📍 Vaud

Vaud is a wine canton in western Switzerland on the northern shore of Lake Geneva. By size it is the country's second wine canton. The main role here is played by the Chasselas grape, which makes light, fresh white wines. They express the taste of place well, so locals value them.

The canton divides into several districts. Lavaux comprises terraced vineyards above the lake, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. La Côte lies further west, nearer Geneva. Chablais lies in the south, at the border with Valais. There are also Côtes de l'Orbe and Bonvillars. Wines differ slightly in each district.

Besides Chasselas, Vaud grows red grapes: Pinot Noir, Gamay, and the local Garanoir, Gamaret and Doral, bred in Switzerland. The lake softens the climate: it reflects sunlight like a mirror and holds warmth longer.

Swiss wines are seldom exported, because most are drunk in the country. Vaud is one of the places where wine is closely tied to the landscape.