Grain Noir Cabernet/Merlot La Liaudisaz Chappaz 2021

Grain Noir Cabernet/Merlot La Liaudisaz Marie-Therese Chappaz, biodynamic wine from Switzerland, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc, old vines, oak aged Bordeaux style but so much purer. The vines around the family home above Fully bear the delicious fruit for this wine. Grain Noir Cabernet/Merlot Chappaz is a throw back once again to the old days when they shipped Bordeaux wines and bottled them at the domaine. The vines are grafted onto root stocks which came from some of the top first growth estates in Bordeaux. This wine is a personal favourite of Marie Therese. The the nose develops slowly on opening with toasted aromas, elderberry and red pepper. In the mouth, the body is straight, tight, firmly bound together in a weave of fine tannins. The 2020 Grain Noir is just released. The wine is still young and would reward long cellaring up to 10 or even 15 years.

‘During her youth, Marie-Thérèse’s father would buy two barrels of Premières Côtes de Bordeaux wine from a wine maker friend. This was the family’s everyday wine and always a festive occasion when they bottled it. The tannic nature, long ageing potential and deep concentration of these Bordeaux wines grown in Fully remain a passion for Marie-Thérèse and are the reason for her planting Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc on the La Liaudisaz parcel.’

Domaine Marie Therese Chappaz, lies on the south facing slopes of the beautiful Valais region of Switzerland just above the town of Fully.

Wine production in the region dates back to the 2nd century BC and the vines carpet the lower slopes of the high mountains, up to over 1000 metres.  The climate is hot in summer and bitterly cold in winter.  There are over 300 days of sunshine per year. The mountains provide a diverse terroir including loess, granite, alluvial, clay and limestone. There are a multitude of grapes from the well known Gamay and Pinot Noir to lesser known Cornalin and Petite Arvine. These conditions and such diversity make for a wide range of wine styles and exciting flavours.

Marie Therese Chappaz took over her family estate when it was just 1.5 hectares back in the mid 80s.  She has worked using biodynamic farming for over 20 years. She has built a reputation for elegant yet full bodied wines with depth and style which age very well. Her passion and commitment to quality have earned her international recognition.  In 2016, her estate was listed in the Gault Millau guide as one of the best 100 wineries in the world.

Today she farms 11 hectares of vines on the slopes above her house in Fully and in nearby villages, Charrat, Leytron and Chamoson.  Five of the vineyards are only reachable on foot or in a small cable car. Now on her 34th vintage, Marie Therese Chappaz continues to produce over twenty different Cuvee of world class wine.  Her wines are highly sort after all over Switzerland and around the world.