Anne Sophie Pic & Michel Chapoutier
Summary
Anne Sophie Pic & Michel Chapoutier is a boutique collaboration between a three-Michelin-starred chef and a seventh-generation winemaker producing 6,000 bottles annually of Marsanne and Roussanne wines from biodynamic vineyards in Saint-Péray's limestone and granite soils. Their focused commitment to a single underappreciated Northern Rhône appellation combines Chapoutier's viticultural expertise with Pic's culinary sensibility, resulting in mineral-driven whites with exceptional gastronomic versatility.
Heritage & Leadership
The collaboration between Anne Sophie Pic and Michel Chapoutier represents a unique partnership between two distinguished French talents from different disciplines. Established in 2007, this venture brings together the culinary expertise of Anne Sophie Pic, a chef with three Michelin stars at her family restaurant Maison Pic in Valence, and Michel Chapoutier, head of the M. Chapoutier wine house founded in 1808 in Tain-l'Hermitage. Both partners bring deep family traditions to their collaboration: Pic is a third-generation chef whose grandfather earned three Michelin stars in 1934, while Chapoutier represents the seventh generation of his family's winemaking business in the Rhône Valley. Their partnership focuses exclusively on producing wines from Saint-Péray in the Northern Rhône, with both individuals maintaining their separate primary businesses while collaborating on this specialized project.
Vineyards & Wines
The Pic & Chapoutier collaboration centers on vineyards in Saint-Péray, a small appellation covering approximately 85 hectares in the northern Rhône Valley. Their vineyards feature the limestone and granite soils characteristic of this appellation, providing mineral complexity to their wines. The partnership produces two primary white wines: "Lieu-dit Payrolles," a single-vineyard Marsanne from vines planted on granite soils at elevations between 150-250 meters, and "Saint-Péray," a blend of 80% Marsanne and 20% Roussanne from limestone-dominant sites. The vineyards are farmed according to biodynamic principles, consistent with Chapoutier's approach across his estate vineyards since 1991. Annual production remains deliberately limited, with approximately 6,000 bottles produced each vintage, allowing for meticulous attention to vineyard management and winemaking.
Philosophy & Practice
The Pic & Chapoutier collaboration operates on the principle of highlighting terroir expression through minimal intervention. Grapes are hand-harvested and whole-cluster pressed to preserve delicate aromatics. Fermentation occurs with indigenous yeasts in a combination of stainless steel tanks and 600-liter demi-muids (large oak barrels). Their flagship Lieu-dit Payrolles undergoes 12 months of aging on fine lees with regular bâtonnage (lees stirring) to develop textural complexity. The partnership applies Chapoutier's biodynamic certification (Demeter and Biodyvin) to all vineyard practices, avoiding synthetic chemicals and following the biodynamic calendar for vineyard operations. Their winemaking philosophy deliberately bridges culinary and viticultural traditions, with Pic's sensory expertise influencing blending decisions to create wines with gastronomic versatility. The collaboration maintains a consistent focus on Saint-Péray rather than expanding to multiple appellations, demonstrating their commitment to developing deep understanding of this specific terroir.