Fête des Vignerons Winemakers Festival Highlights 2019 Events
There were photos of the Matterhorn, a castle, people cycling through the beautiful countryside, wineries on a hill by a lake and Swiss wines being poured at the bar.
I was at a Tourism Switzerland event for Los Angeles travel writers at Moraga Estate, a mansion and winery across from the Getty Museum in L.A. And while I’ve been to Switzerland three times, I can’t tell you how this event made me want to go back there again.
The tourism board was promoting the Lake Geneva/Matterhorn part of the country including a rare event, the Fête des Vignerons, a winemakers festival that only occurs once every 20 years and is such a big deal the organizers are building a stadium for it. This is to be held on the lakefront in Vevey from July 20-Aug. 11.
And while they didn’t mention it, I will, the Zurich Street Parade – the Mardi Gras of Switzerland – is Aug. 10. What a time to be in Switzerland!
But that’s not all to love about Switzerland in 2019, and not by a long shot. I also learned of a ski apres train. Apparently, people board a train going from a ski resort to a nearby town and have turned part of the train into a traveling apres bar (it’s between Disentis and Andermatt). Obviously, I need to get more information on this – or better, yet, experience it for myself.
I love these Tourism Switzerland press events. They have three to four a year here in Los Angeles. For one, the people from the tourism board are really nice. In fact, over the years we’ve become friends and joke around a lot, catch up on each other’s families and activities and have a very pleasant mingling experience.
Plus, they always bring Swiss wines! I really like the wines from Switzerland and they are impossible to get anywhere outside of the country, so it’s a rare treat. At this event, I really enjoyed the Petite Arvine, a white from the Lake Geneva region. I have visited a winery in that area and it’s an incredible experience. I wrote and article about visiting the Lake Geneva region wineries and I can tell you it’s nothing like Napa or other wine countries.
By the way, they also had a couple of wines from Moraga Estate red and the red was outstanding.
The event achieved its objective. It had me thinking of Switzerland and also has inspired me to write more about Switzerland.
Broscht!
Leave a Reply