The colour is medium yellow. The nose reminds me of lychees, trees resin and herbs. The aroma keeps changing, which I find fascinating, although after a while it seems to fade away. In the mouth the wine is a bit edgy and leaves the mouth with a rough sensation that recalls a medicine. The alcohol content is a whopping 14%.
This white wine is produced with Marsanne grapes grown in Valais, not far from Sierre. Marsanne is a grape variety indigenous of the Rhône Valley, but it is also found in Savoie and Switzerland, where it is known as Ermitage. A name reminiscent of its origin in the prestigious Hermitage AOC, where along with Roussanne it can also be added to the red wines (up to 15%).
Roussanne is the other main white grape variety typical of the Rhône wine region of France, where it complements Marsanne.
Marsanne wines generally possess good body and structure, but often lack depth of perfume and flavor. This explains the long-standing Rhône Valley tradition of blending the variety with the more aromatic Roussanne.
For this bottle I paid 23 CHF at the Vinothèque of the Château de Villa in Sierre. At the winery it sells for 22 CHF. I’m glad I tried it once, but I’m not looking forward to tasting it again: I enjoyed the sniffing much more than the drinking.
Country: Switzerland
Region: Valais
Grapes: Marsanne
Type: White
Vintage: 2017
Producer: Domaine Caprice du temps
Price range: Medium (15-30 US$)
Pascal’s Enjoyment Index: 2/5