Autumn is an especially good time for wine tours of Switzerland. True, individual winemakers might have less time to spend with you if you visit wineries – in these small, family-run businesses, which the overwhelming majority of Swiss wineries are, relaxed availability of the winemaker to receive you even during posted opening hours is least likely during harvest season, roughly September through October, when the grapes need to be harvested, pressed and settled into vats for fermentation during the winter months.
However, from the scenic point of view as October advances there are stunning views of vineyards in their fall colors, and from a foodie perspective it’s bliss. This is chestnut season, pumpkin season, hunting season, Alp cheese season, wild mushroom season, saffron season, and tastings and meals featuring these specialties are just that much better if accompanied by local wines. Freshly-pressed grape juice called must and (around the Zurich area) Suuser, partially-fermented grape juice, are also great seasonal treats. Picturesque harvest markets and festivals abound, as do wine trails to tour by car, bike or on foot. And October is your last chance before April or even May to include visits to the country’s wine museums before most close down during the winter months.
The Main Swiss Wine Museums
Except for Geneva, there are museums large or (very) small devoted to viticulture and wine making in all six of Switzerland’s wine regions. These regions, by order of volume produced, are: Valais, Vaud, Geneva, Ticino, the Swiss-German part of the country including Graubünden, and the Three Lakes area comprising Neuchâtel, parts of Vaud, Fribourg and Bern, and the Swiss canton of Jura. Lists of wineries in each area are provided on regional sites that can be linked to from the swisswine.ch site.
- Valais, Musée Valaisan de la Vigne et du Vin (The Valaisan Museum of Wine and Winegrowing), housed in Zumofen House in Salgesch (Salquenen) and the Château de Villa in Sierre, linked by a vineyard walk. Tuesday-Sunday 2-5 p.m., museum entry 5 Swiss francs or US $4.90 (wine trail walk free), museevalaisduvin.ch
- Vaud, Château d'Aigle's Musées de la Vigne, du Vin, et de l'Etiquette (Museums of Vine and Wine and the Wine Label Museum). Opening hours in September and October: Tuesday-Sunday 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Museum entry 9 Swiss francs ($8.75). chateauaigle.ch and museeduvin.ch
- Neuchâtel, Château de Boudry, Wednesday-Sunday 2-6 p.m., entry 9 Swiss francs ($8.75), chateaudeboudry.ch
- Bern, Rebbaumuseum Hof in Ligerz (or if you prefer, in this bi-lingual region, Musée de la Vigne du Lac de Bienne in Gléresse). Saturday and Sunday, 1:30-4:30 p.m., museum entry 6 Swiss francs ($5.85), bielersee-events.ch. Check out the wine trail hikes in this supremely scenic area.
- Zurich, Weinbaumuseum, Halbinsel Au. You can also get there by boat from Zurich or Rapperswil. Sunday, 2-4 p.m., museum entry 5 Swiss francs ($4.90), weinbaumuseum.ch. Group tours in English can be organized.
- Schaffhausen, Weinbaumuseum in Hallau, September and October, Sunday 1:30-5 p.m., November Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m.-5 p.m., entry 5 Swiss francs ($4.90), sh-weinbaumuseum.ch. In nearby Trasadingen you can spend the night at a winery in a huge wine barrel – more about "Schlafen im Fass" at feste-feiern.ch
Other Swiss Wine Museums To Visit
- Chur (GR), Weinbaumuseum, by app't for groups of 20 or more, stern-chur.ch (English version, click on Tip, then Viniculture Museum).
- Tenero (TI), group visits to the wine museum, by app't at the Matasci winery, matasci-vini.ch
- Vallamand-Dessus (VD), in the heart of Vully wine country, cooper Roger Matthey runs the Petit Musée de la Tonnellerie et du Vin by app't, entry free but donations welcome, rogermatthey.ch. NB: tonnellerie is cooperage.
Before setting out please check all information by calling ahead; exceptions or changes in opening hours, or other variations, may not be posted on websites. Read more about the Swiss Wine Guide.
Readers interested in Swiss winemay also wish to read Switzerland's Wines, The Many Faces of Chasselas, and Grain Noble ConfidenCiel Sweet Wines.
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