Robert Gilliard S.A. 2008 Fendant Les Murettes

Medium straw color, very petillant.

Mild smell of apples and pears. Benefits from being served warmer than is usual for other whites.

Crisp dry apple flavor, little bit of grapefruit, distinctly mineral qualities in the long, high-acid, finish.

Very good medium-to-full-bodied bottle for $29.30.

Robert Gilliard S.A. 2008 Dole des Monts

Like Bourgogne Passe-Tout-Grains, Dole is a blend of Pinot Noir and Gamay, though the French wine must contain 33% Pinot Noir and the Swiss 51%. While Bourgogne Passe-Tout-Grains virtually never contains more Pinot Noir than the mandatory 1/3, this bottle of Dole apparently contains 4/5, though only a bit more than 1/2 is legally required.

Medium-dark red color, opaque only when it gets deep.

Cherry smell, blackberry, no oak obscures the fruit.

Black cherry flavor, blackberry, strawberry, fruit is for-for-forward. Tart food-friendly acid is resplendent.

Very good medium-bodied bottle for $31.03, was an excellent match for a baked ham lunch. Upon consideration, I've bought a case of this to accompany baked ham and other lunches in the coming year that call for a medium-bodied pinot (or an analogue thereof).

Henri Badoux 2007 Aigle les Murailles

My first Swiss wine, Henri Badoux is one of the few Swiss vintners to treat the USA as an important market.

Pale straw color, petillant pinpoint bubbles swim in suspension.

Clean floral smell, pear, freshly-clapped school eraser.

Totally dry flavor, lemon/lime, mineral, petillance added to the grape acids make it a food-friendly treat. Convention matches this with seafood, but don't be shy, this light-weight surprise will work well with any delicate-flavored meal and may well stand up to more robust fare. At $37.57, I paid extra for novelty.