Domaine Bovy

About Winery and Wines

Maison_ensoleille.jpg A welcoming place, the lovely family residence is open to all friends of wine growing and wine. With huge oak tuns (barrels containing from 2,500 to 5,000 litres), several of which are over a hundred years old, and decorated with paintings and sculpture by Maurice Bovy, the cellars are a symbol of the best Vaud (Lake Geneva Region) traditions. The welcome and reception centre incoporates a superb conservatory-verandah - with spectacular views of Lake Geneva and the Alps - and capable of handling gatherings of up to fifty people. A catering service is available on request for buffet or selected menu meals. In June each year, "The Winegrower's Ten O'clock Snack" gala day takes place here and gathers together a convivial group of customers and friends. Natives of Chexbres, the Bovys are an old Vaud family. The cellars date from the 16th century and the first vines of the estate were acquired in 1779. From 1925, Henri Bovy developed the cultivation of his vineyard. In 1937, Maurice Bovy began the commercialisation of his wines in bottles. His son Bernard succeeded him in 1960. Maintaining the direct family line and representing the fourth generation, the estate has been run since 1997 by his sons Bertrand and Eric.

The vines of the estate are entirely located in the Lavaux, a region celebrated for the beauty of its landscape and terraced vineyards, and renowned for its growths. In Lavaux, winegrowing is no easy affair with steep slopes and vineyards suspended in the skies. The estate's vineyards, 8 hectares in size, are made up of varying plots within the appellations of Saint-Saphorin, Epesses, Chardonne and Dézaley.Today, 5,5 hectares occupy the slopes of Saint-Saphorin, characterised by its soil, a combination of clayish chalk resting on a base of chalky rock made up of pebbles joined by sandstone cement.The same type of compacted pebbly molasse (commonly referred to as "pudding stone") is also found in our Dézaley vines, 0.5 hectares in size. Located in the extension of Dézaley, the vines of Epesses (0.5 hectares) are in fertile soil, into which the marly clay strata constantly releases large quantities of clay.The Chardonne vines (1.5 hectares) for their part, flourish in chalky-gritty soil with pebbly elements.