red grape · rare
Persan
Maurienne Valley, Savoie, France
Say it
pehr·sahn
Final -an is a French nasal vowel; the 'n' nasalizes the vowel and is not sounded separately
On the palate
raspberryblackberryblack cherryvioletblack pepperearth
How you spot it blind: bracing acidity and firm tannins with vivid violet and raspberry lift
The story
First written down · 1846, Isère, France
Collapsed from ~200 ha (1958) to 3 ha (2000) before the Grisard family in Fréterive led its revival; DNA confirmed Savagnin Blanc as one parent in 2021.
Family tree: unknown × SAVAGNIN BLANC
Where it lives
Vin de Savoie AOC, France · IGP Balmes Dauphinoises, Isère, France · Val di Susa, Piedmont, Italy
Shows up as
still red