Page 91 - Travel + Leisure India & South Asia (January 2020)

GETTING THERE:
SNIFF, SWIRL, SIP
The lush 10-acre
Hofkellerei des As our tour concludes, we look forward to the most
Fursten von anticipated part of our visit: the wine tasting. For this,
Liechtenstein is
located in the we’re shepherded to an al fresco tasting area that has
heart of Vaduz. unobstructed views of the snowy Alps. On chunky
wooden tables, surrounded by potted flowers and a
great ancient wooden wine press in the centre, we taste
four wines, including the famed Blauburgunder.
We begin with the Blanc Vaduzer Pinot Noir, which,
as the sommelier explains, is one of the oldest and most
important Vinifera varietals. “Its grapes need rigorous
management and hand-harvesting because they tend
to attract botrytis (a type of fungus) with excessive rain.
It is best drunk at 10° Celsius when paired with aperitif,
fish, and cheese.”
We, however, pair the juicy wine with a platter of
EDUCATION IMAGES/CONTRIBUTOR/GETTYIMAGES next round, we try the Vaduzer Chardonnay of 2017
semi-hard local cheese, ham made by a traditional
butcher family, pickled onions, and cucumbers. For the
vintage. As we sniff, swirl, and sip the wine, the
sommelier elaborates that it is the most important
white grape variety of the Burgundy family.
“It was brought to France by the crusaders and was
introduced to Burgundy by the Benedictines,” we’re told.
“Its date of harvest was September 26, 2017, and as you
sip it, you’ll observe delicate nuances of golden apples,
mangoes, fresh meadow herbs, and vanilla.”
As a tiny, double-landlocked nation
(even the countries that surround
it—Austria and Switzerland—are
landlocked), Liechtenstein has no
airport. So there is no direct air
connectivity to the country. However,
several international airlines, like
SWISS (swiss.com), fly direct from
India to Switzerland, from where
Vaduz is a car drive or bus/train
journey away, depending on which
Swiss city you’re coming from.
It’s best to fly to Zurich and take
a train to Vaduz, which takes four
and a half hours.
STAY
Residence Hotel opened its doors
14 years ago and has since been
hosting business and leisure tourists
in its exquisite rooms and suites.
From `19,380; residence.li
Park Hotel Sonnenhof sits nestled in
the vineyards of Vaduz, on the sunny
side of the Liechtenstein valley. It
boasts 29 individually furnished
rooms to suit every mood, and the
one Michelin-starred Restaurant
Marée. From `27,949; sonnenhof.li
SEASON
April to November
Up next is the Vaduzer Pinot Noir Bocker
2016, whose grapes “require a manual
harvest in dry weather.” It has a strong fruity
aroma with spicy notes, and secondary notes
of vanilla, pepper, and cloves. “While making
this wine, de-stemming is followed by cool
maceration for 10 days, and then, a slow
fermentation. The wine is matured in small
French oak barrels for 15 months,” the wine
expert adds, as we knock back our glasses.
The last wine on our list is the Vaduzer
Pinot Noir, also known as ‘The Queen of
Red Wines’. “It is a high-quality red wine,
probably first cultivated by the Romans,
aged and matured in stainless-steel tanks
and French oak barrels. Please sip it slowly
we’re instructed.
so that you can experience its silky, fruity
bouquet with undertones of dark cherries,”
As the tasting ends, I thank the
sommelier, pick up my glass, and move
towards the vineyards to enjoy the intense
ruby liquor in solitude. The wine and the
surroundings have a deeply meditative
effect. I can feel the Alps smiling down upon
me and the pine-scented air caressing my
skin as I recede into a pleas urable haze.
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