Ticino and Wine

We are thinking of a trip to Ticino, Switzerland in the spring. It’s a place we knew nothing about until last year when fellow travelers on an Untours to Alsace said almost unanimously that it was the best of these tours they had been on.

Has anyone had experience with the wine scene in Ticino? The books and websites all talk about Merlot. That's not much of a selling point for us, although Ticino Merlot might be different from what we know. Yet we’re both also kind of allergic to red wines in general. Yes, we’ve heard that this might be specific to American red wines (http://winegeeks.com/articles/4/red_wine_headaches/), but Ticino is a long way to go and find out otherwise. Are wines other than Merlot generally available in Ticino? What are they?

Hi Dan,

My wife and I visited Lugano this past August. It was absolutely wonderful. Besides the amazing melange of cultural influences, the wine was shockingly good. Ticino is definitely most famous for merlot. One of my favorite producers is Guido Brivio, who makes a few different wines following various programmes. Although Merlot Rosso is plentiful, they are also fond of Merlot rosato and bianco. Another red grape used in the local "Nostrano" is the indigenous variety Bondola (I believe it must be at least 80% of the blend). Although I didn't see any bottled on its own. Pinot Noir can be found and is seemingly on the increase. There are also a few whites available (red vines account for 95% of production), although not offered with the enthusiasm of Ticino Merlot. Chasselas, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay are the top white wines. Have fun and don't forget to bone up on your Italian!


Prost!
Bill

Bill must have been luckier than me. My experience is also probably more limited but I have twice stopped off on my way to Italy at the excellent Motto del Gallo restaurant (very good food, warm welcome from the owner but expensive) at Taverne near Lugano. On both occasions I ordered a red local Merlot and I found them good typical Merlot, i.e. well made with fleshy crowd pleasing fruit but without much more. I have also tried Ticinese Merlot and Pinot also, I think, at Brussels tastings without retaining any imperishable memory one way or the other. I frankly disliked a white Merlot which I found blandly cloying. You should aim off though for the fact that I am not really a Merlot fan, with the exception of some right bank Bordeaux.

For more information about Ticinese wines, it is worth knowing that the very detailed annual Guide Hachette des Vins includes a good chapter on Swiss wine, including, of course, a section on Ticino. There has occasionally been an edition in English but not annually, I think. The 2007 edition is now available from Amazon France. Even if your French is not very fluent, it could be worth getting because, as well as brief descriptions of the recommended wines, there are full contact details for the estates. There are probably also Swiss published guides in German, French and Italian but I do not know these.

The Gambero Rosso Guide covers Ticino, I think. I know nothing about the area.

I have the 2004 edition of Gambero Rosso in my hand and there is no chapter for Ticino. But I agree that, if the French Hachette can take in Switzerland and also Luxemburg, the least that GR should do is to include the only Italian speaking wine region outside Italy.

The merlot can be excellent on warm years (otherwise it ripens badly in this Alpine, wet area). Some of the very best merlots from Ticino: Tenimento dell'Ör Riserva, Colle d'Avra Riserva, Rovere di Monti, Leneo Nicola Corti, Plationum Guido Brivio.