Lonely Planet India - August 2016

S

TILL there is more to this region than just cheese and chocolate. Like wine and fish.

Less than an hour’s drive from Gruyères the handsome Fabrice oldest of the three

siblings who work with their father in Le Petit Château Simonet Père et Fils makes wine

in the lakeside hamlet of Môtiers. Their small family winery is a newish enterprise – just over

40 years old – among cellar doors thousands of years old but his pride in their 60000 bottles

annually half white and half red is palpable. The vineyards rise away from Lake Murten

and the water is an integral part of the terroir for the grapes staving off the frost that could

destroy the grapes in winter. Fabrice is easy on the eyes and happily so are his wines on the

palate. The tasting can include upto 10 wines – don’t miss the chasselas a fresh-tasting wine

great with appetisers and the traminer a dryish perfumed wine that works particularly well

with Asian food. These are served with a gâteau du Vully a savoury pie typical of the region.

You’re not obliged to buy any wine at the end of the tour but 50 per cent of their wine does

sell from right there in the cellar another 15 goes further afield to Fribourg (“and even to the

Parliament!” Fabrice says proudly) and 35 per cent to the local restaurants around the lake.

One of these is the Restaurant du Port on the shores of the lake where the must-have dish

is perch that has just recently sacrificed itself from out of Lake Murten served soused in a light

lemon sauce. The wine of course must be Fabrice’s.

Land of milk

and... wine

The vineyards

rise away from

Lake Murten

and the water

is an integral part

of the terroir for

the grapes staving

off frost in winter

1 2

EASY EUROPE GRUYÈRES