Heida / Païen

Heida is among the oldest cultivated grape varieties in Switzerland, with its first written record in the Valais dating to 1586 in the Visp district of Upper Valais. The grape was brought to the Valais from the French Jura during the Middle Ages and took root in the terraced vineyards of Visperterminen. Its name comes from an Upper Valais dialect term meaning 'old' or 'ancient', a direct reference to its pre-Christian heritage. The variety is genetically significant as an ancestor of several modern noble grapes, including Gewürztraminer, Sylvaner, Chenin Blanc, and Sauvignon Blanc.

• First recorded in Valais in 1586 in the Visp district
• Arrived in Valais from the French Jura during the Middle Ages
• Name derives from a dialect word for 'old' or 'ancient', referencing pre-Christian cultivation
• Ancestor to Gewürztraminer, Sylvaner, Chenin Blanc, and Sauvignon Blanc

Heida's traditional home is Visperterminen in Upper Valais, where vineyards climb from 650 to 1,150 metres above sea level, placing them among the highest in Europe. The region's Alpine climate delivers strong sunshine alongside late autumn föhn winds that drive ripening in this challenging high-altitude environment. Soils vary from clay and sand with lime content to crystalline formations of gneiss and granite. In recent years, the grape has expanded significantly into Lower Valais, where it is marketed under the name Païen, broadening its presence across the appellation.

• Vineyards range from 650 to 1,150 metres above sea level in Visperterminen
• Alpine climate with strong sunshine and late autumn föhn winds
• Soils include clay, sand, lime, gneiss, and granite
• Expanding into Lower Valais under the name Païen

Heida produces dry white wines of considerable aromatic complexity and structure. Expect notes of exotic fruits, citrus, dried fruits, wild herbs, hay, acacia wood, and honey. The wines are defined by high acidity and full body, qualities that underpin a genuine aging potential of 5 to 10 years. While the dry style is most common, Heida can also be vinified as a sweet wine. The same grape, known as Savagnin Blanc in the Jura, is the sole variety permitted in the production of vin jaune, giving a sense of the variety's expressive and age-worthy character.

• Aromas of exotic fruit, citrus, dried fruit, wild herbs, hay, acacia, and honey
• High acidity and full body with excellent structure
• Aging potential of 5 to 10 years
• Can be made dry or sweet; dry style is most prevalent in Valais

Outside Switzerland, this grape is best known as Savagnin Blanc in France's Jura region, where it is the grape behind the famous and oxidative vin jaune. The variety also appears under the name Traminer in some Central European contexts. In Switzerland, the dual naming of Heida in Upper Valais and Païen in Lower Valais reflects distinct regional identities within the same canton. The grape's genetic role as a parent or ancestor to some of the world's most widely planted white varieties confirms its historical importance far beyond the narrow terraces of Visperterminen.

• Identical to Savagnin Blanc, used for vin jaune in France's Jura
• Also known as Traminer in Central European contexts
• Heida and Païen are the same grape with different regional names within Valais
• Genetic ancestor of several internationally important white grape varieties