In the steep, overlooked vineyards of Savoie, Jean-Yves Péron has spent two decades proving that this corner of the French Alps can yield wines of startling depth and texture.
Backstory
Péron first studied biochemistry before the pull of wine took him to Bordeaux for oenology training at the end of the 1990s. He learned the craft alongside some of France's most uncompromising vignerons, beginning with Thierry Allemand in Cornas and Bruno Schueller in Alsace, then traveling to work harvests in Oregon and New Zealand. He returned to his native Savoie and settled in 2004 at Chevaline, on the shores of Lake Annecy.
The Region
His vines lie on the terroirs of Conflans, a medieval site on the outskirts of Albertville, at elevations between roughly 400 and 600 meters. This is alpine country where old Mondeuse and white varieties cling to slopes that most growers abandoned long ago. Since 2011 he has also run a small negociant activity, buying organically grown grapes from neighbors to explore further terroirs, and in 2017 he introduced a Piedmont label called I Vicini, sourced from across that Italian region.
Vineyards and Farming
Péron acquired about 2 hectares of old Mondeuse vines on the Conflans slopes. Farming is organic and biodynamic, though he works without certification. The focus is on respecting old plantings and letting the alpine character of the site speak.
Winemaking
In the cellar his approach is minimalist and deeply natural. Fermentations run on native yeasts with no added sulfites. Many reds undergo carbonic maceration, while whites often see extended skin contact. He ferments across a range of vessels, including wood vats, stainless steel, fiberglass, and amphora, and ages primarily in neutral oak with some amphora.
The Wines
The wines built his reputation as a cult name in natural wine: skin-contact whites of unusual grip and texture and savory, energetic Mondeuse reds, alongside the I Vicini bottlings drawn from Piedmont.
