CAVE MANDOLÉ

Valais / Switzerland

The winery of Cave Mandolé is watched over by the image of The Bacchante – a wild, horned female faun and consort of Bacchus, the Roman god of revelry and wine. It is a fitting symbol for the winery and the spirit of its owners, Lisa and Chiara, who have followed their dream to own and operate a winery since they first met in London in 2015.

Lisa Traens, a native of Belgium, studied biochemistry and biotechnology, but wine was her passion. Chiara Benincasa, from Tuscany, studied international trade and translation, but soon grew to share the passion for wine. Both finally committed to the path. Recognizing the need to gain experience in the industry, they studied enology in Switzerland and France, and then took roles in wineries. While Chiara studied the business of wine at an estate in Provence, Lisa plotted an “endless harvest” year of internships around the globe, including stints in Australia, Oregon, and France.

After an extensive search and persistence in navigating the hurdles of foreign ownership, in 2020 Lisa and Chiara took the reins of Cave Mandolé, an established family winery in Valais, Switzerland. The six-hectare estate produces 12 different varieties in the villages of Saillon, Saxon and Fully, including the Swiss natives Petite Arvine, Fendant (Chasselas), Humagne Blanche, and Humagne Rouge.

Named for the local almond trees that share the hillsides with the steep vineyards, Mandolé’s central vineyard features an ancient red-painted “Mazot”, or shelter, that looks down over the Saillon vineyard, provides refuge and comfort to the winemakers and their guests, and adorns the label as a symbol of the estate.

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CAVE MANDOLÉ

Valais / Switzerland

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