Made of 100% Heida, a white variety in the Savagnin family grown in Switzerland’s Valais region, this exotic wine from Halter Ranch is sharp with tart lemon tones and then mellows to a more tropical-inflected character. It’s full and rich, intriguing, savory and sultry. There’s more lemon tart on the palate with some grilled pineapple, an herbal underlay and more rich honeycomb. Four months of aging on its lees gives this a mellow roundness. It comes from vineyards in the Adelaida District. Grown on 1.7 acres, this is a rare bottling—a completely unique offering from the winery and in the United States.
Swiss wines in the United States are rare because of the limited acreage devoted to the steep-slope, heroic viticulture characteristic of the region; the historic tendency for the [delicious] wines to be consumed within the country—less than 2% makes it to the import market; and the general public unawareness of the wines. So, this stateside introduction to the grape is welcome. More, please!
Halter Ranch wines are ethically farmed, organically grown, and sustainably finished. The winery has tasting rooms at its home estate in Paso Robles, Temecula, outside Los Angeles; and Fredericksburg in Texas Hill Country.