André Perret
When André Perret was growing up in Chavanay, in the northern Rhône Valley, most of the land there was planted to orchards, including the bulk of the family’s own small estate. Their roots were in Burgundy, though, where André’s forefathers owned and worked vineyards in Chassagne-Montrachet until World War II forced them to relocate. As a young man André studied biology and took a job as a cancer researcher, but he felt cooped up in the laboratory and dreamt of a life outdoors. In 1982, after completing a degree in viticulture and enology, he returned to his hometown and started out with a few small rows of vines that had belonged to his uncle. At that time there were just two other vignerons in Chavanay and the region was in decline, but he believed profoundly in the value of the local terroirs and worked hard to valorize the area, becoming president of the department’s association of young agriculturalists and establishing programs that would encourage people to settle down and plant vineyards there. He also worked tirelessly to develop his own estate, expanding production by renting vineyards and replanting the family lands to vines. Today he is proud to be surrounded by dynamic, passionate young vignerons and to see that most of his neighbors’ children are eager to take over the family estates as they grow up.
Perret’s approach to winegrowing is classic: respect each individual terroir—he produces several single-vineyard wines—and work the soil to avoid the need for chemical treatments. His goal is to make fresh, structured wines, in “a sort of Burgundian style” as he says, but without too much wood; wines that aren’t too worked over and will age well. His Condrieu bottlings are reference points for the entire appellation. In 1995 André built a new cellar, but he has never expanded beyond the very best terroirs and keeps the estate small so he can maintain his standards of manual labor in the vineyards and individual attention to all of his wines.

Perret’s approach to winegrowing is classic: respect each individual terroir—he produces several single-vineyard wines—and work the soil to avoid the need for chemical treatments. His goal is to make fresh, structured wines, in “a sort of Burgundian style” as he says, but without too much wood; wines that aren’t too worked over and will age well. His Condrieu bottlings are reference points for the entire appellation. In 1995 André built a new cellar, but he has never expanded beyond the very best terroirs and keeps the estate small so he can maintain his standards of manual labor in the vineyards and individual attention to all of his wines.
Technical Information
Wine | Blend | Vine Age | Soil Type | Vineyard Area* |
---|---|---|---|---|
Condrieu |
Viognier | 15 yrs avg | Granite | 1.5 ha |
Condrieu “Chéry” |
Viognier | 50 yrs avg | Granite, Mica, Schist | 2.8 ha |
Condrieu “Clos Chanson” |
Viognier | 40 yrs avg | Granite, Clay | 0.5 ha |
Collines Rhodaniennes Viognier |
Viognier | 7-30 years | Granite | .52 ha |
Saint Joseph Blanc |
50% Marsanne, 50% Roussanne | 30 yrs avg | Granite | 1 ha |
Côtes du Rhône Rouge |
Syrah | 30 yrs avg | Granite | 0.3 ha |
Saint Joseph Rouge |
Syrah | 20 yrs avg | Granite, Sand | 3.5 ha |
Saint Joseph Rouge “Les Grisières” |
Syrah | 40 yrs avg | Granite, Sand | 1 ha |
Côte-Rôtie |
Syrah | 40 years average | Granite | N/A |
* "ha" = hectares; one hectare equals roughly two and a half acres |
VITICULTURE / VINIFICATION
• Vineyards face south-southeast
• All vineyard work is done manually
• Green harvesting in July or August
• Leaves thinned out
Condrieu:
• Yield of 40 hL/ha
• Half fermented in stainless steel, half in barrique (25% new)
• Aged for one year on fine lees before bottling
Condrieu “Chéry”:
