It is nice to see when our wines are recognized and awarded. The Forestier is currently an excellent wine personality of our house.
A good moment to deal with this vineyard. Located in the heart of the Pfyn-Finges Nature Park, on the left bank of the Rhone.
Long before the politicians came up with the idea of protecting this beautiful area, we were already there. My maternal grandparents farmed here for generations.
The vineyard is elevated next to the Rhone run. In my childhood, the Rhone beach was our home. Secretly we escaped from the summer heat of the vineyard to the cool water. The work just stayed a little bit. There were a few bruises from slipping off the boulders of the Rhone and taking a scrape or two. But the ice-cold water of the Rhone made the pain disappear immediately.
In the course of time I became the owner of this vineyard and had to replant it. In the meantime, the canton of Valais and the Swiss Confederation had also found out that it is beautiful in the “Milljerä” (that is the correct name of this area, dear marketing people).
Apart from the highway builders who want to take this region away from us for compensation measures, the state of Valais correctly takes care of people and nature in the Milljerä.
It was a logical consequence for me to work the vineyard first organically and then biodynamically. Today I am a certified Demeter winemaker myself. I am glad to see that we did not do everything wrong: already in my childhood we took care of this vineyard gently and with a lot of devotion. It was and is simply a special place.
“Forestier”, the protected name for our wine from the Natural Park, also has its history. My great-grandfather was one of the first vine commissioners of the canton, my grandfather, my uncle and my cousin were all foresters (-> Forestier). The connection man – nature is in our blood.
Whenever I think about this wine, I fall into a joyful coherence: family, vocation, nature in this unique area, soil, vine, grape, wine; the name: I think this is called “sustainability”.
See you soon.
Amédée
