Domaine de la Rochette

Situated between the Alps and the Jura Mountains, Neuchâtel is underpinned by the same band of Jurassic limestone present in Burgundy and the Jura. Compressed and folded by the geologic process that built the surrounding mountains, then ground smooth by the glaciers that also carved out the region’s three lakes – Neuchâtel, Biel, and Murten – Neuchâtel lacks the dramatic vistas of the Valais or the grandeur of Lavaux. The drama of Neuchâtel is subterranean. The region’s vineyards are located on the southeastern-facing slopes above the three lakes, where the topsoils are thinner and where the limestone is closer to the surface. These are the precise ingredients for making incredibly detailed, precise, and age-worthy Pinot Noir.

Outside of Switzerland, few are aware of this hidden terroir, and if Jacques Tatasciore has his way, this will remain so. After leaving the world of business, he settled in Cressier and assembled a selection of top sites in Neuchâtel. There is no tasting room, no sign, and visitors are discouraged. Jacques is frequently awarded top honors in Switzerland for his wines, but he never attends the ceremonies – all his energy goes into his wines. Production is tiny, selection is painfully strict, allocations are jealously guarded, and details are scarce. The wines speak for themselves.