Transmission of a legendary heritage!
Pierre-Luc Leyvraz will be reincarnated by the Jomini family
“Pierre-Luc Leyvraz will be reincarnated by the Jomini family,” read the headline in the newspaper 24 heures!
It’s a beautiful story of tradition in the wine-growing world of Lavaux. Passionate and down-to-earth, Pierre-Luc devoted all his energy to the artisanal cultivation of an estate composed of a mosaic of steeply sloping “charmus” vineyards, convinced that the age of the vines, the planting density, short pruning, harvest regulation and countless other carefully controlled parameters enable the production of very high-quality grapes. He has always been committed to showcasing the exceptional terroirs of St-Saphorin and Dézaley by producing wines worthy of their reputation. St-Saphorin “Les Blassinges,” one of Switzerland’s most renowned Chasselas wines, is the estate’s flagship wine!
Thinking about retirement after a full life, Pierre-Luc approached the Jomini family, winegrowers and winemakers like himself, to take over his business. Benjamin and Guillaume, Sophie and Constant’s two sons, both have solid training in viticulture and oenology, paving the way for the reputation of “Domaine Pierre-Luc Leyvraz” to continue! Since January 1, 2024, a wonderful collaboration has been established. The Jominis’ dynamism and ambition, combined with Pierre-Luc’s wisdom and experience, who is passing on to them, without rushing, as is necessary to produce an excellent wine, all his knowledge and, a little like a druid, the recipe for the magic potion. But shhh, it’s a secret!
The vineyards
St-Saphorin
Renowned for its evocative name, the St-Saphorin appellation is distinguished by a terroir combining gravel, clay, and limestone, producing wines of great elegance marked by a beautiful minerality. Our grand cru, Les Blassinges, is made from Lavaux’s emblematic grape variety, Chasselas, carefully cultivated halfway up the hillside on the plot that bears its name. Our other wines from the appellation come from various plots stretching from the shores of Lake Geneva, where Merlot and Diolinoir thrive, to the heights of the hillside, a privileged territory for Pinot Noir and other red grape varieties.
Dézaley Grand Cru
Once covered in scrub and coppice, the Dézaley has been transformed over the centuries thanks to the hard work of winegrowers. Generation after generation, they have shaped this steep hillside, structured by ancient terraced walls that bear witness to their expertise. It is often said that Dézaley benefits from three suns: the one shining in the sky, the light reflecting off the lake, and the heat stored by the stones of the low walls, which is released back to the vines once night falls. It is an ideal environment for Chasselas, which develops remarkable complexity here, enhanced by a salty minerality on the finish.
Lavaux
Lavaux, an exceptional vineyard!
Stretching for nearly 30 km along the southern shores of Lake Geneva, between Chillon Castle, south of Montreux, and the eastern outskirts of Lausanne, the Lavaux vineyards are distinguished by their narrow terraces carved into the hillsides. Supported by stone walls, these terraces harmoniously follow the steep slopes that rise between the villages and the lake. While wine growing in the region dates back to Roman times, the terraced vineyards as we know them today originated in the 11th century, under the influence of Benedictine and Cistercian monks who shaped the landscape at that time. This iconic site perfectly illustrates the thousand-year-old interaction between man and his environment, developed to make the most of natural resources and produce wines of character, which have been essential to the local economy for centuries.
UNESCO World Heritage Site
The world-famous Lavaux terraced vineyards, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007, cover almost 800 hectares of vines, or 20% of the wine-growing area of the canton of Vaud. This cultural landscape vividly illustrates its evolution and development over nearly a thousand years through a well-preserved landscape and buildings, as well as the continuity and adaptation of ancient cultural traditions specific to its location. The landscape also vividly illustrates the authority, control and protection of this highly prized wine-growing region, which made a major contribution to the development of Lausanne and the surrounding area. It has played an important role in the geocultural history of the region and, in response to its vulnerability to rapidly expanding urban areas, has attracted exceptional popular protection.
Integrated production
“The only serious thing I know about down here is growing vines”.
These words by Voltaire still resonate today, as they express a timeless truth: a quality wine comes from a carefully tended vineyard. With this in mind, for thirty years now, we have been cultivating our vines according to the principles of Integrated Production (IP), an environmentally friendly method of cultivation that preserves the balance of our soils, our vines and our wines.
The leaves
Foliage plays a fundamental role in vine growth. It provides the energy needed for the development of shoots and roots, while producing, through photosynthesis, the sugars essential for fruit ripening. The balance between leaf area and grape production is crucial: it is estimated that 1.4 m² of vegetation is needed to produce 1 kg of grapes. Water is also a key factor in grape quality. To produce 1 kg of dry matter, the vine must draw around 600 litres of water from the soil, absorbing the nutrients essential for its development in the process. The winegrower’s role is therefore to maintain this fragile balance, ensuring that the plant has everything it needs. To do this, we carefully analyse the soil of each plot in order to adjust the amount of organic or mineral fertiliser applied, if necessary.
Terroir
The terroir is revealed by the amount of water that the land can retain. This is known as the “water reservoir”. And contrary to what you might think, it’s the plots that hold little water that force the roots to go down deep to get water. They will also absorb more mineral elements and produce much more complex wines.
Protecting flora and fauna
Long convinced of the essential role of integrated production in protecting the environment, we are now taking this approach even further by cultivating all our vineyards according to the principles of Natural Biodiversity in Vineyards (SVBN). This method of cultivation imposes more rigorous requirements, guaranteeing optimal natural balance and an approach that is even more respectful of our terroir. As their name suggests, these plots promote exceptional biodiversity, where fauna and flora coexist harmoniously.
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