentically express the richness of their terroir. Claudine tends the vines, Yvon handles the winemaking. The first vines of Cornalin, Petite Arvine, and Humagne Rouge were planted back in 1972, and the estate has diversified ever since, notably with Syrah, Marsanne, and Roussane.

Certified organic since 2016, Claudine and Yvon even practice biodynamics on part of the estate. The crown jewel remains Petite Arvine, expressed as an elegant trilogy from different parcels: "La Murgère", "Les Claives", and "Perronne". These are original wines, deeply marked by the identity of their terroir, well worth a visit to Fully.

La Rodeline

Fully, Valais

Our selection of Valais wines

We could have chosen 12, we have so many Valaisan favorites, but we limited ourselves to 3 wines we consider essential for discovering (or rediscovering) the region.

Cave des Promesses - Johannisberg "Promesses de typicité" (2024)

We're starting our selection with THE ideal wine for aperitifs and especially raclette evenings that punctuate our long winter nights (and beyond). This Johannisberg perfectly exploits the full potential of its grape variety, Sylvaner. It has a very charming nose, with exotic fruits and flowers. The promise continues on the palate, where the pleasure lingers. If you want the archetype of Johannisberg, look no further, it's right there in your glass.

Cave des PromessesJohannisberg "Promesse de typicité" 2024

Switzerland • Valais • Valais AOC

CHF 18.80

Thierry Constantin - Amigne (2021)

Amigne comes in 3 variants, expressed by the number of bees on the bottle. We'll admit we prefer it dry, with the least sugar. Like many people, the older we get, the less we turn to sweet Amignes.

Thierry Constantin delivers a beautiful interpretation of this iconic Vétroz grape variety, a gastronomic wine, rich, complex, smooth with notes of mandarin zest. It has a moreish quality you won't tire of. It's really a beautiful bottle to share at aperitif time or with poultry or fish.

Thierry ConstantinAmigne de Vétroz 2024

Switzerland • Valais • Valais AOC

CHF 23.50

Thierry Constantin - Syrah Anástasi (2023)

Thierry Constantin is essential in Valais. A committed winemaker, he offers us with this Syrah Anástasi a wine typical of the canton that will please all lovers of the grape variety. This 2023 vintage offers a structured body, with aromas of pepper and spices that harmoniously blend with touches of clove, violet, and menthol. It's robust but without heaviness: we're looking at a full-bodied, fruity wine with pep that shines through its length.

An age-worthy wine that promises to improve over time, ideal for accompanying an autumn dinner with friends. Work your sauces to enjoy it fully: lamb shank, saddle of hare, or braised beef cheek. If you open it young, a little time in a decanter won't hurt.

Thierry ConstantinSyrah Anástasi 2023

Switzerland • Valais • Valais AOC

CHF 29.80

What dishes go with Valais wines?

Let's be honest, if Valais shines with its wines, it's also because its gastronomy is tailored to showcase them. Here are our favorite pairings so you never go wrong.

Raclette and fondue: Timeless classics

Impossible to talk about Valais wines without mentioning raclette. The combo is legendary: a well-chilled Fendant (the name for Chasselas in Valais) with unlimited melted cheese. Its liveliness and lightness perfectly balance the richness of the cheese. For fondue, same logic: a Chasselas or Johannisberg will work wonders.

Raclette flowing over its bed of potatoes, ready to be devoured with a glass of Fendant.

The Valaisan platter: terroir on a plate

Dried meat, alpine cheese, rye bread, and pickles: the Valaisan platter is the ultimate aperitif spread. Wine-wise, it's the ideal playground for a Petite Arvine with saline notes or a Pinot Gris with its generous roundness. In red, a light and fruity Cornalin will pair beautifully with dried meat.

La Brisolée: autumn in Valais

An autumn tradition par excellence, brisolée is enjoyed with roasted chestnuts, cheese, fruit, and dried meat. It's the perfect moment to open a slightly sweet Amigne or a Savagnin Blanc (Païen) that will bring hazelnut notes echoing the chestnuts.

Grilled meats and game

Valaisan reds are made for meat. A Syrah with grilled ribeye is a match made in heaven. Cornalin pairs perfectly with game or lamb, while Humagne Rouge will pleasantly surprise with a stew or autumn ragout. And for weeknight dinners, a fruity and easy-drinking Gamay will accompany your grilled meats without fuss.

What's Next After Valais?

As you've gathered, Valais is a generous and surprising wine region worth exploring. But Swiss wine country doesn't stop at the banks of the Rhône. If you enjoyed the power and character of Valaisan wines, we recommend continuing your exploration with wines from the canton of Vaud, the country's second-largest wine region. Between the terraces of Lavaux and the hillsides of La Côte, you'll discover wines of remarkable finesse, carried by Chasselas, which perhaps finds its finest expression there.