Wine cooperatives, whether in Switzerland or elsewhere, have an uphill job carving out a reputation for themselves. Their wines are often perceived as mass-produced, cheap and cheerful tipples, unlikely to be of interest to serious wine buyers and drinkers. The Cave de la Côte in Tolochenaz near Morges has an extra furrow to plough: not only do they have the generally poor cooperative image to contend with, but also wines from the La Côte region of Vaud have never had the cachet of their illustrious neighbours along the lake in Lavaux or further round in Chablais.
The fact that Cave de la Côte stands apart is largely the work of winemaker Rodrigo Banto, who since his arrival from Chile in 2003 has hoisted the cooperatively owned enterprise into the top ranks of Swiss winemaking. On his watch, wines regularly walk away with top prizes, not only from local contests such as the Grand Prix du Vin Suisse but the various world championships for Gamay, Chasselas and most importantly Merlot.
The cooperative’s history goes back to 1929, when a group of winegrowers from Morges joined forces in order to face the extreme challenges for Swiss winemaking in those Depression years. Today it has around 300 members who between them own some 450 hectares, dispersed in a great arc from Lausanne all the way westwards to Satigny, close to Geneva. Over the years it has answered to various names, including Cave Cidis and Uvavins, until settling definitively for the name Cave de la Côte. They subtitle themselves L’Art et la Passion du Vin, but along with artistry and passion, there’s some extremely solid winemaking technique at play here.
Banto was born in Chile of European stock: his maternal grandfather came originally from Nidwalden in central Switzerland and his paternal grandfather from Hungary, but Switzerland was a significant presence in his South American life: he attended the Colegio Suizo in Santiago, followed by agronomy studies which set him off on his winemaking journey. With several years at two large Chilean wineries and formative internships both in California and Bordeaux under his belt, he was ready for work experience in Europe. Soon after landing in Switzerland in 2003, he learned through the network of winemaking friends and colleagues that the Morges-based cooperative was looking for a chief winemaker. It must have felt like coming back to his roots.
His first task was to work on what he considers the most important part of his job, and which until then had been neglected: establishing contact with the member-growers who own and work the vines. “In the past”, he explains, “the winemaker was master in the cellar but never went out into the vineyards”. But the way the vines are cultivated and the moment at which the grapes are harvested are key in any winery, and particularly so when the winemaker doesn’t actually own the vines – as is by definition the case with a cooperative.
Since then Rodrigo has applied himself with unflagging energy to the task of turning round this old-established cooperative. Innovation and experimentation play a big part here (“At Tolochenaz, I’ve never been bored!” he told me.) The sheer variety and originality of wines on offer turns tastings here into an eye-opening experience.
These may include anything from an everyday Chasselas thirstquencher such as Coteau d’Aubonne, via the one grown in the grand old Château Malessert vineyards (one of only 18 Premiers Grands Crus in Vaud), to Rodrigo’s newest project, a natural wine he has named Nu (naked). I tasted the first vintage, made in 2016 from Chasselas grapes with no added sulphur: golden-green, slightly cloudy, like a freshly pressed apple juice, quite sharply acidic with aniseed tones. Natural wines are having a bit of moment in Vaud, with plenty of experimentation going on, so it would be surprising if this talented, innovative winemaker was not making his own contribution to this growing movement. It’s not my cup of tea but I love its experimental nature and knowing Rodrigo’s talents, it’s certainly a work in progress.
Here I got my first taste of Doral, a Chasselas x Chardonnay cross created by the Swiss federal research station, designed as a more aromatic alternative to the ubiquitous, often neutral Chasselas. It struck me as a lovely food wine, citrussy and peachy. The problem, as acknowledged by director Julien Hoefliger, is to get the public – that’s us – to accept unfamiliar varieties. Other novelties include Voluptas, a full-bodied, four-grape, fruit-salad blend of Chardonnay, Doral, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier. It’s a rich, aromatic white wine, the polar opposite of Chasselas that might convince even red-only wine drinkers, calling out for richly sauced fish or a farmyard bird, or a characterful cheese. Here, too, I tasted Divico for the first time, a Swiss-created, disease-resistant hybrid variety that gives a dense, purplish red wine, named after the Helvetian chief who beat back the Romans.
Most distinctive of all is the Collection Bernard Ravet: 12 different wines created for and with the eponymous chef of the renowned Château de Vufflens, the Disney-like, 15th-century turreted castle that now houses a restaurant and hotel, which is almost visible from the winery. The one that has caused the most excitement and done the most to cement Rodrigo’s reputation as skilled winemaker, is Le Bernardin. One hundred percent Merlot, created in close cooperation with Bernard Ravet, his chef-son Guy and sommelier-daughter Nathalie, it’s the one that has covered itself with glory in the Mondial du Merlot championships.
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ADDRESS: Chemin du Saux 5 1131 Tolochenaz CONTACT: Tel. 021 804 54 64 |
WINES TO LOOK OUT FOR: Chasselas Château Malessert Doral Voluptas Divico Merlot Le Bernardin Collection Bernard Ravet |
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info@cavedelacote.ch |
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Price range 7 to 34 SFr. |
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HIGHLIGHTS: Wines are available from their online shop and at the Vinothèque de la Côte Monday 1.30–6.30; Tuesday to Friday 9–12; 1.30–6.30; Saturday 9–12. Vineyard walk in the Morges region |
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