Marie-Therese Chappaz

Marie-Thérèse Chappaz , nicknamed " the great lady of Valais ", is a winemaker and agricultural engineer specializing in oenology. In 2015, she was crowned " Swiss wine icon " » by the Gault and Millau guide and was awarded the title of " Lady of Wine " at the Villa d'Este Wine Symposium. As a teenager, she planned to become a midwife, but after an internship at the hospital, she turned to viticulture at the age of seventeen. She trained at the Changins engineering school and worked for six years in the cellar of this federal resort before taking over the family estate in 1987. Located in Fully, on the steep hillsides of the Valais , the estate of Marie-Thérèse Chappaz covers 10 hectares and is cultivated biodynamically. The vines, some of which were planted in 1924 , are tended without herbicides or pesticides. Marie-Thérèse Chappaz's cellar, located in a historic house built by her great-uncle Maurice Troillet, is where her wines are produced. Marie-Thérèse is especially famous for her Grains Nobles, sweet wines based on Marsanne or Petite Arvine, which are highly concentrated while retaining great freshness. Other notable vintages include Ermitage Grain d'Or, Grain Syrah and Grain Mariage. It also cultivates grape varieties such as Fendant, Dôle , Pinot Noir, Gamay and blends of Cabernets and Merlot. Marie-Therese Chappaz is a pioneer of Valais viticulture, alongside figures such as Corine Clavien-Defayes and Madeleine Gay. Her passion and commitment to sustainable and environmentally friendly viticultural practices have made her an iconic figure in Swiss wine . Her wines, although difficult to acquire, are highly prized for their exceptional quality. Marie-Thérèse Chappaz continues to live and work in the historic Maison de la Liaudisaz in Fully, where she perpetuates the family tradition while constantly innovating in her viticultural practices.