If Robert Taramarcaz of Domaine des Muses looks like he belongs on the stage, it’s no coincidence. This young Sierre-based winemaker, whose plan was to study law before a key family discussion about the future of the domaine nudged him in the direction of wine, is a bit of a thespian in his spare time. Every summer he stages a Festival des Muses at the winery, a theatrical spectacle in which he plays the starring role, once as the serial seducer Vicomte de Valmont in Les Liaisons Dangereuses, another time as Cyrano de Bergerac.
The Domaine des Muses (whose wines are subtitled un verre de poésie, poetry in the glass) was founded in 1992 by Robert’s parents. Following that crucial family discussion which proved a turning point for Robert, 10 years went by during which he set about earning his viticultural spurs. After understudying Denis Mercier just up the road and a spell working at the Changins viticultural research station, he travelled to the southern hemisphere for an internship at Sacred Hill in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand.
On return to Europe he studied oenology at Dijon’s Université de la Vigne et du Vin, finally returning home in 2002 to assist his parents. Though both are still active today, Robert is now in charge of the estate’s nine hectares, five of which are wholly owned and the other four leased. The winery, surrounded by vineyards, is situated in Granges, on the left bank of the river; the cellar, where you can taste and buy wine, is located on an industrial estate on the edge of town. Robert’s pride and joy is a recently acquired amphitheatre of vines in the nearby village of Saillon, close to the celebrated Giant’s Cave depicted by Gustave Courbet, the 19th-century French realist painter who was exiled here.
To counteract the effects of climate change, which are felt throughout Switzerland but especially here in this roasted valley, Robert has reserved his cooler vineyards on the left, north-facing bank of the Rhone for white grapes and Pinot Noir, to preserve freshness in the wines. Red grapes like Merlot and Syrah, which need a long ripening season to give of their best, are planted on the right bank where the south-facing vineyards bask in the brilliant alpine sun.
It’s astonishing how much attention Domaine des Muses wines have attracted in their short life, both in Switzerland and – unusually – abroad. There have been countless awards, but within the English-speaking wine world, the biggest coup came in 2012 when out of 14 Swiss wines chosen by the Wine Advocate (the wine guide formerly headed by Robert Parker), 11 came from Domaine des Muses.
How to account for his extraordinary success? I sense that Robert is guided by the principle that if a thing is worth doing, it’s worth doing well. In the Valais, with its wealth of grape varieties, most growers are tempted to give vineyard space to all of them. Inevitably some wines are better than others. Robert’s stated aim on return to the domaine was to give every grape variety its full due and full respect; otherwise, there was no point growing it. He therefore puts as much passion into supposedly “everyday wines” (like Fendant and Dôle) as into his top wines.
It’s tough making a choice when tasting here, but if push came to shove I would rather not miss his Petite Arvine, with its expressive, floral nose and citrus flavours, or Heida, with its haunting elderflower aromas. The most compelling white is Humagne Blanche, a rarity (only 29 hectares are planted in the whole of the Valais), which Robert entrusts to used barriques for 18 months, giving the wine added complexity and length.
Robert is another defender of the traditional blend Dôle, which combines Pinot Noir and Gamay. His stands out because he uses grapes from older, gnarled, low-yielding vines rather than young ones and gives the wines plenty of TLC in the cellar. Working up the range, I would single out the monovarietal Syrah Reserve, a dense purplish-ruby colour with loads of liquorice and spice, as well as his blend of Humagne Rouge (no relation of Humagne Blanche) and Cornalin, named Terpsichore after the Greek muse of the dance. Perfumed and spicy, it dances to the tune of both varieties, bringing out the best of both.
Any tasting here should finish on a sweet note, and the domaine’s sweet wines demonstrate Robert’s particular flair for these, which formed the subject of his thesis at viticultural school. Polymnie, the poetry muse, is the name of his lyrical Marsanne/Pinot Gris blend, one of the Grain Noble ConfidenCiel wines whose aromas of finely balanced, sweet-sour preserved citrus fruits put me in mind of the finest Seville orange marmalade.
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ADDRESS: Rue du Manège 2 3960 Sierre CONTACT: Tel. 027 455 73 09 Mobile: 076 321 76 67 |
WINES TO LOOK OUT FOR: Petite Arvine Heida Humagne Blanche Dôle Syrah Réserve Humagne Rouge Cornalin Terpsichore Polymnie |
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info@domainedesmuses.ch |
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Price range 17 to 80 SFr. |
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HIGHLIGHTS: Visits welcomed at the winery in Granges, by appointment. Wines may be ordered from the website. Chemin du Vignoble vineyard trail, Stage 3 between Sierre and Sion |
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