Le Tourmentin: Four decades of excellence

In 1983, the Rouvinez brothers had a bold vision that would go down in the history of Valais winegrowing: to create a wine aged in oak barrels, at a time when no one else was doing so. Dominique Rouvinez took a course in oenology in Bordeaux to learn the basics of vinification in oak barrels, and brought ten barrels from Burgundy back to Sierre. And so the wonderful adventure of Le Tourmentin began…

After twelve months of ageing, Le Tourmentin is born, distinguished by its finesse, elegance and power. Initially made from Pinot Noir, Cornalin, Humagne Rouge and Syrah were added in 1988. Tourmentin became one of the first Valais barrel blends, revolutionising the world of local wines.

The first vintage of Tourmentin, made from low-yielding old Pinot Noir vines, needed a name as unique as its taste. So the Rouvinez brothers launched a competition. In the end, Jean-Michel Borel, owner of Roth & Sauter, won the prize for originality. Inspired by the ‘torments’ of the effervescent vats at Géronde, he came up with the name ‘Le Tourmentin’. The name was adopted and the trademark registered in Bern.

In 1991, the introduction of the AOC in the Valais left out blends such as Tourmentin. As there was no legal provision to protect wines made from several grape varieties, Tourmentin was excluded from the Appellation for three years. Ironically, Tourmentin, whose grapes are classified as AOC, cannot claim this AOC. The legislation was finally amended to include blends, restoring Tourmentin’s deserved prestige.

At the end of the 1980s, a bottle of red wine in the Valais cost around 12 francs. The Tourmentin, priced at 25 francs, caused a sensation. However, this wine, which required much longer and more meticulous ageing, quickly established itself on the best tables in the country. Today, priced at 33.80 francs, Tourmentin remains a must for lovers of fine wines.
From 21 August to 30 September you can find it at the same price as 40 years ago!

For a wine as refined as Tourmentin, you need a bottle that does justice to its contents. The Rouvinez brothers have innovated once again by choosing a Bordeaux ‘Elite’ bottle, a first in Switzerland. This elegant, futuristic design required a few technical adjustments during the bottling process, which was not suited to this type of bottle. But these major challenges didn’t stop the Rouvinez brothers!