Saint-Péray

The appellation area is located south of the Cotes du Rhône Septentrionales, on the right bank of the Rhône, in the commune of Saint-Péray and a district of the commune of Toulaud, in the Ardèche department. The presence of vines in Saint-Péray can be traced back to the High Middle Ages. After the Dauphiné region became part of France, vineyards were finally able to develop thanks to the expansion of the Rhone River. Saint-Péray and Saint-Péray Mousseux were awarded local AOC status in 1936.

Saint-Péray AOC wines benefit from two types of terroir: the granitic slope of Cornas continues in the commune of Saint-Péray as far as the Biguet district in Toulaud. This slope is separated from a limestone massif dominated by the remains of the Château de Crussol by the Mialan valley. The rugged slopes and deep valley create a cool microclimate in a warmer continental region.

Saint-Péray wines are white, dry and aromatic, with great finesse and elegance. For both still and sparkling wines, the grape varieties are Marsanne and Roussanne. Sparkling wines are vinified by secondary fermentation in the bottle using the Champagne method. Still wines are vinified after short pressing and fermentation, partly in new barrels, partly in stainless steel tanks. In this appellation, the work of Domaine Alain Voge and the inescapable Maison M. Chapoutier is particularly noteworthy.