The challenge for the future of Swiss wines lies in the dining rooms of restaurants, wine shops, and hotels. This is the belief of theSwiss Association of Professional Sommeliers, which announced a new national program dedicated to raising awareness and training for operators in the food and hospitality sectors.
The initiative comes at a critical time for Swiss viticulture. Declining consumption, growing international competition, commercial difficulties, and the debate surrounding the uprooting of some vineyards are putting pressure on a sector that continues to have strong local roots but is struggling to consolidate its presence in consumers' daily choices.
According to the association, the key issue isn't just the quality of the wine, but above all the ability to present and recommend Swiss wines at the crucial moment of purchase. This aspect, in contemporary restaurants, increasingly depends on the wait staff and the professionals who recommend wines to customers.
An almost entirely internal market
The project's starting point is significant: approximately 98% of Swiss wines are sold within the Confederation. This makes the domestic market strategic and pushes the sector to focus its efforts primarily on domestic consumption.
The ASSP therefore believes it is necessary to strengthen the link between wine production and the restaurant industry, focusing on training and cultural promotion. The stated goal is to provide concrete tools to sommeliers, restaurateurs, hoteliers, food and beverage managers, wine merchants, and service staff, so they can better understand Switzerland's winemaking heritage and promote it with greater conviction.
According to the promoters, the mere presence of a paper label doesn't automatically guarantee a sale. What really matters is the personal recommendation, the moment when the professional suggests a bottle and conveys its value to the customer.
Training as a strategic lever
The program includes days open to industry professionals with no specific prerequisites. The intention is to engage even those without in-depth knowledge of Swiss wine, avoiding overly technical or selective approaches.
The activities will alternate tastings, meetings with producers, interdisciplinary insights, and modules dedicated to communication and sales. The association focuses on an accessible and practical format, designed to offer skills that can be immediately applied to everyday work.
Among the aspects highlighted is the international composition of the workforce employed in Swiss restaurants. Many professionals arrive from other countries and begin their careers without any real knowledge of the Swiss wine scene. According to the ASSP, this is a widespread situation that requires pragmatic responses rather than critical assessments.
The idea is to transform each trained participant into a potential ambassador for Swiss wine, capable of influencing the choices of hundreds of customers each year.
Paolo Basso: "Swiss wine is a technical and cultural heritage."
The project is also supported by Paul Low, national president of the association and winner of the title of Best Sommelier in the World in 2013.
Basso recalled how the variety and complexity of Swiss wines have been a fundamental element in his professional training: according to the Ticino sommelier, the technical and cultural level expressed by Swiss production demonstrates the value of a viticultural heritage often little known even within the country.
For the association, improving the quality of recommendations means addressing the exact point where a significant portion of sales is generated. This strategy, the promoters hope, could help regain market share compared to imported wines, with positive effects along the entire supply chain.
Looking for public and private partners
To implement the national project, the ASSP has announced its intention to involve institutional partners and private entities linked to the production, distribution, and promotion of Swiss wine.
The association believes it is necessary to develop shared support to finance training activities and expand the number of professionals involved. According to its promoters, even a limited recovery in Swiss wine's market share could generate significant economic benefits for the sector.
The stated goal remains to strengthen the visibility, sales, and recognition of national labels, starting with direct contact with the end consumer.
