With its 5,200 hectares under vines, Valais produces more wine than any other canton. Fendant is the most well-known in Switzerland but Johannisberg, Hermitage, Petite Arvine, Humagne Blanche, Malvoisie (pinot gris) are also appreciated. The leading red wine, Dole, has climbed the scale in the savour league by the addition of other varieties. The great pinots noirs are constructed on a foundation of fruit and a certain refinement.

It is customary to say that the Valais is the larder of Switzerland. Its southern climate favours agriculture and especially, all types of fruit. A wide variety is grown in the Valais: tasty apples (golden delicious, marigold, Gravenstein); pears, the pride of the canton, notably the highly scented and mouth watering William variety; and of course, apricots, that favourite of the Valais orchard. Red fruits, strawberries, cherries and raspberries are there to flatter the palate. But the Valais is also known for its peaches, plums, mirabelles and its figs, not to forget the vegetables (tomatoes, asparagus…). Nothing but happiness on the table.

Made from certified beef of Swiss origin, the altitude and the climate play an important role in the quality of the dried meat from the Valais. After salting, the pieces are dried and are then left to develop their inimitable taste. The “valaisanne plate” serves together slices of dried meat, sausage, ham, bacon and alpine cheeses. Savour it with a good glass of Valais wine in the warmth of a traditional cellar, the “carnotzet”.

Made from apricots (abricotine) and William pears in small distilleries, these eaux-de-vie have earned their nobility and joined the ranks of the other champions of Swiss agricultural heritage in the gallery of AOC drinks. Indeed, Valais can pride itself in having produced the first AOC pear eau-de-vie in the world.

The Valais farmers grow 35 different plants reputed for their aromatic and curative properties,  thus enabling them to make a wide range of herbal teas. Greatly appreciated by the great chefs, saffron is cultivated in only one place in Switzerland, the village of Mund. And the Valais bees know the paths to the best flowers and turn the pollen into high quality honey. In a next edition, we shall tell you all about the alpine cheeses (tommes and raclette) without which a fete in the Valais would not be a fete at all.