Mountains and Valleys, Wines of Switzerland and the Northern Rhone: Premier Club (July 2022)
Featured Premier Club Wines:
2020 Domaine du Chambet | Chasselas | Geneve, Switzerland
Domaine du Chambet is all about nature: named after the small stream that runs along their vineyards, it is located on the left bank of Lake Geneva, abutting the border of Haute-Savoie, France, where sunlight bounces off the Alps and shines down on the grapes. The family has been farming crops on the estate since 1921 but the winery wasn’t established until 1987 when Marion and Gérald Fonjallaz decided to bottle the juice from the grapes they cultivated.
In 2017 they handed over control to their son, winemaker Anthony Fonjallaz, who’s taken the nature-driven approach to a new level. In addition to organic faming, Anthony embraces the idea of minimal intervention winemaking. He brilliantly combines ancestral family know-how with new natural inspirations by splitting the estate’s offerings into two lines: “Les Reserves,” with more classic cuvées, and his own personal “Les Cuvées Libres”, where the originality and spontaneity dominate.
Organically-grown Chasselas grapes are fermented using indigenous yeasts in stainless steel vats and undergo malolactic fermentation. The result is a subtle nose composed of a citrus fruit and floral aromatics. Fresh minerality and a slight fizziness hits on the palate, giving away to a supple mouthfeel and a nice, dry finish. This is an approachable, familiar take on Switzerland’s most iconic wine.
This goes with any of the classic melted cheese dishes of Switzerland (fondue, raclette) with which this wine is traditionally paired, but it’s also a great aperitif! (Importer)
2020 Domaine Les 4 Vents | Syrah | Crozes-Hermitage, Northern Rhone, France
Domaine les 4 Vents, formerly Le Domaine de Lucie is the domaine of Lucie Fourel and her sister, Nancy Cellier. Lucie is a young “vigneronne”, who in 2006 took over 3.5 hectares in Crozes-Hermitage from her parents with the idea of making wines from her family’s vineyards under her own label. In 2013, her sister Nancy, decided to join the family business and the domain name was changed to Domaine les 4 Vents which was the name of the Auberge that Lucie and Nancy’s great grandparents owned next door to where the family house and winery is today.
In 2015, Lucie and Nancy inherited the remaining 6.5 hectares from their parents, bringing the domain to its current size of 10 hectares. Before returning to the family estate, Lucie spent a few years as an apprentice with different wineries in the Rhone Valley during which time she developed her philosophy and practices for organic and bio-dynamic farming as well as natural vinification. Domaine Les 4 Vents has both organic and bio-dynamic certifications. Lucie does not use any sulfur during the winemaking process and only just before bottling does she add a minimal dose. The wines are fermented using only indigenous yeasts.
Nice ripe black fruits, blackberry, plum, currant, a touch of vanilla and ceder spice, with hints of anise, smoky pepper, and black olive. Full bodied, yet with perfectly balanced acidity!
Premier Club $64/month
Two bottles each month for $64.95. Delight in a monthly delivery of artisan wines showcasing boutique producers from California and beyond, hand-selected by the experts at Mission Wines.