Switzerland: Wine Tasting

You may be surprised at how much wine Switzerland produces. In the Ticino area, which borders Italy, and boasts a Mediterranean climate, you will see fields full of vines from your train carriage or from the road as you drive through Switzerland. The range of wines produced in Switzerland covers red, white and sparkling wines.

One reason that the wines of Switzerland are such a well-kept secret is that most of the wines don’t make it past the borders of their canton. Only one per cent of the total wine production of Switzerland is available for export. With more than 5,136 ha (13,000 acres), 20,000 winegrowers and 700 winemakers, the canton of Valais is not only Switzerland's biggest wine-producing region, but it also offers the greatest diversity of wines, both red and white. For details on vineyards go to www.swisswine.ch