WINE WORLD

When was the last time you drank a Chasselas? It’s a grape most people don’t know. Its fame rests on the wines from the Vaud region in Switzerland, which is the main reason you and others have not heard of it. Sairey and I got lucky when we were courting, and found some at a Swiss restaurant in Winnipeg, back in the 1980s. Needless to say we had never heard of the wine either.

You don’t see it often. Germans, Austrians, Hungary, and Rumania, all grow and make table wine from it. The Alsace has mostly pulled the vines as I understand it. As you’d guess with that group of countries, the vine is frost resistant and slightly late budding.

If you’re curious and want to try it, Quails’ Gate in the Okanagan has made the grape one of their stalwarts. Apparently it’s the best selling VQA white in BC. Their version is a reasonable representation of the grape. The bouquet is quite restrained, mostly apple/ pear aromas with a hint of herbs. This is an important characteristic of the wine. Many people find the perfume of aromatic grapes like Muscat overpowering. If you happen to like a less intense aroma set in your wine this is one you should pick up.

The palate is quite fruity, but bone dry. You can cheerfully enjoy this wine as an aperitif or as company for salads. The Swiss like it with fondues (and indeed it will be the wine base in a Swiss cheese fondue.) The Quails’ Gate people think it dandy with onion soup. I’m guessing they broil some cheese on top of their onion soup, although there is no reason it wouldn’t go with basic onion soup.

Quails’ Gate Chasselas Pinot Blanc Pinot Gris $21 ****

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