Chant de la Ryëre - Chercouche
Chant de la Ryëre – Domaine de Chèrouche (Marc Balzan & Andrea Grossmann)
Region: Valais, Switzerland (Ayent, 600–800 m altitude)
Grape Variety: 100% Chardonnay
Vintage: 2022
Style: Natural white wine, possibly with short skin-contact
Alcohol: ~12–13%
Bottle Size: 75 cl
🌱 Viticulture & Winemaking
Certified-organic since 2017, farming biodynamically on steep, schist- and quartz-heavy slopes manually worked with up to 38% gradeGrapes hand-harvested from multiple high-elevation parcels (southern exposure)Vinified with native yeasts, likely direct-press or short maceration, gently pressed in a horizontal screw press Aged on fine lees in tank or neutral wood, bottled unfined/unfiltered with minimal SO₂
🍏 Tasting Notes
Expect fresh orchard fruit aromas—pear, ripe apple—with subtle floral and herbal notes. The palate is vibrant, mineral-driven, with a saline finish that mirrors the altitude and terroir. A beautifully balanced natural white with clarity and finesse.
🍽️ Food Pairing
Great with alpine cheeses, soft goat cheeses, summer salads, grilled seafood, or light poultry. Serve chilled (~10–12 °C) to highlight its fresh acidity and mineral energy.
🌟 Why We Love It
Marc & Andrea craft wines of remarkable purity and character from almost heroic terrain. Chant de la Ryëre captures high-altitude Valais in a glass—elegant, mineral, deeply expressive—and stands as a testament to low-intervention winemaking on rugged slopes
The vineyard comprises eight plots, primarily facing south-east in Ayent, covering 1.3 hectares at altitudes between 600 and 850 meters. The schist, clay, and quartz soils nurture grape varieties such as Chasselas, Arvine, Chardonnay, Amigne, Savagnin, Pinot Noir, Diolinoir, Syrah, and Gamay.
Adhering to organic viticulture, manual labor is essential due to steep slopes, some reaching 38 degrees. Sulfur, copper dioxide, and herbal teas like wormwood, nettle, yarrow, dandelion, horsetail, and goat whey are used judiciously. Moon phases are observed during specific tasks. Valais' sunny, low-rainfall climate minimizes copper use against mildew.
White wines undergo manual destemming and pressing over twelve hours. Indigenous yeast cultures initiate fermentation, followed by aging and two rackings before bottling. Macerations may produce orange wines, like the amigne blend.
Red wines involve manual destemming, adding a red yeast starter, and a ten to thirty-day maceration with manual punch-downs for berry integrity. This "infusion" method enhances suppleness and finesse. New cuvées may emerge based on harvest specifics.
Winemakers Marc Balzan and Andrea Grossmann bring diverse backgrounds to their joint venture. Marc, a butler turned sommelier, explored wine in Geneva before studying viticulture and oenology in 2007. Andrea, initially a teacher, engaged in winemaking in Lavaux, transitioning from watercolors to viticulture projects. They met during the 2007 harvest, founding the Chèrouche domain in 2010. All vineyard and cellar work is accomplished by the duo with support from family and friends during the harvest.
