Definition: dézaley

History

In the 12th century, Guy de Malagny, Bishop of Lausanne and a native of Burgundy, had the intuition that the steep slopes of Dézaley could prove to be excellent terroir. In 1141, he gave his uncultivated land to the Cistercian monks, hoping that these builders and skilled winegrowers would create a terroir in this no man's land. It took a few more favours and some money to persuade the monks to undertake this colossal task, which also required the participation of the local population to clear the land, build terraces and walls as far as the eye could see, reshape the terrain, and work the soil and vines. This is how the Clos des Abbayes estate, belonging to the Montheron convent, and the Clos des Moines estate, belonging to the Haut-Crêt convent, were created.
It was by working with and for the monks on these arduous tasks that our ancestors learned the art of winemaking, as it has been passed down to us, and a love of the vine.
In 1536, the Bernese came to settle as the new masters, bringing reform for the adults and schooling for the children. The Clos des Abbayes was ceded to the City of Lausanne during the secularisation of ecclesiastical property, and the Clos des Moines was exploited by the bailiff of Oron.
The 18th century brought progress and new, even revolutionary ideas. The ruling classes became interested in industry and began to sell their land. This was an opportunity for the inhabitants of the region to become landowners and further expand the terroir, which gradually replaced other crops.
In 1797, Napoleon passed through Dézaley and marvelled at the sight of these hanging gardens, engraving a few emotional words on the stone that now bears his name. A few months later, the people of Vaud staged their own revolution with the support of France. In 1803, Vaud became a sovereign canton. The Clos des Moines was bought by the City of Lausanne that same year. During the 19th century, the division of parishes saw the Dézaley fall to the commune of Puidoux. All that was missing then were the roads and carriageways to make the Dézaley what it is today.
For centuries, the Tour de Marsens, a medieval relic crowning Dézaley, has watched over this hillside and will continue to do so for centuries to come, seemingly bearing witness to the nobility of this grand cru and those who created it.

The Dézaley terroir

Glacial movements sculpted the Dézaley hillside and left behind morainic residues between the visible "puddingstone" banks, creating a very clayey and calcareous soil that gives the wine its characteristic richness.
On this steep slope, where the sun shines on the vines right down to their roots without any shadow from neighbouring vines, a multitude of walls have been built to refract the light and store heat. Add to this the reflection of the sun off the lake and you have a microclimate, a natural oven perfect for roasting grapes! But the quality of this vintage is not only determined by the scorching sun during the day. At night, another element of the local climate comes into play: the Dézaley breeze. This cold, dry, biting wind blows in gusts, cooling the vines and slowing down the ripening process. This allows the grapes to retain all their aroma, which gains in complexity during prolonged ripening. This contrasting climate gives the wine its character and its burnt, smoky, almond, honey and caramel notes, complementing subtle floral and fruity aromas.

From this terroir, winegrowers produce a rich diversity of products, bringing their own style that reflects their philosophy, methods, choices and convictions. The Dézaley produces Dézaley wines, each with its own distinctive characteristics. See Baronnie du Dézaley.

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