The plush walls of the Château de Villa, in Sierre, house the « Sensorama » - a library of exclusively Valaisan wines.
More than half a thousand references in which one can find, in addition to the great classics, a few rare specimens which are definitely worth the trip : Some « specialities » cultivated only by a few wine-growers, like the Rèze or the Lafnetscha. You can therefore come to the Sensorama not only to taste, but to learn: this institution dedicated to wine also has a didactic mission, offering courses and seminars to beginners as well as specialists. One of the château's annexes also houses a section of the Musée valaisan de la vigne et du vin (Valaisan Museum of Wine and Wine-growing), the other section of the museum being located at the Maison Zumhofen in Salquenen. This recently restructured exhibition space presents both the cultural and historical aspects of wine.
Concerning gastronomy, the menu offers only a few dishes of dried meats or cheeses. This is due to the local restaurant owners' opposition at the time of the establishment's opening. A little anecdote that tells of this dwelling's rather eventful history. In turn private residence of the de Platea family - who built it-, cultural centre and « cave folklorique » (folklore cellar), the Château de Villa was also nearly demolished after the 1946 earthquake ! Luckily, a few Sierre locals rallied to save it and pass down this lovely piece of heritage.
Contact: www.chateaudevilla.ch
Château de Villa
Rue de Sainte-Catherine 4
CH - 3960 Sierre
Tel. : + 41 (0)27 455 18 96
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