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Some 300 winegrowers from the Swiss Lake Geneva region of Morges are holding an open house on Friday and Saturday (21-22 May, 2010). This will provide visitors with a chance to taste and order these Morges wines directly from the growers. The Morges wine region in the canton of Vaud, a total of 38 communes with 620 hectares of vines, runs between the outskirts of Lausanne to the east and the Aubonne river to the west. This represents the largest single AOC in the canton. The region is characterized by the heterogeneity of its exceptional soil and climate, but at the same time boasting a broad diversity of wines of which over 200 crus are currently on the market.

The undulating hills of the Morges vineyards were first cultivated by the Romans. These face south toward the lake enabling them to receive sun from first light to dusk, ideal for a large array of different vines. However, the most common grape is the Chasselas, a traditional Lake Geneva vine for which the region is ideal. But this was also the area where Pinot Noir grapes (Servagnin) were first cultivated in Switzerland some 600 years ago during the Middle Ages.

Morges is particularly know for its fine classical reds (Gamay and Pinot Noir), which the Morges AOC growers have been improving in recent years with the cultivation of Gamarit and Garanoir grapes, both young vines with a contemporary taste. However, the Morges winegrowers also have focused on a multitude of other grapes, such as Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Doral, le Gewurztraminer, Sauvignon, Pinot Blanc, Viognier, Riesling and Sylvaner in the whites, and Merlot, Cabernet, Syrah, Diolinoir et Mondeuse in the reds. The open house days should give visitors a chance to leave the highway and visit some of the hinterland chateaux and domain manors, most of which have their own vineyards and which will be open to the public.

For more information, check with the Morges tourist office or go to: www.vinsdemorges.ch