The Conservatoire Mondial du Chasselas
Opened in 2010 on the hills above Rivaz on the initiative of Louis-Philippe Bovard, the Conservatoire Mondial du Chasselas aims to preserve this white grape variety, which has been grown in Lavaux since the 12th century.
It aims to raise awareness among the public, winegrowers and researchers of the many different varieties of Chasselas and their respective qualities.
The aim is to select the vines best suited to the various terroirs, changing consumer tastes and climate change. It is also a matter of quality: ultimately, to produce a top-quality white wine.
The grape variety
Recent studies have shown that the grape variety probably originates from the Lake Geneva region. Chasselas is now grown all over the world, covering a total area of around 40,000 hectares. In its preferred terroirs, it produces wines of exceptional quality, as well as excellent table grapes.
There is a wide variety of Chasselas types. However, this diversity was lost during the 20th century in favour of a single type, Fendant roux, which became widely established. The Conservatoire preserves this biodiversity through the cultivation and study, in its lower section, of nineteen biotypes, mainly white, but also red and rosé. The middle section is occupied by five varieties once common in the Canton of Vaud: Fendant roux, Vert de la Côte, Giclet, Blanchette and Bois rouge. Among these, Giclet and Bois rouge have proved to be the most promising. The upper section houses five new polyclonal selections characterised by varying levels of yield potential, acidity and nitrogen content.
The aim is to select the vines best suited to the various terroirs, changing consumer tastes and climate change, with the hope of shaping the vineyards of the future. The ultimate goal is, above all, one of quality: to eventually produce a top-tier white wine. Studies are being carried out to identify the biotypes which, depending on the terroir, deliver the best yields, sugar content, acidity levels and aromatic compounds.
A place for a stroll
As much a centre for research as it is for public engagement, the Conservatory is also a wonderful place to stroll around.
It offers a chance to discover the diversity of colours found in the berries, foliage, shoots and bunches. These differences are evident, for example, in white, pink or red berries, shoots with red or green wood, or leaves with more or less pronounced indentations. The terroir also reveals the rich heritage, identity and culture of the Chasselas grape.
The Conservatoire was established as a public utility foundation initiated by Louis-Philippe Bovard. It is run in collaboration with Agroscope Changins-Wädenswil, the Office Vaudois de la Viticulture, the Municipality of Rivaz and the Domaine Bovard.
The Conservatoire Mondial du Chasselas in Mont-sur-Rolle
In 2017, a replica of the Rivaz collection was established in Mont-sur-Rolle, at the Paccot family’s Domaine La Colombe. The value of this second conservatory lies in the ability to compare the results of research carried out in Lavaux and La Côte, as well as to assess the differences in soil and climate. Situated at an altitude of 500 metres, well exposed and sheltered from the wind, the one-hectare plot is cultivated using biodynamic methods, the type of agriculture practised at the Domaine de La Colombe.
As in Rivaz, the Mont-sur-Rolle conservatory hosts nineteen Chasselas biotypes and the five new polyclonal selections.
