Mixing tradition and passion to make modern Swiss wine

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Freshly picked Chasselas grapes ready to be pressed at La Maison Carrée. swissinfo.ch

Chasselas grapes are tipped into the maceration tank- or cuve de macération. swissinfo.ch

Dry ice helps set the desired temperature during maceration, also known as 'cold soaking'. swissinfo.ch

From the maceration tank to the press. swissinfo.ch

The only modern piece of equipment used on this wine press is the man-made floor of the press. swissinfo.ch

The vertical press is made from the wood of fir trees (epicea) - which expands and fits well for pressing and dries quickly for the next year's harvest. Panels are placed over the grapes in a particular order. swissinfo.ch

The vineyards of family Perrochet in Auvernier. The torque, made from beechwood, is brought to turn the press. swissinfo.ch

Heavy wooden weights are placed over the panels. swissinfo.ch

The slow process of turning the torque as the press crushes, while the juice of the grapes trickles through a pipe below the press and is pumped to the oak casks. swissinfo.ch

Cleaning the crates to bring back to the vineyards for further picking. swissinfo.ch

The walls of the old vertical press were renewed in keeping with tradition in 2008. swissinfo.ch

Extraction of the grape juice. Family Perrochet makes approximately 32,000 bottles of white wine per year. swissinfo.ch

The pomace left from pressing the grapes is cut into segments. swissinfo.ch

The pomace, also known as marc, is the left over skins, seeds, stalks and pulp. It's often used for making brandy, spirits or fertilizer. swissinfo.ch

Frothy sweet grape juice which will be transformed into white Chasselas wine, native to Switzerland. swissinfo.ch

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Organic wine is gaining popularity and in Switzerland, some viticulturists like Jean-Denis Perrochet are also coupling this with traditional processes that have been in families for generations.

Jean-Denis Perrochet has made a name for himself making Swiss biodynamic wineExternal link and for his passionate engagement in promoting organic wine growing. In 2012, he and his wife and son started making biodynamic wine because of what he believes are its health and ecological benefits.

Situated a short distance from the city of Neuchâtel, the oenologist and his family at Domaine de La Maison Carrée harvest Swiss native Chasselas grapes before the cold temperatures reach the vines surrounding the village of Auvernier.  

By using the same processes and equipment that have been in his family for seven generations, Perrochet believes that his business has benefited from the knowledge of his ancestors who started making wine in 1827. This equipment includes an old vertical press shown in the photo gallery, which has been in operation since 1872 and is necessary for a smooth press of Auvernier’s Chasselas grapes.

Growing wine in a traditional and biodynamic way is Perrochet’s passion – working together with the effects of the rhythms of the moon and applying traditional herbal preparations to the vine are key elements of this approachExternal link: “Although this way of doing business doesn’t make it any simpler, it makes it more exciting! For us, this path is the future of our land and its cultivation, for our vines and their maintenance.”

Glass half full

Switzerland exports only 2%External link of the total wine it produces. Organic wine is still a niche industry in the country but more environmental consciousness is making organic wine a more popularExternal link choice. Organic wine salesExternal link in the retail trade grew by 8.4% in 2017 and reached a value of approximately CHF36 million ($36.6 million).

Family Perrochet produces about 70,000 bottles per year. Some 50% of their sales are within Canton Neuchâtel, 30% is sold in the German-speaking part of Switzerland and 20% in the French-speaking part. They export 1-2% to Japan, the US and Scandinavia.