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  • Heida, aka Païen, Upper Valais’s Vin Jaune

Heida, aka Païen, Upper Valais’s Vin Jaune

8 Heida_Paien_MVV_Cépages_Leytron_Hofer_0285People tend to think “Heidi” when they hear “Heida”, and not without reason, for this grape’s history and identity have their roots in our mountainsides.

Heida signifies old or ancient, a literal translation from an Upper Valais dialect, referring to the time before the arrival of Christianity, pagan times (Wolf, 1886). Similarly, we find Heidenhäusern (old houses) and Heido, the name of the oldest bisse (mountain irrigation channel) in Visperterminen.

French-speakers in Valais began called it Païen in 1812. The grape is none other than Savagnin Blanc from the French Jura, the grape behind the region’s famous Vin Jaune. It was brought to Valais during the Middle Ages and adapted well to the very particular terroir of Visperterminen, a village whose vines are perched on terraces that go from 650 metres altitude to 1,150 m.

Source: Histoire de la Vigne et du Vin en Valais, « Les cépages au XVIe siècle: Muscat, Gouais Blanc, Gros Bourgogne et Savagnin Blanc », José Vouillamoz, ampelographer.

Step into the memory of the Switzerland’s largest wine region! The information that you will find on these pages comes from the book "Histoire de la vigne et du vin en Valais, des origines à nos jours", a reference work that brings together the most recent scientific discoveries about the fine wines of Valais and their rich past.

Order the book

Musée du Vin - Rue Ste Catherine 6 - 3960 Sierre | tél. +41 27 456 35 25 | contact@museeduvin-valais.ch

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  • Home
  • Exhibitions and Trail
    • Permanent exhibition
    • Current exhibition
    • Wine Trail
    • Past exhibitions
  • Events
  • “Discovery” programme
  • Schools
  • The Museum
    • Presentation and mission
    • Collections
    • Historical
    • Organization
    • Infos pratiques
  • History of wine
    • From its origins to today
    • History of grape varieties
    • Did you know?
  • Support
  • Shop
  • Media
    • Documents for media
    • Archives
    • Press rewiew
  • Information