At 5259 hectares, the Valais vineyard region is now the biggest in Switzerland. Although it actually stretches from the end of Lake Geneva as far as Viège, it is fair to say that the main part of this vineyard lies between Martigny and Loèche, extending nearly 120 kilometres, along the right bank of the Rhône.

The vineyards spread out over between 450 and 800 metres height above sea level, with one famous exception, the vineyard of Visperterminen where the vine grows at up to 1000 metres.

The total wine-producing surface area is shared between 119 500 plots belonging to nearly 23,000 owners, less than 20 % of whom work the wine full time.

Nowadays, the communes of Lower Valais have divided their vineyards into three zones (zones 1, 2 and 3). 70 % of the surface area – the plots with the best exposure, situated at a low height above sea level – lies in zone 1.

The climate of the Valais is a continental one. The Alps have a huge influence. Winter there is rather cold, sometimes with a risk of frost, and summer is rather hot. Annual rainfall there is low (around 600 mm). Autumn is often mild and sunny, sometimes with the presence of a foehn (warm wind), which assists the ripening of the late specialities.

The Valais vineyard is characterised by the presence of 59 grape varieties (26 red and 33 white) ; however, 4 grape varieties alone take up nearly 90 % of the surface area (Chasselas, Pinot noir, Gamay, Sylvaner). The remaining surface area is taken up by international and native specialities (Chardonnay, Pinot gris, Petite Arvine, Amigne, Humagne blanche, Humagne rouge, Syrah, Cornalin, etc.). The latter are expanding rapidly.