Swiss Review 4/2019

Swiss Review / July 2019 / No.4 22 OSA news The Fête des Vignerons is a unique fes- tival. It only takes place every 25 years or so, but has been in existence since the 17 th century. And the festival has long since been about more than just wine – it is a cultural highlight for the entire region. Since 2016, the Fête des Vignerons has featured on the UNE- SCO List of Intangible Cultural Herit- age, and it was the first “living tradi- tion” of Switzerland to even be included on this list. This year, the festival organised by the local Confrérie des Vignerons (Winegrowers fraternity) is also plac- ing the spotlight on the “Fifth Switzer- land” by dedicating 25 July to the Swiss Abroad. Vevey is to become their capital for the day. At the same time, people in Swit- zerland will learn more about Swiss citizens working abroad, such as winegrowers who press superb wine in their second homelands. Thanks to a collaboration between the Organi- sation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA) and Swiss Wine Promotion AG, Swiss winegrowers can present their crea- tions on the lake platform. Swiss winemakers from the tradi- tional viticulture countries and re- gions of Australia, Argentina, Bul- garia, France, Italy, California and South Africa will travel to Vevey. However, the oenologist Yves Roduit is also looking for a way into the huge festival. Roduit, who was born in Val- ais, now produces around 15,000 bot- tles of wine a year in Tibet. He be- lieves that the local environment – 2,200 metres above sea level – is so perfect that the grape variety Petite Arvine, which is native to canton Val- ais, could be planted there. Yves Roduit emigrated to Tibet in 2014, not to become a Buddhist but rather to continue the viticulture originally brought to the region by Christian missionaries. It is a very poor area that has experienced little of China’s economic boom, says Ro- duit. He also views his involvement as a way to strengthen the local village community in the Yangtze Valley (Yunnan province). Roduit does not believe that he is anywhere near the end of his journey, and he is looking for investors to help him expand in stages. In his eyes, the terraced slopes in the Yangtze Valley are made for winegrowing. He wants to win over the people with his calling card: his wine. Chinese wine is actually not as ex- otic as it may seem from a Swiss per- spective. The country has long since been among the top-tenwine-produc- ing nations in the world. The People’s Republic of China ranks sixth behind the leaders Italy, France, USA, Spain and Argentina in terms of the volume of wine produced (2018). With over onemillionhectolitres, Switzerland is in position 20. (MUL) Valais wine from the foothills of the Himalayas The spotlight is on the “Fifth Switzerland” this year at the Fête des Vignerons winegrowers’ festival in Vevey – the largest wine festival in Switzerland. ■ ■ “Fête des Vignerons”, 18 July to 11 August 2019: www.fetedesvignerons.ch ■ ■ Day of the Swiss Abroad: ogy.de/aso-vevey The Swiss winegrowing tradition is going from strength to strength, even on the steep flanks of the Yangtze Valley. Photo: donated educationsuisse Tel .+41 31 356 61 04 Fax+41 31 356 61 01 info@educationsuisse.ch www .educationsuisse. ch Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA) Alpenstrasse 26 CH-3006 Berne Tel. +41 31 356 61 00 Fax +41 31 356 61 01 info@aso.ch www.aso.ch www.revue.ch www.swisscommunity.org Our partners: Foundation for Young Swiss Abroad Tel .+41 31 356 6116 Fax+41 31 356 61 01 info@sjas.ch www.sjas.ch