Chasselas
Also known as Fendant, Gutedel
Probably Lake Geneva, Switzerland
A delicate, low-acid, neutral white, Switzerland's most planted grape, where it shows the terroir of Vaud and Valais with unusual clarity.
Sensory profile
Characteristics
Flavor & aroma
At a glance
Production facts
Prevalence
Niche
Climate
Moderate climate
Ripening
Early season
Wine styles
Still
Where it's grown
Geography
Shaded areas are the state, province or département(s) containing each region, so they run wider than the appellations themselves.
Background
Origin & History
Chasselas is probably from the Lake Geneva area, though older stories place it in Egypt. It has been grown as both a table and wine grape for centuries, and is Switzerland's most planted white variety, called Fendant in the Valais.
Its wines are delicate, low in acid and gently floral, with little of their own character, and so they take on the mineral quality of the soil, which is why the terraced vineyards of Lavaux and Dézaley in Vaud are so admired. It is Gutedel in Baden, and is also grown at Pouilly-sur-Loire.
Lineage
Family tree
Parentage not recorded — Chasselas is an old variety of unknown origin.
No crossings involving Chasselas are documented in the collection yet.