Our terraced vineyard of Lavaux, a wine region in the county of Vaud (Switzerland), has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2007.
At the heart of it, the Piccard Domain overlooks the Lake Geneva basin and enjoys a breathtaking panorama.
For four generations, the Piccard family has been cultivating this land and living on it. More than an occupation, this important responsibility has become a real passion.
The wines of the estate invite you to soak up their living, vibrant, timeless nature.
Timeless, like the work and the vineyard to which the life of each generation is intimately linked.
Enter the portal and change your world: welcome to Domaine Piccard!
Jean-Christophe Piccard Artisan Winemaker
DISTINCTIONS & AWARDS
Daley Villette AOC Grand Cru
First best Chasselas
(28 wines were awarded the BSW label out of 2'980 wines tasted)
Grand Prix du Vin Suisse 2006
Aluniscence Trait d’Union
* Gold Medal *
World Pinot Noir Competition 2008
Our house
Present on the official land registry of 1705, the estate house, in the heart of the sumptuous vineyard, has been maintained by the Piccard family since 1913. Emile Piccard came to work as a winemaker on behalf of the owners of the time. Another century and three generations later, Jean-Christophe ensures the sustainability of this land, as did Robert and Michel before him.
Though difficult today to imagine the workmanship that enabled the building to last through the ages, every generation has invested - and continues to shape it- body and soul.
Even today, maintenance work is an essential part of the winemaker's calendar.
Welcome home! We invite you to enjoy the seasons on our panoramic terrace or in our historic cellar. Come discover this unique heritage..
The vineyard, the grape varieties
Man of the earth that I am and from which I come, our land is my first concern. Our vineyard, surrounding the estate house, extends on a little more than 2 hectares.
Grown for over ten years without herbicides, insecticides, or mineral fertilizers, our plots of land benefit from a rich fauna and flora in which the vine finds a privileged place. In fact, the experience gained over the last ten years shows that it is entirely possible to take care of everyone for the benefit of all.
Harmony and balance are difficult to manage or even attain, but it is important to choose this path- path which also supports the diversification of cultivated grapes. Today ten varieties flourish, among which the traditional Chasselas retains an elite place
Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer and Marsanne complement our palette of white varieties in an original way. Red grape varieties appreciate our location and altitude.
The Pinot Noir and the Gamay were the first reds to settle here, giving birth to our Charmillon cuvée, in 1962.
Then came Plant-Robert, Gamaret, Garanoir, Syrah and Merlot.
All have their homes in our parcels according to the nature of each’s soil.
Anthropocene: masculine name of Greek origin for man, fresh and new.
Current period of geological time, where human activities have a strong impact on the planet's ecosystems (biosphere) and transforms them at all levels. The beginning of the Anthropocene coincides with that of the industrial revolution in the 18th century. [Larousse]
At Domaine Piccard, L'Anthropocène is also a cuvée from Chasselas, a noble grape whose vineyard is just in front of the estate house.
Free of herbicides, insecticides, and chemical fertilizers, our entire field is a natural environment conducive to the development of healthy and sustainable viticulture.
Tillage and composting help maintain the balance between the different plants in place. In this way, our vines produce lower yields, while being more resistant to disease.
A guarantee of quality
A commitment to the future
The Anthropocene
On the lands of the ALUNISENCE vintages
ALUNIque SENs, this term was born from the desire to practice an "extensive" viticulture on all of our parches (parcels of land) and thus, to allow our wines to profit from the true benefits of nature. All, vinified and matured in our cellar located under the house, are genuine artisanal products. They are the perfect reflection of their terrain.
Here too, our philosophy is wholesome: few interventions, but rigorous follow-up. Confidence in the natural mechanisms and virtues of our grapes is a valuable ally.
We believe that producing healthily, without the use of chemicals, is a noble goal. Above all, it is the only way to guarantee our long-term future, our health, and that of our Earth.
ANTHROPOCENE - A philosopher oriented towards the future.
Less than a kilo of grapes per vine, grown in harmony with its environment. A Chasselas, intense and aromatic, bursting with Nature as before.
CHARMILLON - The leg of our family.
Less than a kilo of grapes per vine, blend of Pinot Noir, Gamay, and a touch of Garanoir. Intensely fruity and light. For more than half a century, our ambassador of gentleness.
ALUNISENCE PLANT-ROBERT - Unique in the world.
Less than a kilo of grapes per vine. Varietal of Lavaux, it expresses its Mediterranean aspect. Spicy and powerful scents, a light structure supported by the patience of being nurtured in barrels, finesse linked to subtle wanderings. An extra color to the palette of terrestrial crus.
ALUNISENCE PINOT NOIR - The best of our Earth.
Assuredly much less than a kilo per vine. Very noble variety, perhaps the most noble, who loves our south-facing slopes and the freshness of our 550m altitude. Enhanced by barrel aging, warmth and robustness are expressed according to the vintage with
passion - or ecstacy.
Lavaux AOC is a controlled designation of origin for wines meeting the criteria of the Swiss association
AOC-IGP which guarantees that all the stages of elevation, from the production of the raw material to the
processing of the finished product, take place in the Lavaux region.
The AOC defines, first and foremost, the geographical origin. It is supplemented by rules of cultivation,
size of the vine, harvesting method of the grapes, authorized oenological practices, durations and means
of breeding until storage, packaging and marketing of wine.
Grand Cru is a sub-category of AOCs: it is the highest designation in the AOC classification scale.
The grape harvests at Domaine Piccard are always a nice party and, even if the work is painful, there remains an atmosphere of jubilation!
In general, with a dozen people in the vineyard + our press staff + kitchen staff, our team of 15-20 people needs a short week to harvest.
The ten or so grape varieties on the estate require that these 5-6 days of work are spread over a longer period. And, in case of late harvest, this period can extend over a month or two. For example, the 2016 harvest began on October 11 and ended on the 30th.
Production of Domaine Piccard
Our estate produces between 12,000 and 15,000 bottles annually, depending on the harvest.
Note that this figure tends to decrease over the years. Indeed, the search for quality leads to a decline in
yield from the vine. Diversifying the grape variety in our estate is also a qualitative approach, and most of
the vines that are replanted here are less productive than Chasselas.
A bottle of wine = how many kilos of grapes?
In general, the containers answer this question by their ... capacity. It is no coincidence that wine bottles
have 70 or 75 cl capacity. The real question lies rather in this mysterious difference of 5 cl.
Here is what I suppose: a kilo of chasselas (grapes with a relatively good yield of juice) gives approximately 78 cl of grape juice still containing solids which will be removed before fermentation, for a loss of volume of 4-5%. So it will be about 74-73% of the kilo of grapes that will become wine after fermentation. This, with the development of yeasts, generates a new loss of 1-2%. The various cellar operations (racking, pumping and filtration) until bottling generate some losses whose percentage varies by about 1% depending on the volumes treated.
