Fendant (Chasselas) ★ 4.3
Fendant is not a grape but the Valais appellation name for Chasselas, Switzerland's most widely planted white at 3,444 hectares. Apple, pear and citrus over a mineral note, the standard pour with raclette and fondue.
The grapes that define Valais: the canonical varietals and how the region expresses them.
Canonical grapes of Valais
Petite Arvine ★ 4.7
Grown almost exclusively in Valais since the 17th century, with about 270 hectares in Switzerland. Grapefruit, rhubarb and passion fruit lead into the salty finish that growers treat as the variety's signature.
Cornalin (Rouge du Pays) ★ 4.6
A natural cross of the Aosta grapes Petit Rouge and Mayolet, carried over the Grand St Bernard and pulled back from extinction by a handful of Valais growers in the 1970s. Black cherry, violet, silky tannins.
Humagne Rouge ★ 4.3
Brought from the Aosta Valley late in the 19th century and matched by DNA to Cornalin d'Aoste in 1999. It is unrelated to Humagne Blanche despite the name. Violet, elderberry and smoke over silky tannins.
Humagne Blanche ★ 4.0
Named in a Valais parchment of 1313 alongside Reze, and genetically unrelated to Humagne Rouge. A delicate white of lime blossom and hazelnut that turns resinous with age, grown only in the canton.
Amigne ★ 4.5
First recorded between Sierre and Sion late in the 17th century and now concentrated in Vetroz, which holds about 70 percent of world plantings. Labelled with one to three bees to mark its sweetness.
Heida / Paien (Savagnin Blanc) ★ 4.5
Savagnin Blanc under its Upper Valais name, called Paien in the French-speaking valley. Emblematic of Visperterminen at 1,000 metres, it gives structured whites of dried fruit, citrus and exotic fruit.
Syrah ★ 4.4
Introduced to Valais in 1921 at the Domaine de l'Etat in Leytron, and the canton now grows about 80 percent of Swiss Syrah. Spice, black pepper and berries over racy tannins, ageing five to ten years.
Pinot Noir ★ 4.3
Switzerland's most planted red at 3,649 hectares, about 35 percent of it in Valais. Red berries when young, wet leather and undergrowth with age, and the senior partner to Gamay in the Dole blend.
Gamay ★ 4.0
Switzerland's third red by area, with about 44 percent of it planted in Valais. Cherry, raspberry and strawberry with a touch of pepper, light in tannin, and junior partner to Pinot Noir in Dole.
Ermitage (Marsanne) ★ 4.3
Ermitage is the Valais name for Marsanne, carried up from the Cotes-du-Rhone in the 19th century and named after Tain l'Hermitage. Just under 40 hectares, bottled dry and sweet, opulent and rich.
Malvoisie (Pinot Gris) ★ 4.1
Malvoisie is the Valais name for Pinot Gris, borrowed from Italy's Malvasia Bianca and its sweet wines. Dry bottlings show hazelnut and a light bitterness, raisined sweet ones quince and apricot.
Signature Grapes in Valais, FAQ
When is the best time to visit Valais for wine?
Peak wine-travel season in Valais is spring through autumn, with harvest the standout window.
Do I need an appointment to taste at Valais estates?
classified-growth and grand-cru estates require booking days to weeks ahead; smaller family domaines often take walk-ins midweek.
What hours do Valais cellars and tasting rooms keep?
most estates open 10:00 to 17:00 by appointment, often closed Sunday and Monday.
How does tipping work at Valais tastings?
tipping is not expected at tastings; buying a bottle from the cellar door is the customary thank-you.
What is the one wine to try in Valais?
Ask the next local you meet what they would order. Valais rewards trust.