Best-Kept Secret in European Wine Regions: Switzerland?

The wines from this alpine country are often overlooked and hard to find, but worth seeking out.

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A vineyard in Vaud, Switzerland, near Lake Geneva. (Prisma by Dukas/UIG via Getty Images)
UIG via Getty Images

Italy, France and Spain are known the world over for their wine regions, and for good reason. But there is another European country that doesn’t get enough credit: Switzerland. The wine from that alpine country is of such high quality that the Swiss don’t want to share it: in fact, 98 percent of Swiss-made wine stays in the country, where it is drunk quite contentedly by its citizens. However, inside the country, Swiss oenophiles are very willing to share, writes Smithsonian Magazine. Visiting wineries in Switzerland is easier than in many other European wine regions, and most shops that double as tasting rooms keep regular hours. Switzerland’s wine country is also strikingly beautiful, an added bonus. You can visit different types of vineyards in Vaud, Valais and Zurich, all which offer a different stunning views and delicious varietals of wine. You’ll want at least a week to experience all three.

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