Jean-Yves Péron
A native of Savoie, pursued winemaking studies in Bordeaux during the late 1990s. His career began with stints alongside influential winemakers like Thierry Allemand in Cornas and Bruno Schueller in Alsace. Inspired by their mentorship, he returned to Savoie in 2004 to establish his own estate in Chevaline, working on steep, schist-covered slopes between 350 and 550 meters above sea level. Despite the challenges of these mountainous vineyards, Péron finds the opportunity to work with century-old vines in this ancient terroir invaluable.
Committed to organic and biodynamic practices, Péron avoids formal certification, preferring to let his wines speak for themselves. His estate spans several micro-parcels planted with indigenous varieties such as Mondeuse, Jacquère, Altesse, and Roussanne. The reds are often made using carbonic maceration, while some whites undergo extended maceration, influenced by Péron’s admiration for Northern Italian “orange” wines.
In 2011, he expanded his reach, sourcing grapes from other biodynamic growers in Savoie and beyond, including Italy’s Piedmont region, to create his “I Vicini” range. With an emphasis on natural winemaking, including indigenous yeasts, no sulfur, and minimal intervention, Péron produces wines with distinct personalities. His reds, such as the Mondeuse-based "Le Champ Levat," and whites like "La Grande Journée" (made from Altesse), have garnered recognition for their complexity and character.