Marie Thérèse CHAPPAZ - Grain Cinq 2024
On the vertiginous slopes of Fully, in the heart of the Swiss Valais, Marie-Thérèse Chappaz has built a deeply personal winemaking legacy, now recognized among the great European references for terroir wines. Established since 1987 on the family estate of La Liaudisaz, this winemaker has gradually developed a remarkable vineyard, cultivated with uncommon rigor on sometimes spectacular slopes. Heir to a family tradition notably embodied by her great-uncle Maurice Troillet, she has chosen to prioritize the identity of Valais grape varieties and the uniqueness of their places of origin rather than seeking a uniform style. A pioneer of biodynamics in the region, she has been working since 2003 according to principles that give essential importance to soil vitality and the natural balance of the vine. In Fully, the granite formations, inherited from Alpine history, give the wines a particular energy, combining fruit ripeness, depth, and saline sensations. Grain Cinq occupies an original place in this collection of single-vineyard cuvées, as it brings together five white grape varieties grown together on the same terroir ensemble. It thus expresses a vision of wine where the diversity of varieties gradually fades behind the personality of the place.
The particularity of Grain Cinq 2024 lies in its interplanting of Petite Arvine, Marsanne (called Ermitage in Valais), Païen, the local name for Savagnin, Pinot Blanc, and Sylvaner. These five grape varieties share the granite soils of the Combe d'Enfer and Claives sectors, on the steep slopes of Fully, where exposure and soil poverty favor generous ripening. Unlike a classic blend of separately vinified wines, the different varieties are harvested and vinified together, creating from fermentation a true interaction between their respective characters. Petite Arvine contributes freshness and saline nuances, Marsanne brings flesh and depth, while Païen reinforces structure and spicy accents. Pinot Blanc adds delicacy to the texture and Sylvaner liveliness to the whole, without any variety seeking to dominate the others. Fermentation occurs naturally with indigenous yeasts, then the wine continues its aging for twelve months in barrels and concrete eggs, two complementary containers that allow working the material without imposing an excessive woody imprint. With 14.6% alcohol, the 2024 vintage asserts significant ripeness but retains freshness and precision that give full interest to this Valais blend.
Grain Cinq 2024 reveals a generous and changing bouquet, where ripe yellow fruits, apricot, and pear mingle with citrus zest, white flowers, and delicate notes of alpine herbs. Upon aeration, nuances of rubbed stone, fresh hay, and soft spices appear, adding additional depth to an already particularly rich aromatic expression. The attack has remarkable breadth, with dense, almost creamy matter that envelops the palate without giving a sensation of heaviness. Freshness is expressed more by the precision of flavors and the presence of fine lemony bitters than by sharp acidity, while a saline impression gradually accompanies the wine's development. The finish, long and warm, maintains beautiful energy, leaving ripe citrus, stone fruits, and a subtle stony dimension to linger. This great gastronomic white will find particularly interesting pairings with lemon butter Arctic char, roasted scallops, poultry with morels, or an aged Swiss alpine cheese. Its richness and structure will allow it to gain complexity after a few years in bottle, developing nuances of wax, discreet honey, and dried fruits, while prior aeration will already favor the expression of its multiple facets today.
Grape varieties: Petite Arvine, Marsanne (Ermitage), Païen (Savagnin), Pinot Blanc, Sylvaner
