Meet our winemakers...
Domaine Henri Cruchon
Founded in 1976 by Henri Cruchon, the domaine is now women-led by the third generation of Cruchons. Catherine Cruchon-Griggs, Henri Cruchon's winemaker, produces exceptional wines that reflect the diverse terroir of the region. The winery carries Grandpa’s name, but while this is an old family winery in canton Vaud, above Lake Geneva, it has a very new look that is distinctly feminine. A handful of young women now lead Henri Cruchon’s terroir-driven wine business, taking up the reins of a popular and highly respected cellar.
The Winery
This is a well-established winery in Canton Vaud, created in 1976, that never sits on its laurels. Each generation has made itself known for innovation, building on the winery’s reputation for quality, and for its generosity in sharing ideas and experiences with other wineries and the community at large.
A Family's passion
It was started by Henri, who quickly made a name for creating a range of quality wines but also for a keen sense of the importance of maintaining the land in this region that is one of Europe’s oldest for viticulture. When his sons Raoul and Michel joined him in the cellar and vineyards respectively, early on, the family began to put together its impressive collection of small terroir vineyards where diversifying the grape varieties became a clear focus. They replanted and restored vines so that today the Cruchon winery has 16 grape varieties in several small plots, each with its own remarkable terroir. They became pioneers in developing organic, then biodynamic vineyards. The three wives, Denise, Anna and Lisa handled administrative tasks and built the tasting room into a busy center where Grandpa Henri later began to host guests.
A change of generations took place over the decade starting in 2010, when Catherine joined her father Raoul in the cellar and Yaëlle and Laura later worked with their father Michael in the vines. Catherine’s wife Margaret joined the team, working in administration, and the handover to the new generation, “Les filles”, the daughters, took place. Catherine is a well-known representative of the younger generation of Swiss winemakers, often part of small groups presenting their wines in the US and Japan. She recently became a member of the board of the Mémoire des Vins Suisses group, which brings together 60 of the best Swiss wineries in a project to study how well their wines age. She is one of the driving forces behind a Bottle Back Swiss pilot project to reduce wineries’ carbon footprints with a returnables system.
Seven Vineyards
Henri Cruchon’s vines are spread around the hilly Morges district at the top end of Lake Geneva, west of Lausanne. These are now all cultivated following biodynamic methods, with Demeter certification since 2018. The 16 grape varieties are grown on vine parcels that vary greatly in terms of soil type, slope and sun exposition.
The Terroir of Cruchon's Vineyards
The soil around Morges is quite varied, with gravelly land lower down near the lake and streams, which gives great elegance to wines. At the top end of the vineyards, facing the Jura mountain range, the soil is heavier and the wines are more structured, with floral and fruity flavors.
Two of the best-known parcels are Mont de Vaux and Champanel, which have some of the earliest ripening grapes in the family’s vineyard. The first is a terraced vine parcel above Morges, formed on a very stony alpine moraine, which gives a very particular mineral quality to the wine. Perfect sun exposition helps add depth. Champanel has heavy and deep clay-limestone soil with little rock. It sits on a moraine formed by glaciers more than 10,000 years ago. This south-southeastern facing terroir promotes ideal maturity of the grapes and gives Chasselas a spontaneous richness.
our hand-selected white wines
from
henri cruchon
Mont de Vaux Grand Cru: Chasselas
Wine Profile
Virile and bold mineral structure, notes the winery, that expresses the terroir beautifully. Nose – classic delicate white and citrus fruit notes, with hints of hazelnut and apricot, giving it more depth than is usual for Chasselas wines. Mouth – elegant lightness with the fruit again in evidence and a beautiful, long mineral finish.
Cultivation and vinification
The vines are cultivated respecting lunar rhythms. Only natural treatments. No chemical products. Leaf-thinning and harvesting are done manually, harvest yields are strictly limited. Notably, the wine is bottled without filtration which may result in a natural sediment.
Food pairing
Extremely versatile wine that is light enough for an aperitif and delicate enough to accompany fish and white meat in particular, Japanese foods and vegetarian cuisine.
L'initié Chasselas
Wine Profile
In mouth : an easy to drink and digest wine with notes of Mirabel plums and pears. The wine can appear slightly cloudy due to being unfiltered.
Cultivation and vinification
A natural wine, this Chasselas Nature is made without sulfites, no fining, no filtering. Let yourself be surprised! Biodynamic and indigenous yeasts. No sulfites added, no collage, no filtration.
Food pairing
As for all traditional Chasselas wines: aperitif, fish, cheese dishes, Swiss dried meats/cold cuts.
Préverenges: Chasselas
Wine Profile
Classic Chasselas from canton Vaud, elegant and classy, ample fruit.
Cultivation and vinification
Grapes from the Préverenges vineyards near the winery. Fermented with indigenous yeast.
Food pairing
Aperitif, fish, cheese dishes, Swiss dried meats/cold cuts.
Altesse Nature
Wine Profile
An unusual slightly oxidized wine, deep yellow-amber color, slightly cloudy. Nose – apricots and bitter orange, herbs. Mouth – refreshing and dry, hints of tropical fruits. The winemaker says: Don’t attempt to compare this wine, let your emotions interpret it. Just be attentive to its spontaneous and digestible style. It has a naturally dark yellow amber color and is slightly cloudy.
