SION, VALAIS
In most parts of the world, wine cooperatives get a bad rap. Significant exceptions include the Cave de Tain l’Ermitage in France’s Rhone Valley, the Cave Coopérative de Ribeauvillé in Alsace, the Producteurs de Plaimont in southwest France, or the Produttori del Barbaresco in Piedmont. Often, though, the perception is that they’re too big and impersonal, more focused on harvesting subsidies than ripe, high-class grapes. Their members, who own the vines and send their grapes to be vinified, are sometimes accused of lacking pride in their work and/or faith in their cooperative; the public, for its part, often considers the wines second (or fifth) best.
Provins, Switzerland’s largest cooperative, is different, as Director-General Raphäel Garcia was keen to explain when we met. Founded in Sion in 1930, its rabbit warren of reception bays, cellars, warehouses and huge Espace Vins shop is situated a few steps away from the railway station. Around 20 percent of the canton’s entire wine output (and 10 percent of all Swiss wine produced) comes out of Provins’ cellars. They have a whopping 3,200 members (sociétaires) who between them own 800 hectares (2026 acres), scattered around the whole region in tiny plots – the typical pattern for the Valais, where many people still own a few rows of vines almost as a hobby.
“We have a strong image, in Switzerland and even abroad”, affirms Garcia, “and our wines are appreciated for offering high quality at a good price”. Early in its history – as long ago as 1945 – Provins (unlike many cooperatives in other European countries) instituted a system for rewarding quality in the vineyards rather than paying a flat sum per kilo of grapes delivered. This quality initiative has been rewarded with prizes in both national and international competitions – in 2008 and again in 2013 the co-operative won a collective award for Best Winemaker of the Year at the annual national Swiss wine competition, the Grand Prix du Vin Suisse.
The range is huge: a recent catalogue showed around 118 different wines (“down from 195”, claimed Garcia with a slightly rueful smile), made from 22 different grape varieties. The wines are widely available in Swiss supermarkets and a few reach the export market, so there’s every chance you may be able to lay hands on a selection. Because there’s such a plethora of wines to choose from, some focusing strategies are needed.
At the top of the pyramid are Les Domaines, from a precious handful of plots dotted around – and highly visible from – the city. Many of these are owned by the Bishopric of Sion and have been managed by Provins since 1939. One of the pearls in the collection, Domaine Tourbillon, comes from the spectacularly sited vineyards strung improbably between the Valère Basilica and the Château de Tourbillon, two arresting architectural monuments perched on twin peaks that jut out of the valley floor and dominate the city – you can also see them from the motorway as you speed by. A luscious, golden nectar based on Petite Arvine and Marsanne with aromas of apricot preserves and quince jelly, Domaine Tourbillon has won so many awards that it really should declare itself hors concours and give the others a chance.
Another gem in this collection is Domaine du Chapitre. Its wines come from the vineyards of the Lentine Terraces, which sweep across a sprawling, schist-strewn hillside above town. The site is famous for its network of dry stone walls and bisses – wooden irrigation channels built in the 1860s and designed to ensure that on the all-too-rare rainy days, the precious water is channelled equitably between the various plots. From these hallowed slopes comes another white blend, this time combining Petite Arvine and Heida, two of the most distinctively Valaisan grapes, into a memorable mouthful.
Sharing the top spot with Les Domaines are Les Titans, a range of reds and whites that are finished in small oak barrels stored in niches in the wall of the Grande Dixence dam high up in the Val d’Hérens – the name honours the titanic task of those who built the dam. Some of my favourite Provins purchases come under the Maître de Chais label. This range was created in 1973 by a former director, and taken on by the greatly admired, now retired winemaker Madeleine Gay with the intention of showcasing some of the Valais’ unique speciality grapes, which are grown under special contract with selected cooperative members. They include a full-bodied Johannisberg (Silvaner in Franconia, Sylvaner in Alsace) from vineyards down the valley in Chamoson, and a winning Petite Arvine grown in Fully, with lovely grapefruit and rhubarb aromas and delicious curves from the six months it spends in the company of the wine’s lees (spent yeasts). Look out too for their Rouge d’Enfer (“the red from hell”), an opinionated blend of Syrah, Humagne Rouge, Cornalin and Diolinoir and a real Valaisan at heart.
There are countless more, but these are the ones that for me best represent the unique mosaic of terroirs under Provins’ control, from Salquenen all the way down to Martigny, and the oenologists’ skill in coaxing the best from the grapes delivered. If your perception of co-op wines is generally poor, and if familiarity with Provins wines has bred an element of contempt, it could be time for a re-think. It’s hard to find Swiss wines that offer better value for money.
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ADDRESS: Rue de l’Industrie 22 1951 Sion CONTACT: Tel. 027 328 66 18 |
WINES TO LOOK OUT FOR: Domaine Tourbillon Domaine du Chapitre Les Titans Maître de Chais |
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provins@provins.ch |
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Price range 9 to 80 SFr. |
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HIGHLIGHTS: For a selection of vineyard visits and tastings available by appointment, see website. Wines are available online or at their various shops. Chemin du Vignoble vineyard trail, Stage 2, Sion to Saillon |
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