That’s right!  The first of the 2007 Swiss wines have been released!

Canton Neuchâtel in the western part of Switzerland always releases the year’s first wines, the Neuchâtel Blanc Non Filtré.  The non filtré is a white wine made from the Chasselas grape variety.  It is always released on the third Wednesday in January at an official tasting in the city’s town hall.  This unusual and surprisingly refreshing wine has only been commercialized for eleven years.  Earlier, the wine was something like an insider secret.  Today, the wine is increasing in stature and definitely worth a try.

The wine is bottled without filtering the yeast, which creates a noticeable white deposit on the bottom of the bottle.  The yeast plays an important role by maintaining the wine’s freshness.  Shaking the bottle before opening will turn the wine foggy and enhance the flavor of the wine – an act that is encouraged!  As the wine hits your mouth, you should notice a slight, but definite fizziness on the tip of your tongue.  The freshness is dominated by citrus fruits, and a pleasant flavor of yeast.  The wine’s acidity is rather pronounced for Swiss palates, meaning there is a bit more zing in this wine than a typical Chasselas.  

Non filtré wines should always be consumed as soon as possible, because of the potentially unstable microbiological situations which can take place.  Unfiltered wines always have a greater risk of spoiling than filtered wines do, but they pose no adverse health risks.  After lying around for awhile, unfiltered wines will noticeably lose their freshness.  Their characteristic fresh fruity flavor will fade and turn slightly bitter. 

Early season unfiltered wines are excellent options to enjoy during the spring.  They partner well with lake fish, asparagus (and many other young spring vegetables - especially if they are served with a butter sauce or tasty mayonnaise), quiche, and pasta.  They are also really nice to simply sip on…

The Office des Vins et des Produits du Terroir sends out an order form for a degustation package containing three bottles of non filtré wines from different producers.  You can visit their web site (French only) for more information.  The offer usually runs through April.