English
FrançaisSwitzerland • Valais • Flanthey • Lens • Clos de Tsampéhro • Cornalin • Rèze • Petite Arvine • Heida • Completer
Clos de Tsampéhro — Valais Ambition at Its Highest Level
Clos de Tsampéhro is one of the most ambitious projects in contemporary Valais. Located on the slopes of Flanthey, in the municipality of Lens, the estate was born from a clear vision: to produce great Swiss wines without compromise, capable of expressing the complexity of a unique Alpine terroir and the richness of Valais’ historic grape varieties.
Driven by a human adventure bringing together notably Joël Briguet, Vincent Tenud, Christian Gellerstad and Johanna Dayer, Clos de Tsampéhro has established itself as a confidential reference, sought after for its micro-productions, exacting vineyard work and highly precise blends. The style combines Valais ripeness, altitude freshness, textural depth and a strong local identity.
The spirit of the estate
A great Valais wine conceived as an exceptional clos: consolidated parcels, low yields, organic farming, demanding work and a fully assumed ambition. Clos de Tsampéhro seeks dense yet balanced wines, where indigenous varieties meet a contemporary approach to precision, ageing and cellar potential.
History: a human adventure serving a great Valais terroir
Clos de Tsampéhro was born from an ideal: to create a true clos on the heights of Flanthey and produce wines of very high quality, without yielding to the ease of broader production. Bringing this single vineyard together required patience, the assembly of numerous parcels and the conviction of several owners, in a process deeply rooted in place.
The project rests on the complementarity of strong personalities. Joël Briguet brings winegrowing experience, Vincent Tenud oenological precision, while Christian Gellerstad and Johanna Dayer contribute to the momentum and vision of the estate. This alliance between local tradition, technical rigour and a contemporary outlook gives Tsampéhro its singular character.
The name Tsampéhro refers to an old locality connected to the territory of Lens. The estate has made it the symbol of a rooted, ambitious and open-minded Valais, capable of producing rare, distinctive wines built to evolve with time.
Terroir: altitude, slope and Alpine mosaic
The clos covers around 3 hectares in a single block on the slopes of Lens, in the heart of central Valais. Situated at around 660 metres above sea level, it benefits from a south to south-west exposure, steep slopes and a dry, luminous climate, marked by the influence of the foehn and wide diurnal temperature shifts.
This setting produces ripe, concentrated and naturally structured grapes, while preserving the Alpine freshness essential to the balance of the wines. The draining soils, slope and Valais light allow intense expressions that rarely feel heavy when ripeness is well managed.
The estate gives a central role to Valais and Alpine grape varieties: Rèze, Petite Arvine, Heida and Completer for the whites, Cornalin for the reds, complemented depending on the cuvée by international varieties. This diversity allows the estate to craft complex blends rooted in a very Swiss identity.
Terroir expression: central Valais, Flanthey, Lens, altitude, slope, dry climate, Cornalin, Rèze, Petite Arvine, Heida, Completer, ripeness, Alpine freshness and strong local identity.
Clos de Tsampéhro signature: rare, structured, ambitious and precise wines, deeply Valais in character, seeking balance between density, freshness and ageing potential.
Viticulture: organic farming and parcel precision
Clos de Tsampéhro is farmed organically, without herbicides or synthetic pesticides. The estate also applies certain biodynamic principles, with the aim of preserving soil vitality, the long-term health of the clos and the natural expression of each grape variety.
Low yields, hand harvesting and rigorous grape selection are central to the estate’s identity. In this steep and demanding vineyard, every decision seeks to preserve the balance between concentration, freshness and aromatic precision, avoiding any excess of richness or demonstration.
Aromatic profile
Young whites: citrus, pear, stone fruits, Alpine flowers, fine herbs, warm stone, salinity and fresh tension.
Evolved whites: discreet honey, dried fruits, sweet spices, fine wax, tea notes, ripe yellow fruits and mineral length.
Young reds: black cherry, plum, blackberry, violet, pepper, spices, dried herbs, graphite and structured tannins.
Evolved reds: candied black fruits, fine leather, tobacco, cocoa, forest floor, noble spices and a deep finish.
Vinification: ambitious blends and precise ageing
Clos de Tsampéhro stands out for its demanding approach to blending. Rather than multiplying isolated varietal expressions, the estate seeks to compose complete, structured and profound wines, where each grape variety brings a dimension: tension, flesh, aromatics, spice, salinity or length.
Whites: precise blends of Alpine and Valais varieties, seeking tension, texture and length.
Reds: Cornalin often central, complemented depending on the cuvée by Bordeaux varieties for structure, depth and ageing potential.
Ageing: careful work aimed at refining textures, integrating the natural power of the fruit and supporting ageing.
Philosophy: to produce highly ambitious Valais wines, rare, distinctive and serious enough to stand alongside great international wines.
Wine style
The wines of Clos de Tsampéhro are defined by density, precision and ageing ambition. The whites combine volume, salinity, Alpine tension and aromatic complexity. They are not merely fresh: they have real substance, structure and length, allowing them to evolve for several years.
The reds are profound, structured and spicy, with an important role given to Cornalin, a historic Valais variety. Their style is generous, yet always carried by the freshness of the slope. With time, they develop more complex notes of fine leather, tobacco, forest floor and noble spices.
Emblematic cuvées
Clos de Tsampéhro Blanc: an ambitious blend of Valais and Alpine white varieties, combining tension, texture, salinity and length.
Clos de Tsampéhro Rouge: a profound and structured cuvée, often built around Cornalin, complemented by varieties that bring flesh, spice and ageing potential.
Completer: a rare cuvée from an ancient Alpine grape variety, sought after for its tension, depth and ability to age.
Vintage editions: the estate’s wines are often presented as editions, reflecting the identity of the vintage and the gradual evolution of the project.
Confidential cuvées: depending on the year, very limited selections may complete the range, always in a spirit of rarity and coherence with the place.
Ageing and gastronomic pairings
Clos de Tsampéhro wines have real ageing potential. The whites can evolve for 8 to 15 years depending on the cuvée and vintage, while the most structured reds can be kept for 10 to 20 years in good conditions.
The whites pair beautifully with noble fish, shellfish, poultry, refined Alpine cuisine, mountain cheeses, risotto, herb-driven dishes and lightly spiced food. The reds work well with lamb, game, beef, duck, slow-cooked meats, mushrooms, mature cheeses and characterful Valais cuisine.
Key facts
Country: Switzerland
Region: Valais
Location: Flanthey, municipality of Lens
Estate: Clos de Tsampéhro
Key people: Joël Briguet, Vincent Tenud, Christian Gellerstad, Johanna Dayer
Surface area: around 3 hectares in a single block
Altitude: around 660 metres
Main grape varieties: Cornalin, Rèze, Petite Arvine, Heida, Completer, complemented depending on the cuvée by other varieties
Style: rare, ambitious, structured, precise and profound Valais wines built for ageing.
In summary: Clos de Tsampéhro is one of the most ambitious projects in Valais. Located on the slopes of Flanthey, this clos of around 3 hectares combines indigenous varieties, organic farming, technical precision and micro-production. Its white and red wines stand out for their depth, precision and ability to express a very high-level Valais identity.
Dominant aromas: citrus, pear, stone fruits, Alpine flowers, fine herbs, warm stone, salinity, black cherry, plum, blackberry, violet, pepper, graphite, fine leather and a long structured finish.
Current selection
Discover below the bottles from Clos de Tsampéhro currently available at World Web Wines, selected according to arrivals, cuvée rarity, vintage quality, bottle condition and ageing potential.
