Uvrier is a wine appellation of western Switzerland, covering the very eastern edge of the Sion District, in central Valais. It lies on the border between Sion and the neighboring Sierre district (which is officially marked by the Lienne river), and to the casual observer would appear to be part of Saint-Leonard. The vineyards covered by the appellation lie between the Rhone river where it meanders north-west for a time, and the lower mountain slopes which line the road from Sion. Above these slopes is Signese, which technically belongs to Herens District. In short, this is a complex junction between the three main wine-growing districts of the Valais.
A typical Uvrier wine might be a varietal (although blends are by no means unusual) made from Pinot Noir, Gamay, Cornalin or Humagne Rouge for reds and Chasselas, Sylvaner, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc or Pinot Gris for whites.
The Swiss wine industry lacked a formalized appellation system until the late 1980s, but now a comprehensive structure is in place. In the nation's three official languages the classification is variously entitled Appellation d'Origine Controlle (AOC), Geographische Ursprungbezeichnung (GUB) and Denominazione d'Origine Controllata (DOC). The different names and corresponding acronyms are evidence of Switzerland's multi-lingualism.
As Switzerland continues to pursue and develop export markets for its wines – for a long time sold only through domestic channels – Swiss wine from appellations such as Uvrier will become more readily available and more widely recognized.
