Exploring the Hidden Wineries of Switzerland: A Wine Tasting Adventure
Wine tasting in the enchanting little villages of Switzerland’s Vaud region is a magical experience. Whether you’re planning to go wine tasting in Switzerland for the first time and are curious about what to expect, or are interested in attending the annual open cellars wine festival in Vaud (Caves Ouvertes Vaudoises), then keep reading!
We started the day at the historical Domaine de Beau-Soleil winery, where we were greeted with friendly faces and a glass of rose. We were the only ones there, so the winemaker offered to show us around the cellar, and wow, was it one of the most special cellars I have ever seen.
At the next winery, Cave de Mont-le-grand we enjoyed the sunny weather outside and tasted through their lineup of wines. The region of Vaud is the largest wine producing region in Switzerland, and is most famous for its Chasseles, which if you’re not familiar, is a light bodied, refreshing white wine with fruity and floral notes and a touch of minerality.
Next we headed up the cute street that looked like something out of a Disney move, and stumbled upon another winery.
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Wine tasting in Mont-Sur-Rolle feels like being invited into a family member or friend's house. It's a small village, and the people living there are warm, welcoming and eager to talk with you. From my previous experiences wine tasting in the Vaud region, whether it's a festival or not, it is quite normal that the person you meet when you go in is the winemaker, especially in the smaller, family run wineries. This is for me, what makes wine tasting here so special and different from many other parts of the world.
When we left the winery, we were greeted with another surprise.
The Alp Horn is a popular symbol of Switzerland, traditionally used by shepherds to call cows from the pasture to the barn, and now often used in traditional music and festivals. It’s made from a long, single piece of wood, and can be heard up to 5 to 10 km away.
And after their performance, everyone gathered around for a toast
We continued walking and tasting our way around Mont-Sur-Rolle. We chose to come to this particular village not only because of their amazing wines, but because everything is walkable, which makes it easy to visit multiple wineries without having to catch a train or bus between them. If you come on a non-festival day make sure to check in advance if the wineries are open. You can usually find this information on google maps, their website, or by calling them, and even arranging a tasting.
During the wine festival, all the wineries offer tastings at no charge. If you go wine tasting on a regular day, we’ve found that many wineries won’t charge a tasting fee, but we always like to support them by purchasing our favorite bottles to take home, so make sure to bring a backpack!
Wine tasting in the Vaud region is truly a unique experience unlike anywhere else. With its rich history of winemaking, beautiful scenery, amazing selection of wines, and the best part, friendly people, it's a truly authentic experience that you need to explore for yourself.
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