Cultivation and vinification
A natural wine, this Altesse Nature is made without sulfites, no fining, no filtering. Biodynamic, Demeter certified. Indigenous yeasts. No sulfites added, no collage, no filtration.
Food pairing
Wild mushrooms, flavorful alpine cheeses, fresh fruit desserts – pies and salads.
Champanel Grand Cru: Chasselas
Wine Profile
Nose – richly fruity and generous with intense citrus (lemon, lime) aromas. Mouth – easy opening with pleasing threads of lemon and white peaches. Firm, persistent, harmonious with a touch of minerality in the finish.
Cultivation and vinification
Biodynamic cultivation, certified. Guyot simple pruning, 30 year old vines, with a density of vines of 6,000 per hectare. Yield strictly limited. The vines have been worked without chemical products and no herbicides since 2002. All vineyard work is done by hand with mechanical weeding inside the rows.
Food pairing
Aperitif, fish, cheese dishes, dried meats.
our hand-selected red wines
from
henri cruchon
Merlot
Wine Profile
Undergrowth, cedar, and cigar box for the nose and in mouth, these are found again, with notes of wild ivy and pencil lead. Noble tannins.
Cultivation and Vinification
Certified (bio-inspecta), manual de-leafing and harvest, strictly limited yield. Fermented with indigenous yeasts. Matured in oak barrels.
Food pairing
Lamb, game, flavorful meat and Southern cuisine.
Raissennaz Grand Cru: Pinot Noir
Wine Profile
Charming and deeply sensual, a dense and chewy medium-bodied Pinot whose elegance is now legendary. Nose – cherries and strawberries, slight reduction. Mouth – Balanced acidity, aromas of wild red berries, hints of spices and herbs. Good young, but 3-6 years cellaring will show it at its best.
Cultivation and vinification
Respecting lunar rhythms. Only natural treatments. No chemical products. Leaf-thinning and harvesting are done manually, harvest yields are strictly limited. Matured for 18 months of which 12 in oak barrels, which gives it a velvety mouthfeel.
Food pairing
Red meats, fine poultry and white meats, fish in sauce
Servagnin Pinot Noir
Wine Profile
Burgundy Pinot Noir arrived in Switzerland in 1420, in Morges, under the name Servagnin. It nearly died out, giving way to newer clones and other grape varieties, until it was saved in extremis in the late 20th century. Today only producers in Morges who follow a strict charter are allowed to produce it. It is a beautifully fruity Pinot. It spends time in oak barrels, which gives it depth; the finish is elegant and slightly spicy.
Cultivation and Vinification
Clay-limestone soil, biodynamic, manual harvest. Traditional vinification with 16 months to mature in oak barrels.
Food pairing
White meats such as rabbit and veal, poultry. Dishes with rich sauces, mushrooms, tomatoes, herbs.
Champanel Grand Cru: Pinot Noir
This Pinot Noir expresses with pride and nobility its Champanel terroir. Its complexity, boldness, depth and strong personality stand out with great distinction. A civilized wine that is both powerful and elegant. Bright ruby red color. Nose: opens bit by bit in the glass, red woodland berries, spices, some smoky notes. Mouth: unctuous and very elegant, typical Pinot Noir fruits unveiled magnificently with a touch of nougat and caramel, a hint of pepper. Very expressive and intense after the mid-mouth. Fresh with a long finish.
Cultivation and vinification
The vines are cultivated respecting lunar rhythms and treated naturally without the use of chemical products. Champanel, where the vines face south, southeast, is one of the winery’s earliest to ripen terroirs and it offers the vines perfect ripening conditions. The Pinot Noir here develops depth and complexity, a wine of great class. Guyot simple pruning, 30 year old vines, with a density of vines of 6,000 per hectare. Yield strictly limited. The vines have been worked without chemical products and no herbicides since 2002. All vineyard work is done by hand with mechanical weeding inside the rows.
Food pairing
Starters, house pâtés and game terrines. Brown mushroom sauces, braised dishes, duck and guinea fowl. Steak, grilled foods, semi-hard and hard cheeses.
Gamaret
Wine Profile
The winery notes that “Its deep color, spicy character and tannic structure gives this wine a southern feel. One is seduced by its density and freshness which is almost minty.” Barrel-aged. Nose – spicy black fruits. Mouth – rich and warm, dense fruit.
Cultivation and vinification
Gamaret is a new Swiss grape variety obtained by crossing Gamay with Reichensteiner. A very colourful wine with spicy black fruit aromas and a dense, rich and warm mouth-feel. This ambitious wine, aged in barrels, confirms the renewal of Swiss vineyards. In the vines: work done respecting lunar rhythms. Vines treated naturally without the use of chemical products.
Food pairing
Beef, lamb, fowl, spicy dishes.
Cultivation Method
Their parents were pioneers in shifting to organic, then biodynamic production. Today, the winery has a reputation for considering the environment and inspiring a healthier approach to wine by producing natural wine and actively pushing for returnable bottles. Henri Cruchon uses only natural treatments. No chemical products. Leaf-thinning and harvesting are done manually, harvest yields are strictly limited.
