Starting out as a small cooperative of Morges winemakers at the close of the 1920s, Cave de la Côte has grown to encompass no less than 1800 plots, across 450 hectares and almost 300 producers.
The various divisions of the cooperative range from tiny parcels of vine to larger estates, extending from the city of Lausanne to the lakeside metropolis of Geneva, and subsequently accounting for nearly a quarter of La Côte’s viticultural land. This diversity and spread affords that each plot has its own unique growing conditions and microclimate, and thus the range of wines from Cave de la Côte are able to perfectly express the subtleties of their region.
The three kings - Chasselas, Pinot Noir and Gamay are the most dominant varieties. However, over the last twenty years, as the cooperative has grown and the Swiss wine industry in general has adopted a more commercial focus, the offering has been enriched and diversified with a wider range of grape varieties being cultivated by a greater number of producers. Chardonnay and Viognier now feature more readily amongst its white wine grapes, whilst Cabernet Franc, Gamaret, Garanoir and Merlot stand in support of the principal reds. In all, Cave de la Côte’s wines are drawn from more than thirty grape varieties, each finding their perfect terroir on the sun-kissed slopes of Lac Léman’s north shore. These include unusual crossings such as Doral, Galotta and the newly developed Divico whose resistance to fungal diseases make it a popular choice for the environmentally conscious wine-grower.
Cave de la Côte has two vinification sites strategically positioned along its geographical spectrum. The facilities at Nyon and Tolochenaz have been recently renovated and equipped with modern technology which affords the winemaker extra control and precision. Led by renowned oenologist Rodrigo Banto, the team’s passion for viticultural creativity and excellence is reflected in the quality of its wines and subsequently in the number of accolades and awards they receive on the national and international stage. Amongst the cooperative’s most recent marks of distinction are their inclusion in Gault & Millau’s ‘125 Best Winemakers in Switzerland’ and the Vinissimo ‘Coup de Cœur’ red wine award (Gamaret Réserve) at the Grand Prix du Vin Suisse.
