Only wines from Petite Arvine or Pinot Noir may qualify here.Īlthough administrative rather than geological, the Grand Cru title still confers a reasonable guarantee of quality, with more stringent requirements around winemaking and harvest parameters. Saint-Leonard is also one of twelve zones within the Valais able to label certain wines with a "Grand Cru" title. Reds are generally made from Pinot Noir, Gamay, Cornalin or Humagne Rouge, while Fendant, Petite Arvine, Heida/Paien, Chardonnay, Ermitage ( Marsanne) or Pinot Gris/Malvoisie make up the usual list of whites. The soils around Saint-Leonard, as all along the Valais, are a medley of schistous, gravelly glacial deposits – free-draining and rich in minerals brought down by the original, glacial movement of the Rhône.Īs with the wider Valais, producers here tend to be small but with a wide range of generally varietal offerings (although blends are by no means unusual, especially the classic red, Pinot Noir - Gamy, blend of Dôle). The vines are kept relatively dry by the rain-shadow cast by the peaks above. The vineyards above Saint-Leonard, however, do face slightly more south in parts, getting a little more intense alpine sun through the day. The vineyards here mirror those of the wider region, planted on the lower, southeast-facing slopes abover the town and off the flatter, more fertile valley floor of the Rhône river. Other wine, Saint-Leonard is known for its underground lake (the largest in Europe, with a navigable surface of 6,000 square meters). Sierre lies further up the valley to the east. The town itself is a satellite of the larger town and region of Sion, which it borders to the west. Tel.: +49 7551 808-100 Measure to limit the spread of the pandemic Dear guests, in accordance with the order of the Federal/Land Government of 02 November 2020, we will temporarily suspend the operation of our hotel from 02 November 2020, until probably 20th of May 2021. Saint-Leonard is a commune in the alpine Valais appellation of southwestern Switzerland. The terraced vineyards above Saint-Leonard Leonhard in Passeier: Find the weather forecast for today and the next 6 days as well as current measurement values for St.