Romandie made simple
Aurélia Joly came from Winterthur to the French-speaking part of Switzerland as an au pair when she was sixteen - and she never wanted to leave. "In between, I spent three months in Zurich. That was nothing. I soon realised that I had to go back." With her husband Jacques, a winegrower from the neighbouring village, she was able to buy a house in Grandvaux, built in 1750, where the municipality of Payerne had had the wine from its vineyards pressed. So now the Jolys had a well-equipped winegrowing business, but no vineyards yet. Fortunately, they soon found vines to lease, and today there are four hectares. In the cellar there are still parts of a huge old press. "They probably built the press first and then the house around it," Aurélia says with a laugh. "Space is tight in our cellar. We are always busy moving things around. We feel like world champions in Tetris." Nevertheless, the two children are already waiting in the wings. "It is not yet clear that they will take over one day. It shouldn't be a must for them. It needs the passion for this profession. I have to see that when I hand over the business. You have to put your heart and soul into it."

 
Bike village
In the pretty winegrowing village of Grandvaux, Aurélia can often be found on her bike. "The ideal compromise between car and walking, especially for medium distances." That counts, because Aurélia is often on the road. The vineyards are spread over no less than 25 plots. In addition, as a trained hotel assistant, she looks after the winery's gastronomy. Here you can also dine exquisitely. In the Carnotzet, which is open every Monday as a bush restaurant, and soon also on the spacious terrace with a view of the lake, which Jolys are currently setting up. Many customers first became aware of the Joly wines through this culinary offer. In 2019, Aurélia joined the countrywomen. "It was an unforgettable experience - some contacts from that thing have remained to this day." With her cuisine, she also always has new target audiences in her sights. At the moment, it's bike groups who want to reconcile exercise and enjoyment.

Girls' and boys' wines
When it comes to wine, Jolys have an exceptionally broad range. No less than 18 products are in the range, including the local red rarity Plant Robert. "In general, red wines are on the rise, we are in the process of expanding this segment." The "Vin des filles", which was created quite spontaneously, is also a hit, targeting a female audience without falling into the usual clichés on the subject. "Of course, I am always asked when the vin des garçons will come and what it will be like," Aurélia reports with a smile. Gender preferences do exist, at least in the Joly family. "When I fetch a wine from the cellar for dinner, it is usually a speciality. With my husband, it's usually a Chasselas that comes up."

 
Culinary spot
It's no secret that you can eat and drink well in Lavaux. Aurélia shops at the baker Jean François Martin and the butcher Nardi in Cully. "We try to stay local where possible." Aurélia also visits the market in Cully regularly, and not just to shop. "In summer we combine it with an aperitif. We enjoy that." Her regular restaurants are the "Auberge de la Gare" in Grandvaux and the "Auberge du Raisin" in Cully. Not to forget the "Tout un Monde" in Grandvaux; the view of the vineyards and lake is phenomenal. "Yes, it is beautiful here. People say we're on holiday all the time. There's something about that. It's the reward for our work."


Original text in German:
Stephan Thomas for Gault & Millau