Provins Fendant L'Alpage

This can only be Swiss, well maybe (just maybe) valdostan. There is a gorgeous nose of stone fruits and white flowers, little bit of frizz, gobs of mineral, and just an overwhelming sense of alpine freshness. Nothing else really tastes like this, including wines over the border in the Savoie or Jura. One is immediately walking through the Alps gazing at snow-topped craggy peaks, hearing the trickle of a fresh mountain spring, the subtle smell of wild flowers from a …

Petrichor, alpen floral/herbal notes, and a mild barnyard funk on the nose. A slight effervescence washes over the tongue, carrying with it an herbal creaminess. It ends with a quick mineral finish. This is perhaps a touch past its prime. As we neared the end of the bottle the effervescence went flat, the flavors muted somewhat, and the finish shortened even further. That said, this was still a fine expression of Fendant, and I wish I had more in reserve. …

Interesting change of pace. It is a light, floral wine, that smelled of alpine herbs. It is traditionally paired with fondue. I have had better fendant, but it was considerably more expensive.

Eight months after the proir: Winemaker’s note from August 2021 continues to describe this well: herbal, stony, maybe a touch fizzante. Also, bright and fresh. Distinctive — and that’s a good thing. Very enjoyable again over three nights.

Well made. Not to my palate.

Herbal and stony. A tad frizzante. Wild mountain flowers. Light and very fresh. A tiny hint of honey on the finish. Terrific summer wine.

Really quite unpleasant on day one - sharp and acidic (lemon); Similar results out of two different glasses and at varying temperatures; Improved considerably on day two - the sharp edges were gone and there was a much rounder profile with medium depth and good acidity; I guess this just needs a long decant?; Moderate value based on day two results but not something I would purchase again given the difficult serving requirements for something that should be an easygoing …

First Swiss wine, first Chasselas. Peachy, some citrus, mineral. Richer mouthfeel than flavor seems to indicate. Quite bitter on the finish, which adds complexity. Somewhat out of balance for me though - some aspects fighting against each other it seems. Does improve with air. Fun one to try for sure.

Good minerally/lemon notes. Lovely mouthfeel. Very easy to drink on a summer day. It will be nice to try it in a year or two

This was lovely. Has a bit of an "alpine" floral/herbal quality to it, with high toned pear/quince fruit, a bit of peach/stone fruit, and a round, almost waxy mouthfeel, like a Roussanne. Very refreshing, and the perfect warm weather patio wine. Held up well over three nights, so while excellent now, this will probably hold for a few years.

Eight weeks after the prior: Equally lovely, and as Snoman well observes, there is indeed an appealing frizante aspect. Very enjoyable once again over three nights. (For those of us who can’t find it in Mammoth: it was until very recently available at K & L — but darn, I just looked, and it seems to be sold out now.)

Sooo refreshing! Great acidity and nice stone fruit and tropical fruit flavors. I could drink this all day in the summer

About fell to the floor when I found this on a shelf in Mammoth Mountain, CA in a liquor store! (disclaimer: owner is an ex-Southern Wine and Spirits regional manager). In lots of Swiss ski and summer resorts near Geneva, this is the go-to bottle on a warm sunny day, or an aperitif before dinner. We've had a lot of it, and this one is one of the best we've ever had, and normally impossible to find in Southern California. …

Medium golden straw. What a pleasant surprise. Compared with some bottlings from the vaunted Dezalay grand cru vineyard of Lavaux, this “lesser” Chassalas was more vibrant, and with more lively acidity. Savory, with a bare suggestion of pleasant bitterness. Lovely in its simplicity over four nights (gassed in between) — and we purchased more.