In short: Petite Arvine is the great native white of the Valais, grown there since at least 1602 according to the regional wine body. Grapefruit, rhubarb, wisteria and a salty finish: it’s the characterful white to pour when Fendant feels too tame for your Raclette du Valais AOP. Pick a dry version (most bottles are) and a recent vintage: 2024, with whites “particularly expressive” according to the cantonal enologist, or 2023.

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Why Petite Arvine goes with raclette

In the Valais, the raclette wine is Fendant, and nobody will hold it against you for serving it. But if you want to wow the table without leaving the canton, Petite Arvine is the card to play. Swiss Wine Valais describes it as a wine often marked by rhubarb, sometimes by high acidity, with a briny touch it presents as its signature. Swiss Wine Promotion talks about grapefruit, rhubarb and passion fruit, a “salty minerality”, and recommends it with a platter of Valais cheeses, whose saltiness it complements.

This profile is, to our taste, made for melted cheese: the acidity cuts through the fat, the salty note answers the salt of the rind, and the aromatic intensity stands up to a characterful cheese. It shines with a Raclette du Valais AOP, of course, but also with a bolder raw-milk raclette or a blend with Vacherin Fribourgeois. With air-dried meat, the pairing is just as natural.

A little chemistry for the curious: according to Agroscope, Petite Arvine’s typical bouquet is linked to 3-mercaptohexanol, a molecule with notes of lemon, grapefruit and stewed rhubarb. And its aromatic potential can vary twofold depending on the clone. That should get the debate going between two slices of air-dried beef.

What to know before you buy

One AOC Valais, one grape

The Valais ordinance on vines and wine is crystal clear: “Petite Arvine” is an AOC Valais wine made from the Arvine grape, which it lists among the canton’s native varieties. According to Swiss Wine Valais, it covers 252 hectares, or 5.4% of the Valais vineyard, grown by 262 producers. It’s a late-ripening grape, sensitive to wind, that needs plenty of sun exposure.

Dry, off-dry or late harvest: read the label

Petite Arvine comes in several styles. Most wines are dry, according to Swiss Wine Promotion, and Swiss Wine Valais describes this dry style as vibrant and elegant, with wisteria and grapefruit. The regional wine body also mentions off-dry versions, with rhubarb notes, and sweet wines made from shriveled grapes, very concentrated. The ordinance regulates the terms “Flétri” or “Flétri sur souche” (shriveled on the vine): a sweet wine made from grapes shriveled on the vine, with at least 13% potential alcohol by volume, with no added alcohol, sugar or concentrated grape juice.

For raclette, pick a dry Petite Arvine. The “flétri” versions are superb, but they belong with dessert or blue cheese, not with the raclette pan.

The best Petite Arvine vintages

The assessments below come from the official new-vintage presentations by the Valais Office of Vines and Wine, which judge all the canton’s whites (not Petite Arvine specifically). We haven’t found an equally reliable Valais report for older years, so we’re not giving any.

VintageQuality / styleDrink
2024Harvest among the three smallest in more than fifty years (frost, mildew). According to the cantonal enologist, slightly lower alcohol and whites that are “particularly expressive and aromatic”, chiseled by a nice tension.Now: the fresh style that’s ideal for raclette
2023A “winegrower’s vintage”: delicate whites that, without being exuberant, reveal a lovely aromatic expression, with interesting acidity.Now
2022A hot, dry year with very healthy grapes. “Fleshy and flattering” whites, with vibrant fruit and surprising freshness for a sunny vintage.Now

For 2025, the Swiss Federal Office for Agriculture announces “particularly remarkable” Swiss wines, still aging in early 2026; that’s a national assessment, not a Valais one, and we’re waiting for the official vintage presentation for the Valais. The “Drink” column is our advice for a raclette.

How to serve Petite Arvine

  • Temperature: 10 to 12 °C, according to Swiss Wine Promotion. Cool enough to stay lively, not so cold that it mutes the aromas.
  • Glass: a medium-sized white wine glass, filled one third of the way.
  • Decanter: unnecessary for a young, dry Petite Arvine.
  • Quantity: our benchmark is half a bottle per wine-drinking adult over the evening, with plenty of water. Since Petite Arvine is more intense than a Fendant, it works well as a second bottle, after a lighter white.
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To keep it cool next to the machine:

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Other wines for raclette

Back to the complete guide to wines for raclette, or to the raclette pantry. To stay in the Valais, see our page on Fendant, the classic, and on the red side, Dôle du Valais. And to compare with another characterful white, read our page on Roussette de Savoie.

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Frequently asked questions

Is Petite Arvine a dry wine?

Most of the time, yes: Swiss Wine Promotion says most of the wines are dry. There are also off-dry versions and sweet wines from shriveled grapes, best kept for dessert.

Petite Arvine or Fendant with raclette?

Fendant is the traditional pairing, light and easy. Petite Arvine is more aromatic and saltier: in our opinion, it’s the right choice for a raclette with a characterful cheese or to surprise the table.

Where does Petite Arvine come from?

It’s a native grape of the Valais according to the cantonal ordinance. Swiss Wine Valais says it has been grown there since at least 1602 and is genetically related to grapes from the Aosta Valley and neighboring France.

What temperature should you serve Petite Arvine at?

Between 10 and 12 °C, according to Swiss Wine Promotion. Keep the bottle cool during the meal, because the raclette machine warms up the room quickly.

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