Le vin, le soleil et le beau temps

Today was one of those days when everything comes together, when the weather is no less than sublime.  As such, it was a perfect day for the Caves Ouvertes Vaudoises (Open Wine Cellars in Vaud) for 2010.  This is the first year that some 300 wine producers in the canton of Vaud have all opened their cellars at the same time.  Visitors can visit the Appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC) (controlled designation of origin) area(s) of their choice and taste what the vintners have on offer.   The AOC in French-speaking Switzerland works in much the same way as it does in France.

Certainly, the idea is to get people into the open air and into the cellars to taste, and purchase, the excellent local wines.  But it is also a social occasion for the whole family to enjoy the countryside together, especially when the day is as glorious as today was.  Free shuttle buses ran from the train depots up into the rolling countryside along Lake Geneva in an effort to encourage people to leave their cars at home.

Since three of the participating wine producers were actually within walking distance, I took the opportunity to see what my neighbors were doing.  Each of the three had people coming and going, several with children happily in tow.

Our lake microclimate allows palm trees to grow, even to flourish, here.  Reminder: this IS Switzerland.

One of the caves had special entertainment.  A local sculptor was giving a demonstration of his skills with shaping wood.  Fittingly, his subject was a wine bottle.

Exciting for young and not-so-young alike, a helicopter was making short sweeps of this scenic area, with passengers lining up at CHF 50 a pop to see the sights.

This particular wine producer tends the grapes in "my" vineyard.

There is a friendly rivalry next door, with parasols set up in the courtyard.

Even the old wine presses can be recycled.

And a good time was had by all.