Wines made from Charmont grapes of Valais
Discover the best wines made with Charmont as a single variety or as a blend of Valais.
Intraspecific crossing between Chasselas and Chardonnay, obtained in 1965 by Jean-Louis Simon and selected by André Jacquinet at the Agroscope Changins-Wädenswil research station (Switzerland). This grape variety is known and cultivated in Switzerland, but it can also be found in Hungary, Germany, Italy, etc., and is virtually unknown in France. With the same parents, Jean-Louis Simon also obtained the doral.
The Valais is the largest wine region and appellation in Switzerland, responsible for around one third of the country's total wine production. The main Vineyard area covers the southeast-facing slopes of the dramatic Rhône river valley as the glacial waters run southwest between Leuk (Loeche in French) and Fully. The river changes direction at Martigny and then runs northwest to exit the valley and empty into Lac Léman (Lake Geneva). Vineyard area here comes to around 4,800 hectares (11,800 acres) and is generally located on (often steep) slopes and terraces between the flat, fertile, Heavy soils at the bottom of the valley - often given over to fruit production, industry and urban development - and the bare rock of the mountainside that towers above.