Winegrowers’ Portraits
Interview with Charles ROLAZ, Administrator of Hammel
Tell us about your common projects with Paolo Basso, Best Sommelier of the World? Further to Jean-Claude Biver's initiative, CEO of the watch-making factory Hublot, we began to collaborate this year with Paolo Basso to craft together a red cuvee stemming from our vineyards in the Vaud area, especially selected for Hublot, that will be served all over the world during their events.
Tell us about your common projects with Paolo Basso, Best Sommelier of the World? Further to Jean-Claude Biver's initiative, CEO of the watch-making factory Hublot, we began to collaborate this year with Paolo Basso to craft together a red cuvee stemming from our vineyards in the Vaud area, especially selected for Hublot, that will be served all over the world during their events.
This meeting was fruitful because afterwards, building on this first experience, Paolo and I decided to develop our collaboration by launching another red cuvee stemming from selections of old vines of Merlot and Cabernet Franc from our best soils of Vaud. This cuvee is intended in particular for the export ageing capacity, By producing great terroir wines stemming from noble vines, with a long we intend
to demonstrate that the Swiss wine and in particular from Vaud deserves its place among world’s greatest wines. The indisputable expertise of Paolo Basso and his savoir-faire will undoubtedly contribute to the fulfillment of these objectives.For that purpose, for two decades, I developed within Hammel an excellent philosophy established on four main axis which constitute the essence of our house.
Our vocation is to protect all the ancestral know-how, while bringing a renewed creativity and a passion for our profession, the inheritance of which will be passed on to the future generations.
• QualityThe house Hammel distinguishes itself by its spirit of innovation based on a scientific approach of research and development. In the early 90s, I acted as a pioneer in the canton. ln our constant quest for quality, we continuously try to push back the limits of our knowledge by a vast program of viti-enology experiment and invest in the in-service training of our production team.
Your family owns several estates, can you speak about some of their specialities? We are indeed lucky to hold a unique heritage composed of prestigious Domains in the cantons of Vaud and Valais, as well as Burgundy. Among these, let us quote the most famous jewels: Domaine de Crochet - Grand Cru - Montsur- Rolle; Clos du Châtelard - 1st Grand Cru - Villeneuve; Domaine du Montet - Grand Cru Bex; Clos de la George - 1st Grand Cru - Yvorne; L' Ovaille - 1st Grand Cru- Yvorne; Domaine de la Muraz - Sion; Clos des Varoilles - 1st Cru - Gevrey-Chambertin. All are of authentic Great Terroir wines, crafted for ageing, intended to provide pleasure and emotion. They are the fruit of a passion. Every year, our wines are awarded with the highest distinctions in the national and international competitions.
Could you explain what the “Memory of Swiss Wines” is,an association of which you are the President? Established by wine producers and journalists (Andreas Keller, Martin Kilchmann, Susi Scholl, Stefan Keller), the Memory of Swiss Wines (www.mdvs.ch) celebrated its ten years of existence last year. What began as a kind of family club made up of a small group of 21 Swiss pioneers of the wine from the very beginning led by the initiator of the Memory, Christian Lündel, became a major association dedicated to the promotion and the recognition of Swiss wines on the national and international level.It combines at present the elite of the Swiss wines, i.e. 54 producers from all over the country, as well as journalists, scientists and sommeliers who perfectly represent the diversity and the dynamism of our viti-vinicultural scene. Every member producer is represented in the Memory by one of his wines, selected by a panel of specialized journalists, among which 60 bottles of every vintage are preserved in a 'treasure' where they are subjected to the test of time to be estimated over the years within the framework of presentations and vertical tastings opened to the professionals and the amateurs of wines.
Do you have a quotation, a proverb which suits you and why? “Valour doesnot awaitthe passing of years”, a paradox maxim that does certainly not apply to great wines, that we know have to age to improve, but suits youth. When I began 25 years ago, I had to face quite a lot of skepticism with my somewhat revolutionary ideas which sometimes questioned certain habits. It made me waste a lot of time … Today, I deliberately choose a team of young people so that our house always remains dynamic and ensure continuity with my daughter who should join me in the coming years.
Hammel
Les Cruz
Case postale 155
1180 Rolle • Suisse
Tél. :+41 (0)21 822 07 07
Fax :+41 (0)21 822 07 00
admin@hammel.ch
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