Ticino

With an average of more than 2,100 hours of sunshine each year, Switzerland’s southernmost canton is rightly known as the «sun lounge of Switzerland». In Sopraceneri (the region around Bellinzona, Locarno and the Maggia Valley), some vines are still cultivated on traditional pergolas. In Sottoceneri (Lugano, Malcantone, Mendrisio), on the other hand, modern wire frame systems characterise the landscape. However, this is not the only difference between the two Ticino wine-growing regions: Sopraceneri is characterised by light, less calcareous, alpine granite and gneiss soils. Sottoceneri, on the other hand, is characterised by heavy, fertile soils made up of a mixture of volcanic rocks and glacial moraines.

The link between the southern and northern regions is Merlot. The red wine grape has been the leading variety in Ticino since 1906 and now accounts for over 80 per cent of the 1,100 hectares of vineyards. A further ten per cent is made up of Bondola, an indigenous variety, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet franc or Pinot noir. White varieties such as Sauvignon blanc, Chardonnay, Chasselas and Viognier complement Ticino’s varietal diversity on small plots. The fact that white wine still accounts for over a fifth of production is due to the great popularity of the distinctive Merlot bianco white wine.