Vaud, Switzerland
Domaine Louis Bovard
Louis-Philippe Bovard has managed this 10th-generation family estate in Cully on Lake Geneva since 1983. He is a winemaking icon. Vaud’s international reputation as a wine region owes much to his pioneering work.
Domaine Louis Bovard is based in Cully, a village situated between Lausanne and Vevey on the shores of Lake Geneva in one of Switzerland’s most prestigious wine regions, UNESCO world heritage site Lavaux. In 1983, Louis-Philippe Bovard became the 10th generation of his family to manage the estate, which now comprises 13 hectares. He was one of five other winemakers honoured in the 2016 Gault Millau guide as an icon of Swiss Wine. His winery has obtained the highest distinctions and enjoys national and international recognition.
Forward-looking
Louis-Philippe has always been forward-looking in his approach. Besides focusing on the region’s traditional, native Chasselas grape, he has also introduced new grape varieties to the estate (Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah). He eschews malolactic fermentation in some cases, farms according to biodynamic principles and has continually sought to identify which grapes are best suited to which vineyards. It is thanks to his experience and dedication that Chasselas and its homeland of Vaud are known far beyond Switzerland’s borders.
Chasselas, the king of Lavaux
Chasselas is the main grape variety grown on the estate. It accounts for almost 70% of the vineyard surface area and is found on different terroirs in the Dézaley and Calamin grands crus and the villages of Epesses, Saint-Saphorin and Villette.
