OUR WINES & OUR REGION

In southwestern Switzerland, the Valais region lies within the heart of the Swiss Alps, not far from the French and Italian borders. The Valais is known for its dry, continental climate as well as the significant elevation of its mountain slopes, both of which make it a perfect environment for growing grapes. The Valais is the largest wine-producing region in Switzerland, although better known to outsiders for its snow, world-class ski resorts, and beautiful natural landscape. It is also aptly called “the Valley of the Sun” given its abundance of sunshine year-round. The vineyards of the Valais typically face south, and the dry autumn weather is ideal for maturing all types of grape varieties. The high elevation provides cold nights and large diurnal shifts that help to build solid acidity levels and give freshness and crispness to the wines.

The tradition of viticulture and winemaking in the Valais dates back many centuries and continues to remain a way of life for the Valaisans. Vineyards blanket the majority of hillsides surrounding the region’s towns, and many families own their own small plots that they cultivate each year. The Valais is known as some of the most fertile ground in Switzerland for growing all of its indigenous grapes as well as a number of international varieties, including Pinot Noir, which thrives in this terroir.

The Caves du Paradis winery and vineyards are located in the township of Sierre at the center of Switzerland’s Valais region. Winemaker Olivier Roten is the third generation in his family to produce wine in this mountainous area along the Rhone River. The Roten family’s vision has always been to preserve traditional grape varieties and to ensure that their wines reflect the unique alpine terroir in which they are grown.

Olivier Roten studied viticulture at a renowned agricultural school in Switzerland after completing a Political Science degree at the University of Fribourg. Knowing that he wanted to follow in footsteps of his father and grandfather as a wine grower and winemaker, he applied to the Organisation Internationale de la Vigne et du Vin (O.I.V.) to obtain a Master’s of Science degree in Wine Science and Management. Olivier completed the O.I.V. program, which included visits to more than 30 winemaking countries around the world, and then returned to the Valais to take over day-to-day operations at the Caves du Paradis alongside his father and their talented team. While implementing new techniques and approaches, Olivier remains true to the core family philosophy of using sustainable farming practices and intervening as little as possible in the winery to produce high-quality wines that express the unique terroir of this special corner of the Valais.