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Schloss HeideggThe canton of Lucerne is not a wine canton. It is true that there are vines and vineyards in almost every canton in Switzerland, even in places where there were none in the past. However, a clever knight cultivated vines on the castle hill as early as the beginning of the 14th century. Thus Heidegg became a "wine castle". During a plundering in the middle of the 17th century by insurgents, there is said to have been - according to the chronicle - a great drinking bout, during which the insurgents "only woke up from their drunkenness in court."

However, vine-growing in the canton of Lucerne ceased completely during the phylloxera crisis and was only reintroduced on a modest scale in the middle of the last century - through pioneering spirit and state aid - to the present day just under 40 hectares. No wonder I have never drunk a Lucerne wine myself (only tasted it two or three times). And again it's a restaurant - this time in Olten (Olten is something of a hub in Switzerland) - that had a Heidegger wine on the menu. And what's more, a grape variety that is on the rise in Switzerland, but is still very rarely grown. Of course I grabbed it.

[caption id="attachment_486" align="alignright" width="300"]418 Heidegg Castle (Photo: Bruno Wigger)[/caption]

A Zweigelt from a non-vine-growing canton, from a wonderfully situated castle in the Seetal, this alone is worth looking into. And was it worth it? Yes and no - in any case, I am one experience richer and the experience is not even bad. The wine: nothing exciting, rather something brave - no pep, but no weakness either. There are no 15 hectares of Zweigelt in Switzerland, so this is also special, not only the place of cultivation. There are no less than 16 grape varieties on the five hectares of vineyards on the final estate, why not Zweigelt, you might ask. Yes, why not? I believe that the quality of the wine (which is absolutely fine) can only gain significance through its uniqueness, at least on a regional scale. I don't believe that the wine will ever get abroad. The excitement (or thrill) of consumption is not enough for that. However, it has made it as far as Olten in a good restaurant, i.e. as far as the canton of Solothurn, which, however, borders on the canton of Lucerne, the two places being only 50 kilometres apart.

It's not the kilometres that make the difference, but rather the event of having something rare in the glass. Something rare that is also good and pleasant to drink. And this is much more pleasant and exciting than the umpteenth variant of a mediocre Pinot Noir or even an assemblage à la Bordelais. There is no need for internationality.

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