Lake Geneva Wineries
Jul 13th, 2006, 05:29 PM
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We hiked the wine trail from Montreux almost to Lausanne for several miles and took an occasional train. It's not like California. I never saw a winery where you could stop in for tastings. What the do have is caveux in the villages which open around 4:30 pm or so. They get pretty lively and fun.
Jul 14th, 2006, 02:54 AM
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Hi spinesrgn,
The Lavaux wine-growing region is between Lausanne & Vevey, and its site is at www.lavaux.ch. You can find links to individual caves & winemakers to see the hours for tastings.
There is another wine-growing region between Geneva & Lausanne called "La Cote," but I don't know anything about it. Maybe find more info with a google search.
A friend of mine favors the cave in Lutry. I don't know its name, but he says there's only one. You can probably find more info at www.lutry.ch (I love Lutry for its medieval buildings and the signposted walk that links them).
Have fun!
s
The Lavaux wine-growing region is between Lausanne & Vevey, and its site is at www.lavaux.ch. You can find links to individual caves & winemakers to see the hours for tastings.
There is another wine-growing region between Geneva & Lausanne called "La Cote," but I don't know anything about it. Maybe find more info with a google search.
A friend of mine favors the cave in Lutry. I don't know its name, but he says there's only one. You can probably find more info at www.lutry.ch (I love Lutry for its medieval buildings and the signposted walk that links them).
Have fun!
s
Jul 14th, 2006, 06:14 AM
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There's also a growing area southeast of the Lavaux called the Valais. It's amazing how much wine is grown and consumed in Switzerland! It's also very reasonable. All those little towns alomg the Vaud wine trail are lovely, St. Saphorin, Dezaley, Epesses, Villetee....etc. If you are over there, I highly recommend a lunch at the Auberge de Rivaz on the terrace.
Jul 14th, 2006, 06:45 AM
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On the URL swandav posted above, go to the following. That's the list of main wineries in Lavaux although I'm sure there are more. As somebody said above, each winerie is not huge. They are more like family run places and that's why wine tasting hours are often limited to the evening 17h - 20h. Family memebers work during the day time in the vineyard.
Once I reserved a place for friends (did not go myself), that was the first one on the list, Family Dance at Aran-Villete. My friends later told me they loved the wine they tasted there. Typically it costed like roughly CHF10-13 per person that included 6 different sorts of wine to taste + some snacks (cheese, salty buscuits, et). Another good thiing is this winery is somehwere up on a higher hill side(unlike Lutry that is close to lake water level) and the terrace where they did the tasting had the great view of the vineyard, Lac Léman underneath, and Savoie Alps on the other side. Not only the wine but they enjoyed the view very much. When you do vineyard walk of Lavaux, you can enjoy the similar view.
http://www.lavaux.com/navigation.asp?page=caveaux.asp
Once I reserved a place for friends (did not go myself), that was the first one on the list, Family Dance at Aran-Villete. My friends later told me they loved the wine they tasted there. Typically it costed like roughly CHF10-13 per person that included 6 different sorts of wine to taste + some snacks (cheese, salty buscuits, et). Another good thiing is this winery is somehwere up on a higher hill side(unlike Lutry that is close to lake water level) and the terrace where they did the tasting had the great view of the vineyard, Lac Léman underneath, and Savoie Alps on the other side. Not only the wine but they enjoyed the view very much. When you do vineyard walk of Lavaux, you can enjoy the similar view.
http://www.lavaux.com/navigation.asp?page=caveaux.asp
Jul 14th, 2006, 06:57 AM
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As to la Côte that swandav mentioned, I was in the area the other day, more precisely in the village of Bursin and passed by one rather big "château" building of a winery and it looked like tasiting is done regularly. Location-wise it's on a bit flatter ground than Lavaux so the view is slightly less spectacular but still you can see the lake and whather permitted, Mont Blanc beyond. This village also has a gourmet restaurant called Croix d'Or. I had a light lunch at their inexpensive café that was good. One of the friends who were with me then pointed at another château-mansion like building just outside the village and said Peter Ustinov used to live there.
Jul 15th, 2006, 04:42 AM
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The area these folks are describing is wonderful. I can only second all the recommendations. I noticed Ingo's favorite cave (I think) at the bottom of the restaurant/cafe listing at the Lutry site. Lutry's site has the most wonderful gallery of photographs. Hi, S! Don't you wish you were there right this minute? Me, too, me too.
Yes to LLinda's suggestion of lunch at the Auberge de Rivaz. I've stayed in one of their very modest little rooms upstairs, and the suppers were delicious, especially something like medallions of veal marsala. Oh my. One night I made a meal of grilled aubergines.
But, LLinda, here's my question: Aren't Rivaz, St. Saphorin, etc. part of the Lavaux? They are included in the Lavaux website. Always interested in refining my knowledge. Another naive question, which I've asked before and can't recall the answer, -- When spinesgrn visits in October, will the harvest be complete and the vineyards bare? Does anyone have a schedule of local festivals? spinesgrn, you will love Lac Leman. J.
Yes to LLinda's suggestion of lunch at the Auberge de Rivaz. I've stayed in one of their very modest little rooms upstairs, and the suppers were delicious, especially something like medallions of veal marsala. Oh my. One night I made a meal of grilled aubergines.
But, LLinda, here's my question: Aren't Rivaz, St. Saphorin, etc. part of the Lavaux? They are included in the Lavaux website. Always interested in refining my knowledge. Another naive question, which I've asked before and can't recall the answer, -- When spinesgrn visits in October, will the harvest be complete and the vineyards bare? Does anyone have a schedule of local festivals? spinesgrn, you will love Lac Leman. J.
Jul 15th, 2006, 07:04 AM
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hmm good questiona bout the vineyards. We were in CA in November, and while the fruit was generally gone, the foliage was all sorts of orange, gold and red and was incredible! FYI, Lavaux is a region, Vaud is the Canton. My guess is that the vineyards will not be bare. It's really fun to walk town to town- I can't imagine trying to drive, there is NO parking!
Jul 15th, 2006, 08:19 AM
#10
jmw44- re local festivals. Well, there's Marche Folklorique which runs 6 weeks on Saturday mornings at the Vevey marketplace from mid July thru August. Each week a different vintner presents three wines (white, rose, red). You buy a little empty glass for set price, then all the wine you can taste between 9am-Noon. They serve under the pergola on the steps, plus have wine wagons that circulate thru the market place. big fun!
Jul 15th, 2006, 01:51 PM
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Thanks, ladies, for both replies. Yes, LL, I do know that Lavaux is a region and Vaud a canton. I was puzzled by your previous post which seemed to indicate that those little towns were not part of the Lavaux. Of course, a vineyard by any name etc., etc. Wish we six were having this conversation on the terrace at the Auberge. J.
