Clos de Tsampéhro Completer IV

Clos de Tsampéhro, Flanthey
Description (detail)

The Completer from Clos de Tsampéhro is one of the most extraordinary rare white wines from Valais—and there is a special story behind it. This historic grape variety, best known in the Grisons region, was planted at Clos de Tsampéhro in Flanthey in 2012 after renowned ampelographer Dr. José Vouillamoz used DNA analysis to prove that Completer was historically native to Valais as well. In a sense, this marked the return of a nearly forgotten variety to its Valais roots.

The very first vintage in 2014 was of such exceptional quality that the team decided against blending the Completer into a cuvée, opting instead to bottle it as a single-varietal wine for the first time. According to Vouillamoz, the fewer than 300 bottles sold out almost immediately. Production remains tiny to this day: only a single barrel—yielding around 290 bottles—is produced annually.

In the glass, the Completer impressively demonstrates why that decision was made. Power and richness meet the variety’s distinctive natural acidity. Notes of ripe yellow fruit, candied citrus, and fine herbs combine with brioche, roasted aromas, and a saline, mineral tension. Three years of aging on the lees in wood barrels lend the wine depth and texture without sacrificing its characteristic freshness. It is a distinctive, age-worthy wine—ideal for fine dining—that gains further complexity as it matures in the bottle.

And our bottle? It holds a very special place for us: it comes from that very first separately bottled vintage of this Completer. With a wine of which only a few hundred bottles are produced in total, we are able to preserve a small piece of Valais wine history in our cellar—and we own exactly one single bottle of it.

White wine
Prozent
15
Option 1: Beschrieb
75cl
Option 1: Jahrgang
2014
Option 1: Preis
CHF 320

Matching mood

sensual & profound

Characteristics

Complex & elegant
Dry
Oak barrel
Pure-sorted
Rarity
Veal
Fish & Seafood
15 years

Our story

What connects us with this winery...

Clos de Tsampéhro

Clos de Tsampéhro in Flanthey was born from the shared vision of three wine enthusiasts: Joël Briguet, Christian Gellerstad, and Vincent Tenud. Their standards are uncompromising: on just under three hectares of exceptional Valais soil, they produce small quantities of wine that express the terroir in its purest form.

Winemaker Joël Briguet, founder of Cave La Romaine, oversees vineyard operations, while Vincent Tenud—a trained oenologist from Changins—shapes the winemaking process. As a co-founder and passionate wine lover, Christian Gellerstad contributes the strategic perspective. They are supported in the vineyard by viticulture manager Antonio Almeida, who has known the Flanthey terroir for many years.

The name "Tsampéhro" comes from the local Valais patois and refers to the specific location of the vineyards. Situated at an altitude of around 600 meters, the terraced plots benefit from the intense Valais sun and lean, limestone-rich soils. The focus is on a select few cuvées. Low yields, meticulous manual labor, and uncompromising selection form the foundation of their work.

The terroir is particularly fascinating: the *Clos* comprises just under three hectares of soil characterized by slate and sandy loam. Ten grape varieties grow here, with a deliberate blend of indigenous Valais varieties and international ones. Viticulture is organic, eschewing herbicides and pesticides, and incorporates biodynamic principles. Another notable feature: according to the estate, the *Clos* is home to the oldest still-productive Cornalin plot, featuring vines that are nearly 100 years old.

The deliberate numbering of editions using Roman numerals is another distinctive touch. In this way, every vintage becomes part of the *Clos*'s history - with Edition I corresponding to the 2011 vintage.

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More about the grape variety

Completer

«A wine in which interest is growing, not only among winegrowers...»

Completer is an old grape variety from Graubünden that was first mentioned in 1321 in Malans near Chur. The name is derived from the Benedictine monks' evening prayer, the Completorium, after which they were allowed to drink a glass of wine in silence. Modern research has shown that the grape variety continues to exist in Valais under the erroneous names "Kleine Lafnetscha" and "Grosse Lafnetscha". Incidentally, the Lafnetscha grape variety, another rarity in Valais, originated from a cross between Humagne Blanche and Completer.

Thanks to the influence of the foehn wind, this late-ripening grape variety produces aromatic, full-bodied wines whose high natural acidity ensures excellent ageing potential. Having almost disappeared in the 1960s, the rare Completer variety is now cultivated in Switzerland, mainly in Graubünden, but also in Zurich and, more recently, in Valais. All Completer vines cultivated today originate from a single vine in Malans. In Valais, the Kleine and Grosse Lafnetscha could no longer be propagated because the pergola system fell victim to road construction. An ancient Completer vine was found by chance in the Vinesch vineyard in the Mattertal valley. Valentina Andrei, a winegrower in Saillon, pruned, grafted and planted from this vine. 

Completer wines generally have complex aromas of quince, ripe apples, plums and honey. On the palate, they are completely dry, with a lush structure, very high natural acidity and a tendency to oxidise slightly.

Learn more about this grape variety

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