Umami 2024 - 75cl - AOC Valais - Domaine des Petites Planètes

It is difficult to talk about this wine without mentioning its history. It all started in 2022, when I recovered my first plot. No one in the village wanted it anymore, there was so much to do to restore it. And then, from the first season, the land revealed its secrets to me. It was not only Pinot Noir that grew there. I discovered, among the vines, Merlot, a little Gamay, a Pinot Blanc vine, and even two Pinot Gris. Faced with this unexpected diversity, I decided, from the first vintage, to make a mixed blend. No doubt, the former winemaker had recovered some plants from a nursery and planted them where there were no vines.

Then, in 2023 and 2024, I was lucky enough to rent other plots, rich in Gamaret, Garanoir, and Ganay, near another Pinot Noir plot. It became clear: these new plots would harmoniously complement the vintage. Harvesting everything on the same day was impossible in 2024, so I preferred to split the vintage in two. Choosing the ideal moment of maturity, with all these grape varieties, was a challenge. But it is also what gives all its charm to this vintage, which I named "Umami."

This wine is born from the harmonious meeting of several red grape varieties, like a choir where each voice finds its place. Pinot Noir, the master at 60%, sings the main melody, while Merlot, an accomplice, brings its sweetness at 15%. Gamaret and Garanoir, each at 10%, add their deep and spicy notes, and the Gamay, subtle at 5%, crowns the whole with a touch of freshness. It is in this alchemy, where each grape variety co-ferments in perfect symbiosis, that this cuvée draws its strength and singularity.

This wine was born in Switzerland. Here, no synthetic inputs, neither in the vineyard nor in the cellar. Instead, it is the herbal infusions, fermented extracts and compost tea that watch over the vine, like benevolent companions, gently accompanying it at each stage of the season in addition to copper and sulfur to limit the spread of mildew and powdery mildew. Thus, this wine breathes the land that saw it grow, free and sincere, in harmony with the rhythms of nature.

Average altitude of the plots between 520 meters and 690m
Harvested by hand on September 16, and 24, 2024
Indigenous yeasts
Aging in vats for 6 months
4286 bottles produced

Grape varieties

60% pinot noir, 15% merlot coplantés, 10% gamaret, 10% garanoir, 5% gamay.

Vinification

During the harvest, no sulfur was used to hamper the purity of the grapes. Each grape variety, carefully destemmed, was vatted together, like the notes of a single melody coming together. A starter culture, prepared with indigenous yeasts a week in advance, was added, gently initiating fermentation. Each day, pumping over ensured that the wine fully blossomed, until pressing, which came after twelve days of maceration.

After malolactic fermentation, the wines rested in vats until bottling with a small dose of sulfur adjusted for each vintage.

And so, on April 28, 2025, this wine, the fruit of a long journey, was bottled, ready to tell its story.

Tasting

In this red blend lies the promise of a moment of indulgence. It will brighten up your aperitifs or accompany, with elegance, the simple and generous dishes of brasseries. Its nose, rich and deep, reveals a substance full of character, while its mouth, round and flattering, dances on lively notes of red fruits and black cherry. It is a wine full of fruit, vibrant and authentic, which tells with each sip the simple and joyful story of shared pleasure.

Storage

Magnificent on the fruit from the first year, if we offer it a refuge where freshness and humidity are in balance, this wine will wait, patient, for 3 to 5 years, before revealing all the richness of its character.

Vintage 2024 in Valais

The winter, milder than usual, surprised the vines with its kindness. Bud burst early, nearly two weeks ahead of 2023. But in mid-April, the cold returned, bringing several nights of frost. Fortunately, these episodes only caused damage to the youngest plantations.

This return of cold slowed growth. Then, at flowering time, the rains increased, causing some coulure. The persistent humidity favored the appearance of mildew. The health pressure was high, and interventions were numerous. Armed with the lessons learned from 2021, we were able to react quickly. A few windows of dry weather allowed us to treat effectively. Powdery mildew then appeared, prolonging this vigilance.

Despite these challenges, the grapes ripened under good conditions, giving rise to hopes of a good harvest. But from the end of September, the harvest was disrupted by cool, wet weather. Beginning on September 16, it required rapid response. While phenolic maturity had been reached, sugar levels remained slightly below the ten-year average. Botrytis, favored by the humidity, forced us to harvest quickly, especially the reds.

The resulting wines offer a different expression, distinguished by their freshness. Whereas the 2022 and 2023 vintages displayed richness and volume, the 2024 vintage offers more tension and finesse. The whites are clean and expressive, with floral and fruity aromas and a straightforward palate. The reds, with their deep colors, find their balance between lively acidity and gentle extraction. The tannins are supple and precise, producing elegant wines that are ready to seduce.