Malanser Completer 2017
AOC Graubünden, Giani Boner, 750 ml
Grape variety: | Completer |
Producer: | Completer-Kellerei / Giani Boner |
Origin: | Switzerland / Ostschweiz / Graubünden |
Description
In the glass, this rare Grisons speciality is powerful semi-oxidative wine like a sherry. The nose of green nuts and spices is also supported by hints of quince and ripe exotic fruits. On palate this wine develops a fine, rich structure with a very interesting pineapple freshness that continues to the finish.
Attributes
Origin: | Switzerland / Ostschweiz / Graubünden |
Grape variety: | Completer |
Label: | Vegan |
Ripening potential: | 10 to 18 years after harvest |
Drinking temperature: | 10 to 12 °C |
Food Pairing: | Grilled fish, Roast veal with morel sauce, Crispy roast chicken, Vitello tonnato, Cheese board, Spaghetti carbonara |
Vinification: | fermentation in wooden barrel, soft pressing, cooling period |
Harvest: | hand-picking, strict selection, in small boxes, selecting the grapes (by hand) |
Maturation: | in steel tank, in used barriques |
Maturation duration: | 18 months |
Volume: | 14.0 % |
Note: | Contains sulphites |
Completer
A monk wine worthy of worshiping
This rare white grape variety is cultivated mainly in the canton of Graubünden, over a modest 1.7 hectares. Wine growing has been documented in Malans since 926, but the Completer was first mentioned by name in 1321. The name derives from the evening prayer “Completorium” or “Completa,” as the wine was drunk by monks of Chur after the prayer as a restorative.
Vintners from Malans have cherished and cared for the grape for many centuries, which is why it is often also called the vine of Malans. Because of its striking acidity, the Completer nearly became extinct in the middle of the last century. It recovered, however, and is finding ever more enthusiasts.
Graubünden
Graubünden: Mecca for Burgundy varieties
Nowhere in Switzerland has a better ratio of first-class Pinot noir crops to cultivation area than Graubünden. The ageing philosophy of vintners here leaves its imprint even more than the subtle differences in terroir from one vineyard village to the next. In recent years, three Pinot types have established themselves here: the light and sweet Herrschäftler for everyday drinking, the selections aged in large wooden barrels or used barriques, and of course the premium selections of individual estates matured in barriques.
Ostschweiz
Eastern Switzerland: an intriguing puzzle
Eastern Switzerland has long been positioned on the northern rim of the climate zone where the cultivation of popular Swiss varieties is possible. Due to a warming climate, the vineyards of Aargau, Zurich, Schaffhausen, Thurgau and Graubünden are now in the zone where varieties such as Müller-Thurgau or Pinot Noir succeed excellently. But even long-established, almost-forgotten varieties such as Elbling, Räuschling and Completer are experiencing a renaissance.
Switzerland
Switzerland – A small country with enormous diversity
Switzerland is famous for its banks, watches, and cheese, but not necessarily for its wine. The Swiss didn't invent wine, but they have been extremely open and curious to it. Wine culture arrived in what is now modern Switzerland via several routes: from Marseilles to Lake Geneva and the Lower Valais region; from the Aosta Valley through the Great St. Bernard Pass to the rest of Valais; from the Rhone through Burgundy, across the Jura Mountains to Lake Constance; and from Lombardy to Ticino, and then on to Grisons.