• Single-vineyard bottling, from the Coteau de Chéry, which is one of the appellation’s most prized vineyards
• Yield of 35 hL/ha
• One third fermented in stainless steel, two thirds in barrique (25% new)
• Aged for one year on fine lees in barrique, then another three months in stainless steel before bottling
Condrieu “Clos Chanson”:
• Single-vineyard bottling from a walled and terraced vineyard
• Yield of 35 hL/ha
• Fermented in barrique (25% new)
• Aged for one year in barrique (25% new)
Collines Rhodaniennes Viognier:
• Yield of 50 hL/ha
• Half fermented in stainless steel, half in barrique (no new oak)
• Aged for 12 months in stainless steel
• Vineyards are located on the border of the Condrieu appellation
Saint Joseph Blanc:
• Yield of 37 hL/ha
• Half fermented in stainless steel, half in barrique (20% new)
• Aged for one year in barrique (20% new)
Côtes du Rhône Rouge:
• Fermented in stainless steel
• Aged for one year in barrique
• No longer produced; last vintage was 2011
Saint Joseph Rouge:
• Terraced vineyards
• Yield of 37 hL/ha
• Grapes are 100% de-stemmed
• Maceration and fermentation in stainless steel tanks lasts 2 to 3 weeks
• Aged for one year in 400-liter barrels and barriques (20% new)
Saint Joseph Rouge “Les Grisières”:
• Terraced vineyards
• Yield of 35 hL/ha
• Grapes are 100% de-stemmed
• Maceration and fermentation in stainless steel tanks lasts 2 to 3 weeks
• Aged for 18 months in 400-liter barrels and barriques (30% new)
Côte-Rôtie:
• Vines sourced from lieu-dit Champin
• Yield of 35 hL/ha
• 100% destemmed
• Maceration and fermentation in cement tanks lasts 2 to 3 weeks
• Aged for two years in 228-liter barrels (25% new)
• All vineyard work is done manually
• Green harvesting in July or August
• Leaves thinned out
Condrieu:
• Yield of 40 hL/ha
• Half fermented in stainless steel, half in barrique (25% new)
• Aged for one year on fine lees before bottling
Condrieu “Chéry”:
• Single-vineyard bottling, from the Coteau de Chéry, which is one of the appellation’s most prized vineyards
• Yield of 35 hL/ha
• One third fermented in stainless steel, two thirds in barrique (25% new)
• Aged for one year on fine lees in barrique, then another three months in stainless steel before bottling
Condrieu “Clos Chanson”:
• Single-vineyard bottling from a walled and terraced vineyard
• Yield of 35 hL/ha
• Fermented in barrique (25% new)
• Aged for one year in barrique (25% new)
Collines Rhodaniennes Viognier:
• Yield of 50 hL/ha
• Half fermented in stainless steel, half in barrique (no new oak)
• Aged for 12 months in stainless steel
• Vineyards are located on the border of the Condrieu appellation
Saint Joseph Blanc:
• Yield of 37 hL/ha
• Half fermented in stainless steel, half in barrique (20% new)
• Aged for one year in barrique (20% new)
Côtes du Rhône Rouge:
• Fermented in stainless steel
• Aged for one year in barrique
• No longer produced; last vintage was 2011
Saint Joseph Rouge:
• Terraced vineyards
• Yield of 37 hL/ha
• Grapes are 100% de-stemmed
• Maceration and fermentation in stainless steel tanks lasts 2 to 3 weeks
• Aged for one year in 400-liter barrels and barriques (20% new)
Saint Joseph Rouge “Les Grisières”:
• Terraced vineyards
• Yield of 35 hL/ha
• Grapes are 100% de-stemmed
• Maceration and fermentation in stainless steel tanks lasts 2 to 3 weeks
• Aged for 18 months in 400-liter barrels and barriques (30% new)
Côte-Rôtie:
• Vines sourced from lieu-dit Champin
• Yield of 35 hL/ha
• 100% destemmed
• Maceration and fermentation in cement tanks lasts 2 to 3 weeks
• Aged for two years in 228-liter barrels (25% new)
General Information
- Country
- France
- Region
- Northern Rhône
- Appellation(s)
- Condrieu, Saint Joseph, Côtes du Rhône, Côte Rôtie
- Producer
- André Perret
- Founded
- 1985
- Annual Production
- 4,500 cases
- Website
- http://www.andreperret.com/