VINEA Sierre

VINEA Sierre — Vineyard Visits in Valais with Tony Lecuroux MS & Alexandra Bánhidi DipWSET (SVS)

Domaine Claudy & Shadia Clavien

Golden autumn light, the high number of sunshine hours and the dramatic mountain scenery overlooking the Rhône valley make Valais one of the most striking wine landscapes in Switzerland. Steep vineyard terraces climb from the valley floor into the Alps, creating a remarkable contrast between warmth and altitude that defines the rhythm of the region. Arriving in Sierre for the VINEA Festival always feels special, but this year was particularly meaningful as I explored the region together with Master Sommelier Tony Lecuroux and Alexandra Bánhidi DipWSET, President of the Sommelierverband Deutschschweiz (SVS), combining professional tastings with an in-depth vineyard visit.

Beyond the festival, the true highlight was meeting Shadia Clavien in Miège at Domaine Claudy & Shadia Clavien. Spending time directly at the source adds a depth that no tasting hall can replace. Shadia’s enthusiasm for her work is immediately palpable. She is deeply knowledgeable, and her

passion carries naturally through every conversation, from vineyard discussions to cellar tastings.

What becomes clear in Valais is how strongly altitude and exposure shape the landscape and the atmosphere of the vineyards. Higher parcels experience cooler temperatures, stronger winds and wide day–night differences, while vineyards closer to the valley floor benefit from greater warmth and longer sun exposure. Shadia explained to us that Pinot Noir especially benefits from the cooler, higher parcels, where slower ripening brings greater freshness and finesse to the wines.

In the glass, these influences translated beautifully. The Pinot Noir showed lifted red cherry and wild raspberry aromas, lively acidity and finely textured tannins, creating an elegant style defined by precision rather than weight. The Cornalin delivered dark berry fruit with herbal notes and gentle spice, expressing depth while keeping freshness. The Syrah displayed black olive and violet aromas with pepper spice and subtle smoky tones, finishing firm yet balanced.

The whites stood out for their vibrancy. Païen offered citrus peel, alpine herbs and light nuttiness, finishing with a distinct saline edge that refreshed the palate. Petite Arvine expressed grapefruit peel and rhubarb notes with crisp acidity, once again closing with that characteristic salty freshness. Even the Chardonnay reflected the same mountain clarity, with clean yellow fruit, restrained oak and bright acidity, concluding with a subtle saline lift that tied the tasting together.

As the afternoon unfolded, Shadia, Tony, Alexandra and I spoke about how wine culture is changing. Shadia observed how Gen Z is curious and eager to learn, increasingly open to discovering many different wine styles rather than returning year after year to the same bottles or buying wine

case by case as previous generations once did. The wine world has shifted, and today it requires constant dialogue and creativity, through tastings, personal exchanges, explaining regions and styles, and telling authentic winery stories.

This is exactly why vineyard visits and direct exchanges with young, driven winemakers like Shadia are so important. They deepen our understanding of both production and the changing wine market; they keep the focus on the people behind the bottles and on the places they come from. Together with Tony and Alexandra, I feel deeply connected to this mission of sharing knowledge and inspiring curiosity for wine.

Reaching Miège from Sierre is easy, just a few minutes by local bus from the town centre. We chose to walk back down through the vineyards towards the Rhône valley, a beautiful route with open mountain views. A few moments from the visit and the walk are captured in the photos accompanying this article.

A heartfelt thank you to the VINEA Sierre Association for organizing such an inspiring festival and making these encounters possible once again.