Domaine de Beudon, Valais Fendant

Description

Domaine de Beudon’s Valais Fendant, better known as Chasselas, captivates with its brightness and intrigue, featuring a slightly less sappy character than many younger releases of the variety. Crafted by Domaine de Beudon, the grapes are hand-harvested from estate vineyards situated at 800 to 840 meters altitude, with soils composed of loess, moraine, and gneiss. The 42-year-old vines contribute to the wine’s depth. Vinification involves pressing the whites on the mountain, piping the juice from the vineyard to the cellar down the valley, and aging with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel, without finning or filtration. The result is a distinctive expression of Fendant that reflects the unique terroir and meticulous winemaking practices.

Domaine Beudon, situated on a sheer mountainside in the Valais region of Switzerland, requires an adventurous 3-hour walk or a rustic cable car ride for access, with vineyards reaching up to 50 degrees in steepness and an altitude of 900 meters above sea level, showcasing extreme grape growing at its apex. Established by Jacques (Jacky) Granges in the early 70s, it became the first Biodynamic estate in Switzerland, emphasizing unique grape varieties and winemaking practices, eschewing wood in favor of stainless steel for vinification and aging. The wines, powerful and exuberant in their youth, transform into long, expressive, and characterful gems with age, embodying the genius of Jacky Granges and the distinctiveness of Domaine Beudon.