A Swiss duo with cult status: wine & cheese fondue
The combination of cheese fondue and Swiss wine is undisputedly a culinary classic – up and down the country, but also far beyond Switzerland’s borders. And this is exactly where the common ground between fondue lovers ends.
While some people swear by the classic moitié-moitié version of Swiss fondue (half Gruyère, half Vacherin), others prefer a much more subtle blend of three or even more types of cheese, a kind of cheese assemblage, to stick with the language of wine. Not to mention the numerous flavors and new styles, such as a beer fondue, a tomato fondue, a herb fondue or a porcini mushroom fondue, to name just a few creations. There are no limits to creativity. Whatever tastes good is good. Even basil fondues have already been spotted, with which the dish, which is traditionally enjoyed in winter, is to be made presentable in the gastronomy scene in summer and made palatable to potential guests. As spoiled for choice as the type of cheese fondue is – incidentally, there are also providers of caquelons that allow several flavors of cheese fondue to be eaten at the same time (for example Les Trois Fondues, an invention from Valais) – the choice of the right wine is logically just as great.
In order not to get completely lost in the maze of possibilities, we would like to provide you with a small guide below to help you find the wine that will crown your cheese fondue enjoyment in style and with confidence. Here, too, it is helpful if you follow a few basic rules. As the cheese itself already has a relatively high fat content and sufficient acidity, it is advisable to choose a wine with a fruity flavor and low to medium acidity in the glass. And of course, like goes with like, i.e. you should choose a wine from the same region as the dish. But that’s it for the guidelines. Let’s start with the classics.
The classic white wine
For purists and advocates of the classic Swiss cheese fondue variant, the most delicious wine to accompany a cheese fondue must be a white wine. And it has to be really fresh and crisp. Incidentally, this also applies to the preparation. Incidentally, the alcohol (content) – to dispel a persistent cliché – has nothing to do with the hardness or fluidity of the fondue. It simply means that the alcohol helps the stomach to break down the cheese.
In terms of freshness and crispness, Fendant from Valais, also known as Chasselas, is best suited to cheese fondue. As a light, young wine, vinified dry, with little tannin and a maximum of medium acidity, wines from the Chasselas grape variety generally harmonize best with a fine cheese fondue. At Diego Mathier, the three-time best Swiss winery of 2018, 2011 and 2007, you will find four different Fendant wines, including the remarkably drinkable, elegant, harmonious and dry Fendant du Ravin AOC Valais, which holds the title of the best Fendant (Chasselas) in the universe and, as the Swiss champion in its category, is also the perfect enhancer of a cheese fondue. If you want to deviate a little from the classics but still want to dwell on the white wines, you can and may easily get stuck with a Sylvaner (also known as Silvaner), Heida or Petite Arvine. Depending on your preference, one of these representatives may shine with its slight residual sweetness with a cheese fondue. From Mathier, this would be the single-varietal and dry Johannisberg Weidmannstrunk AOC Valais with its unmistakable, typical and charming taste. The Heida Les Pyramides AOC Valais is in no way inferior to it. Winner of a triple Swiss championship title from two different established Swiss wine awards, it even enchanted the entire jury at the Grand Prix du Vin Suisse to such an extent that it was awarded the title of “Jury’s Favorite Wine”. And believe us, you can blindly trust this jury of experts. Last but not least, there is the Petite Arvine Les Pyramides AOC Valais from the best Swiss winery of the decade in Salgesch in Valais. This white wine is also a heavyweight. But don’t worry, only in terms of the titles it has already won, including a sensational 95 out of 100 possible points (and thus close to perfection) at the world’s biggest wine awards, the Decanter World Wine Awards, best Swiss white wine specialty at the Expovina and three times awarded the vintage star as the best Valais white wine of its grape variety. As a wine, it delights with its complex aromas of ripe fruit, dominated by rhubarb compote and grapefruit, as well as its balanced, complex structure, beautiful, ripe acidity and typically salty finish. An absolute poem with a Welsh AOP cheese fondue!
