An original white! Bubbles and scents… The 75 hectares of the Saint-Péray vineyard flourish on the gentle slopes at the foot of Crussol Château, under the kind influence of the “Colline de Crussol”, the limestone spur from which it takes its name. On the right-bank of the Rhône, to the west of Valence in the Ardèche, Saint-Péray AOC is the southernmost of the northern Côtes du Rhônes appellations. And that is not all that makes them unique: One third of the wines produced in this appellation are… sparkling!
The limestone and granite terroir, the exceptional climate and the superb topography give Saint-Péray whites their unique character. The appellation’s sparkling wine is the only such wine in the Rhône Valley, and the appellation’s winemakers learned the “traditional” method in 1829.
Today, its pale, still wines are subtle and fresh, balanced and aromatic, and diffuse floral and mineral notes. Assembled from Marsanne – which is often the dominant grape – and Roussanne, sparkling Saint-Péray gives off notes of toast, honey, and almonds that seduce the palates of wine lovers the world over.
GRAPE VARIETIES
A genuine product of the Ardèche, Saint-Péray is made from two grape varieties: Marsanne and Roussanne. The still wines are light, not overly acidic, and offer aromas of dried apricots, acacia, beeswax, quince, spices, and nuts (almond, hazelnut, and walnut), fresh litchi, honey, peach, cooked apples, licorice, violet, and citrus…
Roussane, delicate and subtle, is a noble variety that makes fine wines of the highest quality, straw yellow in colour, with a remarkable nose and that age nicely. This variety’s original aromas evoke apricot, hawthorn, unroasted coffee, honeysuckle, honey, a hint of narcissus, and iris root…