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Maison de la CrausazJ&M Dizerens, Lavaux, Switzerland
The
red and white wines of Lavaux, in Canton
Vaud, are little-known outside of Switzerland for a simple reason: The Swiss buy
nearly all of the wines produced along the shores of Lake Léman.
Fortunately, you don't have to be Swiss to enjoy the wines of Dézaley,
Epesses, St-Saphorin, and other villages in the Vignoble de Lavaux. You
can order a glass or a bottle in most Swiss restaurants, or--better yet--you can
visit the winegrowers' caveaux or
tasting cellars for wine and, in some cases, food.
One
such caveau is the Maison de la Crausaz in Grandvaux, which is
owned by the brothers Michel and Jean-François Dizerens, who bottle their wines
under the name J&M Dizerens.
The
tasting room has tables with seats for up to 40 guests, a terrace with outdoor
tables and chairs, and--best of all--a superb video and diorama presentation
(available in multiple languages) that describes the soil and flavor
characteristics of each appellation in Lavaux. You can taste examples of
the Dizerens brothers' wines (with food, on request), and you can buy wine by
the bottle or case to take home. Wine prices are quite reasonable, since you're
buying direct from the grower: During my visit in fall, 2005, most bottles were
priced between 10 and 20 Swiss francs. Michel, the charming host (at right
in the inset photo above), claims not to
speak English. His wife does, however, and the maison can welcome small
or large groups in
four languages: French, English, German, and Italian. The
Maison de la Crausaz is on the Chemin du la Creuse in Grandvaux, just
downhill from the village center. Like most tasting cellars, the Maison de la
Crausaz is open by appointment; e-mail
info@dizerensvins.ch or phone +41 (0)21
791 34 97 to schedule a visit. The multilingual J&M Dizerens
Web site has road directions (click "Domains") and more information about wines available at the
caveau. Related article: Lavaux Vineyards
About the author: Durant Imboden is a professional travel writer, book author, and editor who focuses on European cities and transportation. After 4-1/2 years of covering European travel topics for About.com, Durant and Cheryl Imboden co-founded Europe for Visitors in 2001. The site has earned "Best of the Web" honors from Forbes and The Washington Post. For more information, see About Europe for Visitors, press clippings, and reader testimonials. Photos copyright © J&M Dizerens. |
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