by Alexandre Truffer, ©RomanDuVin.ch

The château d’Auvernier looms over the banks of the Neuchâtel lake and, since 1603, the family that owns it dominates the social, political and cultural landscape of the region.

The first written document mentioning Auvernier dates back to the beginning of the 11th century. In 1011, Averniacum, its Latin name, appeared in a donation made by Philippe the 3rd, the king of Burgundy, to his wife Irmengarde. In the course of the following centuries, various parchments listed this locality and certified that it already contained vineyards. Following a dispute between the lords of Colombier and Neuchâtel, a ruling in 1346 fixed the limits of the district.

Until the middle of the 16th century, the château's present location was without buildings. The construction of the actual residence, begun by Blaise Junod, a high-ranking local magistrate, was completed in 1559. Testimonies of the period confirm that the large arched cellars were a part of the original architecture. Despite the restorations made over the centuries, the general structure of the buildings has not changed.

Read more (in french)
Le domaine viticole au fil du temps, read more (in french)
Château d’Auvernier et ses vins, read more (in french

It was in front of the Hotel des Six Communes, in Môtiers, on March 1st, 2005, that the green fairy, confined in a cage and escorted by a police force and a brass band, was liberated after almost one hundred years of captivity. The sulphurous green (or blue) lady whose therapeutic properties are recognized - the formula was first created by a doctor from Val-de-Travers before it was taken over by Henri-Louis Pernod - was accused of driving crazy those who yielded too often to its charms. The party presumed guilty of damaging neurons: thuyon, a substance released by the absinthe's immune system.

Such is the motto, three hundred years old, of the Montmollin family which between the lake and the Jura, cultivates four vineyards. As for the cellar, this is situated in the middle of the picturesque village of Auvernier. Usually one of the owners, Pierre or Jean-Michel de Montmollin will welcome you warmly and help you discover their vast selection of wines. Sample from the local “terroir” list and try the white wine “Goutte d’Or” (drop of gold) made from chasselas grapes.

by Alexandre Truffer, ©RomanDuVin.ch 2006{

Did you know that Swiss champagne was made in the Neuchâtel region in the 19th century? Did you doubt that this product was then exported to Bombay and to New York? No? Well neither did I! While driving through Val de Travers, I could not imagine that this little rural region once contained such a viticultural rarity. It should be made clear that this small valley, which traverses the mountains of the canton, does not have vineyards. There are no signs that the little village of Môtiers shelters the house of Mauler, a big name among Swiss sparkling wines.