As the Swiss often like to say, the reason you can’t find Swiss wine outside of Switzerland is that they drink it all themselves. Well, I had the chance to swing by Lucerne for work, and so I filled my small suitcase with a few bottles.
Luc Massy 2010 Clos du Boux Grand Cru Epesses (Lavaux)
The major grape here is Chasselas, and it represents the large majority of the local production. This grape variety yields whites that are known for being light and quaffable.
Personally, I’m not a big fan. Even the Grand Cru bottlings, like this Epesses I brought back, tend to lack the vibrant acidity I look for in this style of wine. I usually describe them as spherical, with a round, mineral mouth feel but nothing in the center. A hollow ball of soft melon fruit. It kind of reminds me of certain…… sake!
And so I’ve been wanting to try a Swiss Chasselas wine with sashimi to see how it performs. We picked up a small assortment in the Japanese district and finally gave it a shot. Turns out it works pretty well!
The wine didn’t clash with any of the fish. It still gave that same impression of a hollow sphere, but the sashimi filled the empty space and their flavors were preserved. The tai (snapper) worked best, becoming more delicate and refined with the Chasselas, while the maguro (tuna) and shake (salmon) were simply colored by the wine, as if a soft light was applied to the fish.
Very nice!
