Caves du Paradis 'Avalanche' Blanc 2023
The Caves du Paradis in Sierre, Switzerland, was founded by Alex Roten in 1959. Today, Alex’s grandson, Olivier, runs the winery and oversees the family’s prime vineyard land in the prized areas of Miège, Sierre and Salgesch in the Valais, Switzerland’s most respected wine-growing region.
Among the twenty or so wines produced at the Caves du Paradis are the exceptional Pinot Noir from Salgesch and the Cuvée Mélèze, a unique blend of white wines matured in larch wood barrels.
The family embraces innovation while at the same time upholding local traditions and preserving the natural environment. Olivier Roten is in the midst of transferring all of the family’s vineyard lands to certified organic farming. His focus is on quality and ensuring that his family’s wines represent the purest expression of the unique Valaisan terroir.
Grapes are whole cluster pressed. The wine goes through fermentation in concrete tanks at controlled temperatures. Thereafter, the wine undergoes partial malolactic fermentation and is then aged for one year in concrete tanks before bottling.
| Vintage | 2023 |
| Varietal Composition | 100% Fendant (Chasselas) |
| Appellation | OC Valais – Coteaux Sierre & Salquenen |
| Alcohol | 12.00% |
| Volume | 750 ml |
| State of Origin | N/A |
| Artificially Carbonated | No |
| Sparkling Wine | No |
The Valais is situated in the heart of the Alps and benefits from a unique Alpine climate with continental influences, which include cool nights, warm days as well as cold winters and warm summers. These daily and seasonal temperature shifts help create an ideal climatic environment for what we deem ‘perfect grape maturation’ with ripe fruit and balanced acidity.
The township of Sierre and its surrounding growing region is known for its poor, rocky and calcareous or limestone soil, which along with the extremely dry nature of the region, contributes to the overall quality of the grapes and our ability to make incredibly well-balanced wines that with little to no human intervention that are characterized by their subtlety and finesse.
The « Coteaux » or lower mountain slopes that make up the Valais wine growing region are for the most part south-facing which means that they benefit from decent exposure throughout day-light hours. While the steep incline of the slopes make it extremely challenging to work in the vineyards, they force all of the vignerons to work strictly by hand, as machines are not able to navigate the intensity of the steep hillside slopes. Meticulous care along with much time and precision is taken by the Vignerons in the Valais in order to make extremely high quality grapes from this Alpine terrain.
