Corto Maltese and Grandvaux’s wines
Friday, 01 April 2011
In Switzerland on the shore of Lake Leman, Caveau Corto winebar, dedicated to Hugo Pratt’s most famous creation, welcomes wine tourist and promotes the wines of the village, where the Italian cartoonist lived for ten years

 

texts and photos by Massimiliano Rella

 

Corto Maltese’s statue gazing at the Grandvaux vineyards, in the Unesco protected site of the Lavaux Corto Maltese’s statue gazing at the Grandvaux vineyards, in the Unesco protected site of the Lavaux Stained-glass window at the “Caveau corto”, with a view of the Grandvaux vineyards and Lake Leman Stained-glass window at the “Caveau corto”, with a view of the Grandvaux vineyards and Lake Leman

Grandvaux, Hugo Pratt ‘s adopted residence, celebrates, with a winebar and a contemporary sculpture, Corto Maltese, the illustrator and cartoonist’s most famous character. Since 2008, wine and cartoon lovers have been able to taste a glass of chasselas, the local white grape variety, in the Caveau Corto, among Grandvaux’s hills and vineyards, with a wonderful view of Lake Leman. Caveau Corto is the perfect showcase for the wines of 14 Grandvaux producers, a subzone of the Lavaux, a Unesco protected site. Hugo Pratt lived at Grandvaux between 1985 and 1994.

 

Corto Maltese’s statue at Grandvaux, in the Unesco site of the Lavaux, was made by the French-Italian sculptor Livio Benedetti and by his son Luc, to remember their friend Hugo Pratt, who died in 1995. Corto Maltese’s statue at Grandvaux, in the Unesco site of the Lavaux, was made by the French-Italian sculptor Livio Benedetti and by his son Luc, to remember their friend Hugo Pratt, who died in 1995. Corto Maltese’s statue at Grandvaux, in the Unesco site of the Lavaux, was made by the French-Italian sculptor Livio Benedetti and by his son Luc, to remember their friend Hugo Pratt, who died in 1995. Corto Maltese’s statue at Grandvaux, in the Unesco site of the Lavaux, was made by the French-Italian sculptor Livio Benedetti and by his son Luc, to remember their friend Hugo Pratt, who died in 1995.
On the winebar’s roof the sculpture reproducing Corto Maltese gazes at the vineyards on the gentle slopes stretching down to the lake. The sculpture is by Livio Benedetti and his son Luc. As we can read in a plaque: “Livio Benedetti, a French-Italian sculptor, used to come to Grandvaux to meet his friend Hugo Pratt. One day, he arrived with a little statue of Corto Maltese. “Do you like it? -he asked Pratt. Hugo held the little terracotta statue in his hands for a while and then smiled: “It’s beautiful - he said. It was Luc, Livio’s son, who had made it”.  Later, in the sculptor’s atelier, the “little Corto” was made into a bigger bronze statue, signed by Luc and Livio Benedetti, on October 24th, 2007.

 

 

Vigneron Roland Parisod behind the counter of the “Caveau Corto” Vigneron Roland Parisod behind the counter of the “Caveau Corto”

The Caveau Corto is a modern structure, owned by the Grandvaux Town Council for wine tourism promotion. About one million francs has been invested into the winebar, the sculpture and the surrounding area. The winebar is furnished in modern bistro style, with black chairs, tables and floors. On the walls you can see Hugo Pratt’s drawings of Corto Maltese, set in the Swiss Cantons. Some drawings, signed by Pratt, show grapes and the grape harvest. The 14 Grandvaux vintners take turn in running the winebar. We were welcomed by Roland Parisod, owner of “Cave Bougnol”. With the wines you can taste cheeses, sliced cold meats and cold pies (wine tastings € 20/22, cold dishes € 5). Every week a thematic event is organized. Info www.caveaucorto.ch
 
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