Theme: Alpine Dreams

Type: Open

Location: TG50

Date: 1st October

Time: 6.30pm

Jean-René Germanier Petite Arvine 2022

Domaine du Gringet La Bergerie 2022

Maison Maenad De L’avant Les Varrons Côtes du Jura 2022

Dislivelli Retiche Rosso 2023

Sepp und Maria Muster 'Graf' Morillon 2013*

Tailleurs Cueilleurs Koblâ 2023

Enderle & Moll Pinot Noir 2019

La Kiuva Rouge de Vallée 2022

Domaine Finot Isère Côteaux du Grésivaudan Persan 2014

*WOTN

💡 Fun Fact

• Valais has more indigenous grapes than any other Swiss canton, and some of the oldest vines in Europe.

• Syrah was introduced here in the 1920s - decades before it became fashionable elsewhere in Europe.

  
  

📍 Location

• Southwestern Switzerland, along the upper Rhône River

• Borders France and Italy

• Vineyards are terraced on dizzyingly steep south-facing slopes, between 400m and 1100m

• Alpine desert climate - over 300 sunny days/year

• Minimal rainfall, intense sun, and big diurnal swings

• Soils: glacial moraine, schist, slate, and limestone

• Many vineyards are only accessible on foot or via monorail

💡 Fun Fact

• Germany’s third-largest wine region and its only member of the EU’s Zone B (same as Champagne and Loire), which means more warmth = fuller-bodied wines

• One of the few places in the world where Trollinger is still grown seriously

  
  

📍 Location

• Southwestern Germany, bordering France and Switzerland

• Vineyards often sit at the edge of the Schwarzwald (Black Forest) and the Swabian Jura, with influence of the Alpine foothills

• Mixed soils: loess, limestone, volcanic, and keuper marl

• Warmer than much of Germany, but altitude and forest proximity keep things fresh

• Patchwork of microclimates thanks to varied topography

💡 Fun Fact

• Some Styrian vineyards require mountaineering gear to harvest - think 70%+ slopes

• Wines will often have a piercing flinty aroma which comes from the famous opok soils

  
  

📍 Location

• Southeastern Austria, bordering Slovenia

• Technically not high-Alpine, but definitely pre-Alpine with steep hillsides, cool nights, and razor-sharp wines

• Volcanic, slate, marl, and sandstone soils

• Altitude: 300–600m - not super high, but very steep

• High rainfall but excellent drainage

• Cool continental climate with big day-night shifts = electric acid

💡 Fun Fact

• Alto Adige is bilingual (German + Italian), and many producers label wines in both languages - you might see Weißburgunder instead of Pinot Bianco.

  
  

📍 Location

• Northeastern Italy, along the Adige River and the Dolomite foothills

• Borders Austria and Switzerland - a true cultural and linguistic melting pot

• Vineyards sit between 250–1000m elevation, often on steep, terraced slopes

• Diverse soils: glacial moraine, volcanic porphyry, limestone, and slate

• Alpine continental climate with hot days, cool nights, and long, slow ripening

• Precision farming and near-zero tolerance for sloppiness - the wines reflect it

💡 Fun Fact

• The Blanc de Morgex et de La Salle DOC zone, made from Prié Blanc, is one of the highest-elevation vineyards in Europe - and it's ungrafted, thanks to sandy soils and cold-resistant viticulture.

  
  

📍 Location

• Nestled in the far northwest of Italy, bordering France and Switzerland

• Surrounded by the Alps - the highest vineyards in Italy, reaching up to 1200m

• One single DOC: Valle d’Aosta DOC, with dozens of local subzones

• Alpine climate with very cool nights, lots of sun, and glacial breezes

• Rocky, sandy, moraine soils - well-drained, low in fertility

• Steep terraces with dry-stone walls, worked almost entirely by hand

• Low yields, high UV exposure, long growing seasons

Jean-René Germanier Petite Arvine 2022 | Valais, Switzerland

Maison Maenad De L’avant Les Varrons Côtes du Jura 2022 | Jura, France

Dislivelli Retiche Rosso 2023| Valtellina, Italy

Sepp und Maria Muster 'Graf' Morillon 2013 | Styria, Austria

Tailleurs Cueilleurs Koblâ 2023 | Bugey, France

Enderle & Moll Pinot Noir 2019 | Baden-Württemberg, Germany

La Kiuva Rouge de Vallée 2022 | Valle d'Aosta, Italy

Domaine Finot Isère Côteaux du Grésivaudan Persan 2014 | Savoie, France

Alpine viticulture is as much about risk-taking as it is about reward: cold climates, high elevations, steep af slopes

What unites these 10 regions:

• High altitude (some >1000m)

• Native grapes adapted to local extremes

• Intensity of labour (hand-harvests, terraces, mule transport)

• Wines with freshness, lift, and textural precision

• Lower alcohols, salty finishes, and unique aromatic profiles

💡 Fun Fact

• All vineyard work is manual - there are over 2,500 km of dry-stone walls, making Valtellina one of the most labour-intensive wine regions in Europe.

  
  

📍 Location

• Northern Lombardy, hugging the Swiss border

• A narrow, east–west valley carved by glaciers and flanked by the Rhaetian Alps

• Vineyards are terraced at 350–800m, clinging to near-vertical granite slopes

• Steep terraced vineyards (some over 80% incline)

• Granite and schist soils with excellent drainage

• South-facing slopes capture max sunlight in a marginal, Alpine climate

• Constant breezes from the Adda River cool things down - perfect for long, slow ripening

💡 Fun Fact

• Bugey is a darling of the natural wine scene, thanks to its low alcohol, spontaneous ferment, and bright fruit.

  
  

📍 Location

• Southeastern France, in the Ain département

• Tucked between Savoie, Jura, and Northern Rhône

• Vineyards scattered across foothills of the Jura Mountains, with strong Alpine and continental influences

• Altitude: 250–500m

• Soils: clay-limestone, marl, glacial till

• Cool climate with high rainfall, tempered by good sun exposure on slopes

• Diverse microclimates = experimental potential

💡 Fun Fact

• Jura is the spiritual home of many natural wine icons -think Pierre Overnoy, Ganevat, Labet. Its isolation and tradition of minimal intervention laid the groundwork for today’s low-intervention movement.

  
  

📍 Location

• Eastern France, tucked between Burgundy and Switzerland

• Not strictly Alpine, but pre-Alpine with mountainous influence from the Jura range

• Tiny in size but massively diverse in style

• Altitude: 200-450m, with cool temps and early frosts

• Soils: grey marl, limestone, and fossil-rich clay

• Vineyards often face southeast to maximise sun in marginal conditions

• Many vineyards still farmed biodynamically or organically

💡 Fun Fact

• Some Jacquère-based wines clock in under 11% ABV, yet still feel complex and energetic - perfect for après-ski or raclette nights

  
  

📍 Location

• Eastern France, bordering Switzerland and Italy

• Vineyards are scattered around lakes and mountain slopes, often at 250–500m elevation

• Not one unified area - more like a patchwork quilt stitched across the French Alps

• Soils: limestone, marl

• Cool Alpine climate with short summers, snowy winters, and big diurnal swings

• Vineyards often planted on steep slopes