In the mountains, a small glass of wine is almost a tradition. After a day of skiing, with a good raclette, or in front of the fireplace, the joy of tasting a good bottle is priceless. But urban legend tells many stories about wine at altitude. So let’s discover the 3 preconceived ideas about wine in the mountains .
At altitude, wine makes you drunk much faster
We often hear that drunkenness occurs much more quickly in the mountains than in the plains. In fact, no scientific study proves this, and the alcohol content does not change with altitude.
On the other hand, it should be noted that in the mountains, oxygen becomes rarer. It is this phenomenon that can accentuate the euphoric effects of wine . But this observation is valid for all alcohols, and is even more true after a long day of skiing or hiking, when the organisms are tired.
Mountain wine is of better quality
Novice wine enthusiasts tend to believe that high-altitude wine is of higher quality . In reality, between a lowland wine and a high altitude wine, it is not the quality that changes, but the characteristics. A good wine remains a good wine, wherever it is. On the other hand, storage at altitude has interesting effects on the evolution of the wine.
Several studies prove that wines aged at altitude develop unique qualities . Red wines are denser, smoother, and also have a nice complexity.
Moreover, the drop in oxygenation at altitude contributes to better conservation of wine bottles , since development is slower.
Mountain viticulture is more complicated
On paper, one might think that working the vines is more complex in the mountains. It is cold there, the soils are often very inclined... But in fact, mountain viticulture is rather favorable to the production of good wines .
According to CERVIM (Center for the study, research and promotion of mountain viticulture), altitude even plays in favor of the vine . Indeed, it protects the vines from diseases, but that is not its only advantage:
- The rich soils allow the cultivation of old, rare grape varieties, which produce mineral and taut wines;
- The slope of the soil pushes winegrowers to work the vines by hand, which produces quality wines.
What if you brought your wines from the plains to the mountains?
Winter wine is not necessarily a mountain wine, and you can perfectly well find excellent bottles in the plains, which you can taste during your stay at altitude and throughout the winter.
Generally, what is appreciated in the cold season are light wines . We then choose a good red wine to accompany a stew, a delicious white wine for meals based on melted cheese, and a little rosé as an aperitif or dessert.
At Château de Berne, the winegrowers have imagined winter edition vintages , ideal to accompany you while waiting for the summer season. We then think of the fruity aromas of the Grande Récolte rosé cuvée , or the aromas of red fruits and white-fleshed fruits of the Inspiration rosé cuvée .
Drinking a good glass of wine after a day in the mountains is a pleasure that you cannot refuse. You can then taste very good wines, in moderation, whether they are from high altitude or not. But why wait until you're in the mountains to treat yourself to a good winter wine? The winter edition vintages from the Berne estate will delight your taste buds.
