Meet our winemakers...
Cave des Amandiers
This little winery’s fine almond trees, for which it is named, provide a hint of the South and contrast with the steep northern Alps that rise abruptly behind them. A short walk down the road and you can climb to the medieval town of Saillon, known for art, especially photography, its colorful history and thermal baths.
Wines that remind you to slow down
The setting is auspicious and also fitting for this philosopher-winemaker, who begs you not to drink his wines too quickly. Time and patience are tools in making his wines, and he wants people to enjoy them with equal respect for the maturing and aging process. Alexandre Délétraz created the winery in 2008, breaking from family tradition as the son of bankers and jewelers in Geneva. Instead, he pursued his vision of making high-precision Valais wines in small quantities from grapes grown primarily on steep slopes, most of them in granite soil. He began by buying very small patches of vines, 5 hectares from 70 owners, some 120 individually registered (cadastral) vine parcels, then replanting them, often with massale vines. This is an old form of planting that takes cuttings from exceptional vines in the same vineyard, as opposed to the more widespread practice of using nursery clones. Today Alexandre has 8.2 hectares—tiny vine parcels bought from 200 owners—and a modern cellar in Saillon, where he found a good space on the edge of the village in 2011. He stopped using herbicides several years ago. He has a small team, most of whom have been with him from the start, who share his vision of well-crafted wines designed to age for years.
These are wines of great character, often atypical and closed when they are young, and it is worth giving them time to understand their individuality. The terraces, at 450-900 metres altitude, are very steep, held by dry stone walls, virtually impossible to work mechanically. The walls retain daytime heat that is released to the plants slowly at night. The vine parcels, despite their proximity (in six distinct areas) vary considerably, allowing the winery to have a good mix of grapes. The foehn, a hot dry wind that blows in Valais, as well as the topography and soil, contribute to markedly healthy grapes. But for the wines that he wants to create, Délétraz insists on severe selections when harvesting: quantities are small and the wines are made in limited numbers. He seeks in particular to develop concentrated aromas and polyphenols in these mountainside grapes, from a growing area considered to be among the best in Switzerland. Over time he has begun to use wood with greater subtlety, and he likes to work with large containers. The wines today are notable for their tension, sapidity and a balance that makes them refreshing.
our hand-selected white wines
from
Cave des Amandiers
Ermitage de Saillon
Wine profile
Grape: Marsanne Blanche. The winemaking comes into sharp focus here, where Délétraz concentrates on obtaining a wine that is fresh and bright from a grape noted for its powerful character—Ermitage, as the grape is known locally, gives wines that can age beautifully. The nose is quite delicate, with complex aromas, including hints of almonds and chestnuts, that unfold in the generous, soft and full mouth: an elegant wine that is finely balanced with perfect acidity and with a pleasing slightly bitter finish that will recall whiskies and cognacs for some people.
Cultivation and vinification
Classic, from vines near the Salentze waterfall in Branson, a hamlet that is part of the village of Fully. It is fermented in oak and matured on its lees for 22 months.
Food pairing
A powerful yet delicate white wine that should not be underestimated for food pairings: truffles and mushrooms and poultry dishes with cream sauces, veal, pork, creamy cheeses.
Heida
Wine profile
Grape: Savagnin. Nose as it opens of white flowers (elderberry), then exotic fruits (mango, lime), lemongrass, melon, apple. Mouth: lively, with great acidity when young, developing more body and balance as it ages. An excellent wine to keep for years.
Cultivation and vinification
Vines are in Fully and Leytron. Matured in a large oak vat, although most years it is made and aged in stainless steel; the oak gives it subtlety and complexity.
Food pairing
Cod, scallops, fish tartars, sea bass.
Petite Arvine de Leytron
Wine profile
The grapes are grown in the neighboring village of Leytron at 500-600 m. The vines sit on clay-limestone soil with a layer of decomposed schist. These wines tend to be more aromatic (Délétraz makes 4 Petite Arvines from separate villages, that differ markedly) and the 2022 reflects the big, hot summer, yet they maintain their pure and crystalline nature, with a nose of lime zest and rhubarb, a mineral and slightly salty palate with a finish of yellow fruits and citrus. The vines are from two neighboring plots, one with young vines, the other more than 40 years old.
Cultivation and vinification
No herbicides, strict selection at harvest, indigenous yeast, 8 months in stainless steel tanks.
Food pairing
Asian dishes, spicy foods, seafood, strong cheeses.
our hand-selected red wines
from
Cave des Amandiers
Syrah
Wine profile
Called by more than one wine writer one of the best Syrah wines in Valais. Syrah is the great wine of the northern Rhone valley in France; Fully offers a comparable home. The spiciness of this grape is very present. Nose: White pepper, nutmeg and other spices (some vintages: rich leather). In mouth, smooth, supple: delicate tannins in harmony with the acidity give it a good structure. It opens with threads of eucalyptus and undergrowth, followed by cloves and black peppers. Silky tannins for the finish.
Cultivation and vinification
Vines are in Leytron and Fully, mostly the latter (Follaterres and Zony areas), where the gneiss suits this grape. The wine is vatted for 3 to 6 weeks, 70% whole bunches. Aged in large (400 liter) vats and 12 HL barrels. No new wood is used.
Food pairing
Rack of pork, saddle of hare, slow-roasted red meats.
Humagne Rouge
Wine profile
This is the latest of the grapes to ripen in Valais, and when not fully ripe it can have an animal or vegetative aspect. To avoid this, the winery tends to leaves these grapes as long as possible to reach full ripeness of not just the sugars but also the aromas and tannins. Mentholated notes, typical for this grape, with violets, black currant and graphite (pencil) and a peppery finish. The mouth, with a texture similar to Pinot Noir, has licorice, dried apricots and Agen plums.
Cultivation and vinification
Massale selection grapes. Harvested with 30% whole bunches. Fermented using indigenous yeast. Barrel-aged. The grapes are sometimes attacked by Noble Rot (botrytis cinerea), which is responsible for some of the canton’s world-class late harvest wines. It can give Humagne Rouge wines exceptional elegance and class. After fermentation and marc pressing, it matures for 22 months in wooden vats.
Food pairing
Guinea fowl, roast veal, roast lamb, fennel gratin.
Cultivation Method
Cave des Amandiers uses only natural treatments. No chemical products. Leaf-thinning and harvesting are done manually, harvest yields are strictly limited.
