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📍 Valais

Wine region ✔ Checked: 10.2026 · sources: 6 Updated:

The largest wine canton, in the Rhône Valley, with a third of the country's vineyards.

Valais, or Wallis, is the largest wine canton of Switzerland. It lies in the valley of the Rhône river, between the high Alps. It accounts for about a third of all the country's vineyards.

Vineyards sit on steep sunny slopes and terraces. The climate is dry and sunny, with little rain, so water used to be brought to the vines by channels. Some of the highest vineyards in Europe are here, in the Visperterminen area, at more than 1,000 metres.

Many varieties are grown. The most widely planted white is Chasselas, made into the light wine Fendant. Among reds Pinot Noir and Gamay are important. There are also local grapes: Cornalin, Humagne Rouge, Petite Arvine and Diolinoir. In the districts of Sierre, Sion, Conthey, Vétroz, Chamoson, Leytron, Fully and others, wines of different styles are made.

Valais is part of Swiss wine. Here it is easy to see how mountains and sun together create unusual wines.

On the map: Valais

What it includes

kind of🗺️Swiss winegrows in🍇Cornalin d'Aostegrows in🍇Diolinoirgrows in🍇Bourgogne Grosgrows in🍇Chasselasgrows in🍇Petite Arvinegrows in🍇Rouge du Paysgrows in🍇Himbertschagrows in🍇Garanoirgrows in🍇Durizegrows in🍇Hibou Rougegrows in🍇Rèzegrows in🍇Goron de Boverniergrows in🍇Lafnetschagrows in🍇Rouge de Diollygrows in🍇Cornalin📍towardia.com
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How it connects to Wine

📍 Valais ← grows in ← 🍇 Gamay → kind of → 🍇 Grape varieties → kind of → 🍷 Wine

Part of
🗺️ Swiss wine
Grapes
🍇 Chasselas, 🍇 Pinot Noir, 🍇 Gamay, 🍇 Syrah, 🍇 Petite Arvine, 🍇 Cornalin, 🍇 Cornalin d'Aoste, 🍇 Diolinoir, 🍇 Bourgogne Gros, 🍇 Rouge du Pays
and 13 more🍇 Himbertscha, 🍇 Garanoir, 🍇 Durize, 🍇 Hibou Rouge, 🍇 Rèze, 🍇 Goron de Bovernier, 🍇 Lafnetscha, 🍇 Rouge de Diolly, 🍇 Gamaret, 🍇 Amigne, 🍇 Humagne Blanche, 🍇 Carminoir, 🍇 Doral

Frequently asked questions

What is Valais in wine?

It is Switzerland's largest wine canton in the Rhône Valley, with a third of the country's vineyards.

Which grapes are grown in Valais?

Chasselas (Fendant), Pinot Noir, Gamay and local varieties.

What is special about Valais vineyards?

Steep sunny slopes in the Alps, some above 1,000 metres.

What to read next

  • 🍇 Gamay — A red wine grape used to make Beaujolais.
  • 🍇 Syrah — A red grape from the Rhône Valley; in Australia it is called Shiraz.
  • 🍇 Gamaret — A red Swiss grape crossed in 1970 from Gamay and Reichensteiner.
  • 🍇 Rouge du Pays — A red grape from Valais, Switzerland, also called Cornalin.
  • 🍇 Cornalin d'Aoste — A red wine grape from the Aosta Valley, called Humagne Rouge in Switzerland.

Similar

📍 Vaud · 📍 Geneva · 📍 Three Lakes · 📍 Ticino · 📍 German-speaking Switzerland · 📍 Côtes de l'Orbe

Sources

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