Mabillard-Fuchs: beautiful wines from the Valais, Switzerland
Website: https://mabillard-fuchs.ch/
With 3.5 hectares of vines in the village of Venthône in Switzerland’s Valais, Mabillard-Fuchs is making some really impressive wines. Farming here emphasizes biodiversity, and soils are left covered with spontaneous, permanent growth. No synthetic products are used (it’s organic), and the focus is on the traditional and ancient varieties of the region.
I tasted these wines with Lionel Mabillard-Fuchs (pictured above) at the Cool Climate Summit in Copenhagen. The domaine was established by his parents Madeleine and Jean-Yves in 1993.
Mabillard-Fuchs Humagne Blanc 2023 Valais, Switzerland
Just 30 hectares left of this uniquely Valais variety. Textural and layered with nice depth, some peach and pear fruit, and low-ish acidity. This creates a really nice mouthfeel, and the melony richness is countered nicely by a grainy structure. 93/100
Mabillard-Fuchs Païen Heida de Venthône 2024 Valais, Switzerland
This is Sagavnin Blanc. Fresh and vivid with nice texture and some fine spicy characters. Detailed with nice brightness and good mineral tension, finishing with a subtle saline spike. 94/100
Mabillard-Fuchs Humagne Rouge 2024 Valais, Switzerland
This is fermented and matured in stainless steel: am I allowed to like a wine like this as much as I do? Pure, fresh, sappy and bright with redcurrant and red cherry fruit. Elegant, layered and fine, this is a beautiful lighter-styled wine, with liquid minerals. 95/100
Mabillard-Fuchs Cornaln 2023 Valais, Switzerland
10 months in old oak. Concentrated and taut with a lovely mineral twist. Nice grip, showing a stony undercurrent to the raspberry and cherry fruit, with some peppery seasoning. Substantial structure, but stays fine. 94/100
Mabillard-Fuchs Syrah 2023 Valais, Switzerland
One-third new oak. Meaty, rich, peppery and spicy with some olive characters. Rich and ripe but shows good detail, with black pepper, spice, and great concentration and definition. 95/100
