Nobody really knows much of the origins of the white Himbertscha grape. The variety was nearly extinct until its cultivation was revived in 1984 by Chanton.
Winemaker
Chanton Wein
Features
Unoaked, "Slow Wine", Old Vines, Vegetarian and Vegan
As do many of the ancient varieties, Himbertscha benefits from ageing, so our recommendation is to buy the oldest vintage available unless you intend the bottles for laying down.
Ben says (October 2017): With less than 0.2 hectares in the entire world, drinking this wine is drinking ultra-rare history. The vines, and hence the grape, were rescued by Chanton and exist purely because of his dedication.
Wine Details
Style
White, Still, Dry, Single Variety
Winemaker
Chanton Wein
Country
Switzerland
Region
Valais
Features
Unoaked, "Slow Wine", Old Vines, Vegetarian and Vegan
Vineyard
Varen
Aged In
Steel
Closure
Natural Cork
Varieties
Himbertscha
Composition
Himbertscha 100%
Ripeness
Normal
Winemaking
Spontaneous Yeast, Unfiltered, Low Added Sulphur
Serving Suggestions
Fish tartare, fish with lemon, trout, chilled as an apéritif with mountain cheese. Also one to try with Raclette and Fondue.
Tasting Notes
Tasting Notes
Chanton's Himbertscha is a straw-yellow, with aromas of strawberry, hazlenuts, mango and spring herbs like wild garlic, dandelion and lemon balm. It is fresh and fruity on the palate with bright zippy acidity. Herbaceous and warm.
More
The variety was nearly extinct until its cultivation was revived in 1984 by Chanton. He grows it at Varen, a few km west of Visp.
The traditional method of growing Himbertscha is to train it on a trellis/pergola. The name Himbertscha apparently means ‘trellis grown’ in the upper Valais dialect and refers to the traditional method of cultivating the grape. Himbertscha wines have above average acidity which is tempered with a bit of ageing.
DNA studies at the University of California have shown that Himbertscha is not related to Gouais Blanc as was previously thought, but may be a relative of Humagne Blanche.
New Arrivals, special offers, what's tasting good right now, and the occasional story, every few months, every month, sometimes more often if there's loads going on.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience and help us keep our site working. We do no funny stuff. By clicking “Accept” you consent to all our cookies or you can visit our privacy page to control your consent.
Some cookies are needed for the site to function without hiccups and to protect you by not sending information across on every single page. Some cookies are used for customer services. Others are only needed if you will actually shop, log in or checkout.