Red wines and sparkling wines as a worthwhile alternative
If you are a little more adventurous, you can also try red wines as an accompaniment. These can also be fruity, e.g. a good Pinot Noir such as the Pinot Noir Lucifer AOC Valais. When choosing, however, you should make sure that the red wine has not been matured in barriques. Too intense a woody note and too intense a tannin structure are detrimental to the enjoyment of the cheese fondue. If you would like to stick with white grapes but still want to try something new, you should opt for a sparkling wine. The sparkling wine Folie à deux sec from Diego Mathier boasts a sparkling lightness and freshness that perfectly balances out the power of the melted cheese.
No matter which wine accompaniment you ultimately decide on: whatever tastes good and promises uncomplicated enjoyment is allowed. With this in mind, we wish you En güete!
FAQ:
Which white wines from Switzerland go well with a fondue?
The best choice for a cheese fondue is a Chasselas / Fendant white wine from Valais. This grape variety produces light, young white wines that are vinified dry with little tannin and a maximum of medium acidity. In the white wine category, they go best with a cheese fondue.
Can I also drink another white wine from Switzerland with a cheese fondue?
Yes, another white wine such as Petite Arvine AOC Valais also goes well with a cheese fondue. The white wine Petite Arvine Les Pyramides AOC Valais from Diego Mathier goes well with a cheese fondue. The Petite Arvine grape variety produces a white wine with complex aromas of ripe fruit, dominated by rhubarb compote and grapefruit. On the palate, the white wine from the Petite Arvine grape variety develops a balanced, complex structure with a beautiful, ripe acidity and the typical salty finish, making this wine a good accompaniment to a cheese fondue.
What is the name of the other famous cheese dish from the Valais in Switzerland, which is also served with white wine?
In addition to cheese fondue, raclette is also a famous cheese dish from Valais. A white wine such as Chasselas or Fendant AOC Valais is also the preferred accompaniment to raclette. However, some cheese lovers also prefer somewhat richer wines such as a Petite Arvine AOC Valais. And still other advocates of good taste like to enjoy a raclette with a light red wine such as a Pinot Noir AOC Valais. The Pinot Noir should be matured in stainless steel tanks so that it is light, fresh and has a moderate tannin structure, making it a good accompaniment to raclette.
Does the price quoted in CHF in the online store include VAT and shipping?
The price for the entire range of wines in the online store of Adrian & Diego Mathier Nouveau Salquenen AG includes VAT and is in CHF. This means that the price for the four different Fendant white wines, including the Fendant du Ravin Valais AOC from Diego Mathier, is also quoted in CHF. The prices of the other white wines, such as the Heida Les Pyramides Valais AOC or the Petite Arvine Les Pyramides Valais AOC, which go well with a cheese fondue or raclette, are also quoted in CHF. Shipping is offered for orders of 12 units or more, unless otherwise specified as part of special offers. For deliveries of less than 12 units, a surcharge of CHF 10.00 will be charged for shipping.
Is the 2022 vintage a good vintage for white wines?
Yes, the 2022 vintage produced very good white wines in Valais. But the red wines from 2022 also impress with their above-average quality. This is also due to the fact that the 2022 wine year in Valais was almost perfect. You can buy wine from the 2022 vintage for a cheese fondue or raclette. However, you can also easily store the 2022 vintage for a few years and do not have to drink wines such as the Petite Arvine Les Pyramides AOC Valais from 2022 immediately.
What does the color white and red say about wines?
Basically, the colors white and red naturally say something about whether it is a white wine or a red wine. However, the color of a wine tells the wine connoisseur much more about the wine, especially since white is not always white and red is not always red. The color white is available in different color variations for white wine, and the same applies to the color red for red wine. In the world of wine, there are a total of thirty different color nuances, eleven variants for white wine, nine for rosé wine and ten for red wine. You can read all about the colors white, red and rosé and why they say something about age, terroir, vinification and climate in our blog “Now it’s getting colorful”.
