WINE ROADS

Get lost among the Aigle vineyards, a wine route in Switzerland

In August 2023 when I was in Aigle I did this short route on foot, that is,
I started from the Alain Emery winery ,where I had a tasting of four of
their countless wines ,and then arrived at the castle of Aigle, where it is
located a small museum of the vine and wine.

First of all, it is one of the few open in Aigle in mid-August. Then
because it is one of the most famous and renowned in the area and
finally because in 2023 it obtained a silver medal among the chasselas
of the Vaud region.
Talking about the chasselas, let's come to the tasting of this wine.
Color: straw yellow with golden reflections
Clarity: crystal clear
Body: not very consistent
Olfactory examination: intense and persistent (fruity, floral, aromatic
herbs)
Taste examination: dry, soft, more fresh than savory.
However, speaking of the winery, it is made up of two areas. The first
tasting room, where the white wines are tested, is located near the
tanks where the wine is fermented, while the second tasting room is
located in the building next door, it is very intimate and small, there is a
screen where it is projected the history of the winery. Typically in the
second room there is the tasting of the red wines.

The castle of Aigle probably dates back to the thirteenth century when the Allio Militia, a family of knights from Aigle, built it and since 1976 it has hosted the vineyard and wine museum.
In the latter it is possible to see some old presses, a "bossette", a large elongated fir wood barrel in which in the 70s the grapes were brought to the press, a cellar with the typical barrels of the area, the " foudres".
Interesting is the example of "Borsari", named after its inventor, a rectangular barrel of cement and ceramic.

There I had the pleasure of engaging in a discussion with Alain Emery
on the effects of climate change in the vineyard.
He explained to me how obsolete is what is studied in the sommelier
course in Italy, i.e. that in Switzerland the use of Pinot Noir is preferred
to other vines. Unfortunately this is no longer the case, they have been
producing Merlot for several years,with great results, and in Lavaux
they have even gone so far as to use Syrah.
In conclusion, I recommend everyone to visit this winery or other sites in
Aigle.
After visiting the Alain Emery winery, a five-minute walk takes you
between the stone walls, clos, typical of the region separating each
wine property up to the Aigle Castle surrounded by vineyards.