Jean-Yves Peron I Vicini Cortese 2023
Vin de la Communaute Europeenne
Jean-Yves Péron I Vicini Cortese 2023 is a vivid, natural white/orange wine from Savoie made from Cortese sourced in Piemonte. It is light on its feet but serious in character, with fresh citrus, white-fruit lift and a distinctly mineral, mountain-driven personality.
Site & Identity
The “I Vicini” range is Péron’s négociant project with growers in northern Italy, giving him access to Piemonte varieties and a broader transalpine expression. For Cortese, the style is very much about purity and terroir: hand-harvested fruit, long skin contact, and élevage in foudre produce a wine that feels both Alpine and Piedmontese at once.
Technical Tasting Note
Appearance: Pale gold to deep straw, with a lightly textured, natural-wine look.
Nose: Lemon, white peach, quince, orange peel, honeysuckle, mountain flowers and a saline, stony edge.
Palate: Fresh, linear and expressive, with juicy citrus and white fruit, subtle skin-contact grip and a precise mineral backbone.
Finish: Dry, saline and persistent, with citrus zest, white flowers and a clean, lightly phenolic lift.
Winemaking & Style
The 2023 Cortese undergoes about 15 days of whole-cluster carbonic maceration, then ferments in stainless steel before aging for around 12 months in a 34 hl foudre. Several references describe it as a natural wine with no added sulfur, and the overall style is fresh, energetic and textural rather than oxidative or heavy.
Buying Outlook
This is an excellent buy for customers looking for a distinctive, serious natural white with a story behind it. It has enough freshness for early drinking, but also enough structure and texture to hold interest over the medium term, making it especially attractive for natural-wine lists and adventurous collectors.
Food Pairing
It pairs well with shellfish, grilled white fish, roast chicken, asparagus, artichokes and goat cheese. The saline, citrus-driven profile also works nicely with sashimi, vegetable tempura and lightly spiced dishes.
