Domaine de la Rochette perches above the three lakes of Neuchâtel, Biel, and Murten between the Swiss Alps and the Jura Mountains. The vineyards soak the southeastern slopes of the foothills of the Alps and the wines seem to absorb both the soaring heights of the nearby mountains as well as the cool depths of the alpine lakes below. Neuchâtel was historically part of the Kingdom of Burgundy and the lineage can be felt. The vineyards’ terroirs are very similar to Chambolle-Musigny, a thin layer of soil over a deep bedrock of Jurassic limestone. Few know of this hidden mirror to Burgundy outside of Switzerland, and the Swiss would be happy to keep it that way. Domaine de la Rochette is run by the wine genius Jacques Tatasciore. The details of his winemaking are closely guarded secrets and the amounts of wine produced each year are miniscule. These are the finest pinot noirs in Switzerland and some of the most sought after in the world. The vines are an average of 50-year-old massale selection from pinot noir vines of the region stretching back centuries. The domaine encompasses 6 hectares in total. Jacques farms it entirely biodynamically since the beginning but he hasn’t sought certification, seeing the certificate as an unnecessary proof of what is already self-evident in the wines themselves. It is not known precisely, but the educated guess is that his wines are whole-cluster indigenous fermentations aged in French oak barrels. As well as being just generally some of the rarest wines to source in the world.

Rissieux comes from 30-70 year old vines on a thin layer of clay over limestone bedrock. Jacques Tatasciore describes this wine as his Bonnes Mares. The ancient clones stand out in comparison to their modern counterparts. They’re small, poky vines with little clusters of tiny berries. They are restrained vines that naturally suit themselves to the terroir from which they arise. The yields are meager but from the tiny amount of juice Jacques Tatasciore performs miracles. The wine is hand harvested and ages in French Oak barrels for 18-24 months depending on the vintage. The nose of this wine is like a red velvet woven of incense and ember and iron and spices. Purple mountain iris and red raspberry bushes. The palate feels as though a mountain of dark berries was turned into jewels. Blood, creosote, and orange rind with a cooling robe of mint and green herbs. The finish is all silken cloves and incense ember.