Often compared to a natural cathedral, for the emotion that the great sight gives rise to, Dézaley is a prestigious production site in the Lavaux UNESCO region. Its rocks bear the traces of the retreat of the Rhone glacier as though they had been sharpened by hammers. Dézaley’s striking slopes did not put off the Cistercian monks, who planted Lavaux’s first vineyards in the 12th century. To support the grapes and the steep sloping land, the monks built walls which are often over 15 meters high. The stones in these walls, which are so characteristic of the Dézaley landscape, nourish the vines as they capture and retain the heat of the sun.
Despite the hostile nature of this rocky ground, the Chasselas, the Vaudois grape variety “par excellence”, flourishes in the Dézaley Grand Cru AOC terroir. It produces wines with a smoky flavour and taste of honey. Visitors can get an idea of the breathtaking landscape from its summit to the base on board a boat on Lake Geneva.
