A new generation of Swiss winemakers is redefining their country's Alpine viticulture. Image above courtesy of Jungwinzer Schweiz.
I thought I knew Swiss wine. The narrative seemed straightforward enough: the wines most people were likely to encounter were expensive, elusive and often conservative. Usually drunk young, and either as bracingly fresh as an off-piste run without ski goggles or as lush and satiating as a fondue evening – and likely over-oaked. And while Chasselas (3,733 ha/9,224 acres) has ceded its flagship status to Pinot Noir (4,070 ha/10,057 acres) in recent years, that quintessential Swiss variety remained at the heart of...