Article published in VINUM magazine on 24 April 2025

Cave Le Bosset, Leytron (VS) L'Humagne Rouge étoilée

The oenologist Romaine Blaser-Michellod and her husband Christian Blaser, supported by their family, produce fine, straightforward organic wines. Their Humagne Rouge, which has already won awards in 2019, won the Swiss Wine des Étoiles du Valais prize this winter. Text: Anick Goumaz

This section should be renamed, because ‘discovery’ is not the name of the quartet at Cave Le Bosset, who have been making exceptional wines for 30 years: Romaine Blaser-Michellod, her husband Christian Blaser, her sister Corinne Goodchild-Michellod and her brother-in-law Graham Goodchild. These fine, pure nectars, made in Leytron without making any waves, apart from those surrounding the Étoiles du Valais, deserve a well-deserved portrait. This winter, Humagne Rouge 2023 won the Swiss Wine prize for the highest score in the selection of Valais wines. The 2018 vintage of the same wine has already achieved this recognition.

Christian in the vineyard and Romaine in the cellar: a well-oiled, meticulous duo that works wonders. They met in the early 90s at Changins College. Romaine already had solid experience acquired in the family. She helps her father, Willy Michellod, with the vinifications. "My first harvest was in 1988 and my first vinification in 1989,’ she recalls. The Valais native is rather discreet on this point, but she is one of the pioneering women who took charge of the cellar work at the family estate. It's a great responsibility, because Le Bosset is not only synonymous with quality wines, but also with the history of the Humagne Rouge grape variety. "Its history began here, in Leytron," explains Romaine. "In the 1940s, winegrowers were making Dôle from Pinot Noir and Gamay. My grandfather owned a vineyard of red grapes, and the whole village said that the vines didn't look like Dôle. Together with another winemaker from Leytron and a nurseryman, my grandfather multiplied these plants and vinified them separately. They didn't know the name of the grape variety. At the time, ampelography wasn't what it is today, with great specialists like José Vouillamoz! In those years, Humagne Blanche was losing out to Fendant. That's why they chose the name Humagne Rouge." We now know that it is none other than Cornalin from Val d'Aoste.

Since 2018, the Leytron estate's vineyards and cellars have been certified organic. Christian is a firm believer in living soils: "On our plots on the plains, we have total grass cover and don't work the soil. The livelier they are, the more distinctive our wines become". Romaine doesn't intervene much in the winemaking process. "Vinification is very simple because I have beautiful grapes. Since I've been making wine, I don't add sulphites to the must. I let them oxidise. So the wine is less demanding until it's bottled. This helps to maintain the wine's finesse. My two main tools are time and oxygenation."

Our favourites:

Humagne Blanche 2023

Complex, its fragrance evokes many floral notes with honey and small flowers, but also lemon and a hint of passion fruit. The palate follows with beeswax and orange blossom. The balance between acid and bitterness is magnificent. Structured on the palate, with almost a hint of tannin. Price: 21 francs

Petite Arvine 2023

Grown on limestone soil in Saillon, this Petite Arvine ticks all the boxes, but is not lacking in personality. On the nose, rhubarb mingles with pineapple. The wine has an oily mouthfeel characteristic of the variety, with salinity and mineral notes from the attack to the finish. Aromas of wisteria, white tea and passion fruit. Salivating acidity. Price: 22 francs

Humagne Rouge 2023

A must, since this Humagne Rouge won the Swiss Wine des Étoiles du Valais prize and the history of this grape variety in the Valais has its origins here. But this wine delights more than just medal-winners. Black fruits such as blackcurrant dance with accents of leather and ivy. On the palate, cherry and oak bark add to the saraband. Excellent value for money. Price: 23 francs