Leukersonne Winery in Susten awarded 'Winery of the Year 2023' at Grand Prix du Vin Suisse

Swiss Wine Promotion awarded the title of Swiss Wine Ambassadors to two outstanding Chinese wine experts: Wang Zhao and Christina Lee. At the Swiss Centers booth at the China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai, Chinese consumers flocked to a corner dedicated to Swiss wines. Chinese market interest is strong, says Nicolas Joss, Director of Swiss Wine Promotion. Swiss Centers has been representing Swiss Wine Promotion in China for over two years, managing offline events, Social Media communication, and more. Shanghai (November 8, 2023) – On November 7, at the Swiss Centers cluster booth at the China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai, Swiss Wine Promotion, the national promotion body for Swiss wines, awarded the title of “Swiss Wine Ambassador” to two real connoisseurs of Swiss wine in the Chinese market: Ms. Wang Zhao, a wine columnist, KOL and passionate advocate of wine culture as well as university teacher for wine history, tasting and marketing, and Ms. Christina Lee, a lifestyle blogger and founder of Wine Lee Talk, who used to study in Lausanne and was selected as one of the top 50 influential people in the global beverage industry by the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) and the International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC).Nicolas Musy and Christina Lee ©Swiss CentersStrong Chinese interestNicolas Joss, Director of Swiss Wine Promotion, said: “The expansion of the Swiss wine presence and the participation of new partners confirm that China really is one of the markets with a strong interest in Swiss wines. This new edition of CIIE, with again a special corner for Swiss wines, is yet another step in the growth of Swiss wines in China. Discovering our wines means looking for something unique, something that few countries in the world have the opportunity to taste, including China.” “For me, Switzerland, Swiss wine, and its wine regions all hold a unique charm. I am truly honored to be an Ambassador for Swiss wine and am eager to share my knowledge and impressions with a wider audience of Chinese consumers”, explained an excited Wang Zhao. Her fellow new Ambassador Christina Lee was equally enthusiastic: “I am very happy to receive the title of Swiss Wine Promotion Ambassador. I hope to continue to bring the beauty of Swiss wine to more Chinese wine lovers in the future, so that the fragrance of Swiss wine will occupy a place in the Chinese market.” Nicolas Musy and Wang Zhao ©Swiss CentersNicolas Musy, Delegate of the Board of the Swiss Centers Group, a non-profit organization that lowers the Asian market entry hurdles for Swiss enterprises, presented the certificates to the two Chinese wine experts. Musy: “Swiss Centers had the pleasure of representing Swiss Wine Promotion in China for over two years now. During the CIIE, the Swiss Centers booth hosts a bar with the largest concentration of Swiss wines in China. In addition to offline activities, last year Swiss Centers opened and managed the Swiss Wine Promotion official WeChat and Weibo accounts to highlight the quality and specificities of Swiss wines on social medias. With the additional support of these two great connoisseurs, Christina Lee and Wang Zhao, Chinese wine lovers will get more opportunities to know and appreciate the wines of Switzerland!”

On the weekends of 23-24 September and 30 September/1st October, the third national "At the Heart of the Harvest" autumnal fair took place, organised by Swiss Wine Promotion (SWP), the Swiss wines national body. This year, the organisers were able to rely on thirty-nine Swiss wineries to welcome more than nine-hundred and fifty apprentice grape harvesters.The first two "At the Heart of the Harvest" events were held over a single day only. For 2023, in response to the enthusiasm of both the wine cellars and the participants, SWP extended the event over two weekends: 23-24 September and 30 September - 1 October. For these four dates, thirty-nine wineries, from the five wine regions, were showcased. They welcomed more than nine-hundred and fifty people, young and old, for a few hours' full immersion in the heart of the vineyard. After a beautiful Summer, it was grape harvesting season, and the participants had the chance to experience it first-hand. The apprentice grape harvesters were able to celebrate this intense and emotional moment together with the passionate winemakers.After a warm welcome, followed by safety tips, the day began by heading out to discover the harvest. The daily programmes varied depending on the progress of the harvest in the field or the weather. Nevertheless, it was a great opportunity to discover the work in the vineyard and the cellar, to taste grape juice and the ‘must’, as well as understand everything there is to know about the winemaking processes. The day ended with a tasting of the specialties of the estate followed by a friendly meal where the harvesters for the day and the traditional wine makers were able to exchange thoughts.This third event brought together some thirty-nine ‘domains’ spread across Switzerland: fourteen from Valais, thirteen the canton of Vaud, six in German-speaking Switzerland, 3 from Geneva and three in the Trois-Lacs region. SWP is delighted to announce the sale of over 85% of the tickets. Thanks to the commitment of the organisations participating, the public was able to discover the work of the vineyards and the wineries, as well as tasting Swiss wines directly from the producers, with whom they were able to establish direct and obviously quite special relationships.The enthusiasm of the participants, in addition to the positive response of the winemakers, enhances SWP's desire to continue to organise events that promote the discovery of Swiss wines, direct contact, and short supply chains in order to promote the consumption of local produce. Next Spring, at the time of the flowering of the vine, the date of the next "At the Heart of the 2024 Harvest" event will be communicated.Swiss Wine Promotion would also like to thank all the partners who contributed to the success of this project: the participating estates, the promotional bodies of the six wine regions as well as the media and our technical partners.