The Winery Henri Contesse of Vaud

Discovering the wine region of Vaud

Vaud is Switzerland's second-largest wine region, located in the French-speaking southwest. The region - which is also one of 26 cantons in the country - is best known for its crisp, white Fendant wines (the national name for the Chasselas variety) and its stunning lakeside landscapes. Both of these reach their zenith in the grand crus of Lavaux/dezaley">Dezaley and Calamin. These famous Lavaux Vineyard terraces, which rise steeply up above Lake Geneva (Lac Léman), are considered of such importance that they are now enjoy protected status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The main Vaud vineyard area arches broadly around Lake Geneva from La Côte, west of Lausanne, via Lavaux (between Lausanne and Montreux to the east) to Chablais, which runs from the lake's edge into the steep-sided Rhone river valley - the gateway to the Valais. North of the lake are a handful of satellite viticultural areas around Lake Neuchâtel, bordering the Neuchatel - Three Lakes area, and along the banks of the Orbe river - grouped into the Côtes de l'Orbe and BonvillarsAOC/AOPs. Vaud is thus flanked by three key Swiss wine regions: Geneva (at the end of the lake to the southwest), Neuchâtel (to the north) and Valais (to the southeast). Just across the Jura Mountains, which form the canton's western edge (the Swiss border with France) is the French portion of the Jura.

Unusually among Swiss wine regions, Vaud produces more white wine than red. Two-thirds of production here is to white wine with the lion's share given over to Fendant/Chasselas, covering just over 2,200 hectares (5,400 acres) in the canton - 60 percent of its area. Other than Chasselas, Pinot Noir and Gamay are the next in line in terms of vineyard area, making up just over 20 percent of vineyard area together. Of the two, Pinot Noir is the more popular, boasting 480 hectares (1,100 acres) compared to Gamay's 350 (860 acres).