Domaine André Perret

André Perret, a biology graduate, returned to his village and succeeded his father in 1982. The farmland was then mainly occupied by fruit trees; he planted it with vines, renting and acquiring vineyard land, and extended it to 13 hectares. The estate is in Verlieu-Chavanay, a small village 50 km south of Lyon on the right bank of the Rhône, and is now about 13 hectares. In 1986 André Perret took on the Clos Chanson vineyard to cultivate it: an ancient vineyard with terraces of old Viognier vines, enclosed by a building raised on the ruins of a feudal castle. Writing in Decanter in September 2023, Matt Walls called the domaine 'one of the very foremost Condrieu estates.'

• Biology graduate who succeeded his father in 1982
• Farm converted from fruit trees to vines and extended to 13 hectares
• Vineyard land both rented and acquired
• Clos Chanson taken on in 1986

The estate's own pages name André Perret as the grower who practises wine-making at Verlieu-Chavanay. He succeeded his father in 1982.

• André Perret: grower and winemaker

The vines are cultivated on terraces on steep hillsides, a difficulty André Perret accepts in order to preserve terroir and nature. Chéry comes from a single hillside facing south to south-east, on crumbly granitic soil with mica and schist; the vines average 60 years, and about 3 hectares are cultivated at a yield of about 35 hl/ha. In the estate's telling, the Chéry hillside was the 'Cherished' hillside that the Emperor Probus demanded be preserved when half of Gaul's vines were ordered removed. Clos Chanson is a single vineyard of south to south-east-facing terraces on granite and clay, with vines averaging 50 years and a yield of about 35 hl/ha. The Condrieu is assembled from several south to south-east-facing plots on granitic soil, with vines averaging 20 years and a yield of about 40 hl/ha. Les Grisières comes from south-east-facing terraces on very light, sandy, granitic soil, with vines averaging 40 years and a yield of about 35 hl/ha. The red and white Saint-Joseph come from south to south-east-facing terraces with vines averaging 25 years and a yield of about 37 hl/ha. The Vin de Pays Marsanne and Syrah come from open-country sites on sandy soil yielding about 50 hl/ha, and the Marsanne is planted on its own roots ('franc de pied').

• Chéry: single south to south-east-facing hillside, granite with mica and schist, vines averaging 60 years, about 3 hectares
• Clos Chanson: south to south-east-facing terraces on granite and clay, vines averaging 50 years
• Les Grisières: south-east-facing terraces on very light, sandy, granitic soil, vines averaging 40 years
• Vin de Pays Marsanne: non-grafted vines ('franc de pied')

André Perret avoids systematic treatments of his vines; pesticides are used only as and when required, and yields are controlled to meet quality and authenticity requirements he has set himself. The information sheets for the six Condrieu and Saint-Joseph wines specify traditional, entirely manual cultivation, a green harvest in July and August, and leaf thinning.

• No systematic treatments; pesticides only as and when required
• Entirely manual cultivation on every Condrieu and Saint-Joseph sheet
• Green harvest in July and August, plus leaf thinning, for yield control

The estate's AOP whites include three single-variety Viognier Condrieu (Chéry, Clos Chanson and the Condrieu) and a white Saint-Joseph of 50% Marsanne and 50% Roussanne. Its AOP reds include two single-variety Syrah Saint-Josephs, Les Grisières and the Saint-Joseph red. Its Vin de Pays wines include a varietal Marsanne and a varietal Syrah.

• Condrieu Chéry: fermented one third in stainless steel vats and two thirds in wooden vats; matured 12 months with regular lees stirring and racking, then kept on its lees a further year before bottling
• Condrieu Clos Chanson: alcoholic and malolactic fermentation in barrels; matured 12 months, then kept on its lees a further year before bottling
• Condrieu: fermented half in stainless steel vats and half in wooden vats; matured 12 months
• Saint-Joseph white: fermented half in stainless steel and half in oak barrels; matured 12 months
• Saint-Joseph Les Grisières: fully destemmed, fermented 15 days to 3 weeks in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats, matured 18 months in barrels
• Saint-Joseph red: fully destemmed, fermented 15 days to 3 weeks in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats, matured 12 months in barrels

In the estate's own words, Chéry 'balances elegance with strength,' with a bouquet of citrus fruits, violet and peach-apricot; the Condrieu is 'very aromatic and fresh'; and the white Saint-Joseph is 'remarkable for its delicious freshness.' Writing in Decanter in September 2023, Matt Walls called Chéry 'consistently one of the greatest wines of the appellation – a measured and beautiful expression.' Decanter's note on the 2021 Chéry found it 'Beautifully measured,' adding that Perret 'avoids any excess fat, oak or alcohol to produce a particularly charming, effortless style.'

• The estate's sheet for Les Grisières gives black cherry and prune, very smooth tannins and a palate 'round and powerful yet remains elegant'

Primary sources (producer's own site): http://www.andreperret.com/en/home.htm, http://www.andreperret.com/en/andre-perret.htm, http://www.andreperret.com/en/the-estate.htm, http://www.andreperret.com/andre-perret.htm, and the estate's information sheets (PDF): http://www.andreperret.com/medias/fiches_vins_fr/Perret_A._Chery_GB.pdf, http://www.andreperret.com/medias/fiches_vins_fr/Perret_A._Clos_Chanson_GB.pdf, http://www.andreperret.com/medias/fiches_vins_fr/Perret_A._Condrieu_GB.pdf, http://www.andreperret.com/medias/fiches_vins_fr/Perret_A._St-Joseph_Blanc_GB.pdf, http://www.andreperret.com/medias/fiches_vins_fr/Perret_A._Grisieres_GB.pdf, http://www.andreperret.com/medias/fiches_vins_fr/Perret_A._St-Joseph_Rouge_GB.pdf, http://www.andreperret.com/medias/fiches_vins_fr/Perret_A._Marsanne_GB.pdf, http://www.andreperret.com/medias/fiches_vins_fr/Perret_A._Syrah_GB.pdf. Appellation body: Inter Rhône, https://www.vins-rhone.com/en/cotes-du-rhone-cru-aoc-condrieu and https://www.vins-rhone.com/en/cotes-du-rhone-cru-aoc-saint-joseph. Secondary source: Decanter (Matt Walls, published 19 September 2023, https://www.decanter.com/premium/regional-profile-condrieu-plus-12-wines-to-seek-out-509967/). Last verified 2026-10-21. Where the producer's site and a secondary source disagree, the producer's site governs.