Hiking
It’s the week following the first of August, Switzerland’s national holiday and, with the long weekend extended to vacations for many, we’re continuing to toast the founding in 1291 of the Swiss Confederation. It was tiny, just three cantons. A mere 120 years ago the whole country (now 26 cantons) agreed to celebrate together, but even so it became a national holiday only in 1994. We raise the white cross on red square (not rectangle) flag, raise a glass of Swiss wine to toast this little gem of a country and we all go out for a hike. Wherever you want to do it, there’s no better time to “get your rear in gear” (my mother’s words) and march, a good complement to your bottle of Swiss wine.
A hotel for hikers and wine-lovers (“Playing Bond, James Bond, at a Swiss Wine Hotel,”, published July 2022 in Trinkmag.com. Free access article. You’ll also find other Swiss wine articles by me on Trink.
How to hike, a get-going list for pedestrians and walkers (10 tips)
Congenial starting point: Bisse Neuf trail, Venthône, Valais, 6.9 km loop
Wine
A national holiday equals a special wine. Christophe Abbet’s Alchemie Blanc 2015 is spectacularly that, from the deep apricot-gold colour to the slightly oxidized nose (could this be a sherry? and you reread the label to reassure yourself), to the complex dance across your tongue. Notes of honey and toast (but it’s dry, dry), sharp and mineral. Alcohol high: 15.5%. Recommended by the winery: with shellfish among other options, and I had planned on scallops with lime juice and coriander - gorgeous pairing. Abbet is one of the most creative winemakers in Switzerland and this is a showpiece.
Winery, details: Christophe Abbet, Martigny, Valais. Grape: Marsanne (Hermitage in Switzerland). Cave SA, will age up to 20 years. More. CHF60.50.
Rebirth
Why you’re receiving this newsletter: Most of you are receiving this because you subscribed earlier to a Mailchimp version of Ellen’s Wine World, a newsletter linked to ellenwine.com. I took what was intended as a short break from wine writing in 2020, when it became clear that Covid was having a major impact on the wine business — no events, restaurants closing, no travel. I was busy writing a novel and decided to focus on that while Covid came and went. Covid came, but never went. And then my life was immensely saddened and complicated by my husband’s death following an accident in December 2020 … (full article)
Books
Swiss wine books - 2 reviews + upcoming
111 vins suisses à ne pas manquer by Pierre Thomas
Vins, vignerons et cuisine by Gabriel Tinguely
and a brief mention of Wine Hiking Switzerland by Ellen Wallace (that’s me!), publication date 6 September 2022.
Coming up
Events of interest
Guided hike, 13 km, 980 m drop in altitude, from the Tseuzier dam to the Valais bisses museum (not for those afraid of heights!). Spectacular walk. Details
Second Natural Wines Festival in Biel/Bienne, 22 August, 50+ producers, 17-22:00 public tasting. These wines are garnering more and more attention, and producers are becoming more professional in their efforts to explain and present their work. Details
Swiss Wine Tasting, 28-29 August at the Kunsthaus in Zurich, 120 Swiss wine producers and a special tasting of vintage wines. One of the most important tasting opportunities in the Swiss wine year. Details
Mustard
Everyone seems to be making fun - except the French - of the severe shortage of mustard, la moutarde, that is a staple of French cuisine. Le Monde calls it an opportunity to revive the French mustard seed industry, sérieusement. The root of the problem is a bad 2021 growing season in western Canada, which supplies 80% of France’s mustard seed.
Meanwhile, having masses of cheery yellow mustard flowers in my garden is a bit of a miracle. It’s the one thing that grows well without watering in this worrisomely dry year. It serves as green manure, reducing the need for pesticides, keeping the soil moist and replenishing. By the weekend I’ll have cut down the blooms to lay them between rows of vegetables, to help retain moisture. Sorry, France, they won’t be going to seed.
Here and there
June 29, our Earth had its shortest day in recorded history. Smithsonian
How to prevent another European transport meltdown. Wired
The Controversial plan to unleash the Mississippi River. Wired