When I am in southeastern France, I stop as much as I can at André Perret’s cellars in Verlieu, a small commune of Chavanay, right on the route nationale along the Rhône River. Verlieu is just south of the village of Condrieu and smack dab in the heart of prime Viognier country. The neighboring hamlet is Vérin, the home of the micro-monopole Château Grillet, one of France’s tiniest appellations. André Perret is one of Condrieu’s master vignerons, and is widely respected in France as making arguably its finest Viognier. His Coteaux de Chéry bottling, from steep granite vineyards above Verlieu, is the stuff of legend.
     What he is slightly less known for are his delicious red wines from the Saint-Joseph appellation. Saint-Josephs from this part of the Rhône are typically more delicate and floral than their brethren further south around Mauves, the birthplace of the appellation (across the river from Tain l’Hermitage). Much like the greatest southern Saint-Josephs can recall the wines of Hermitage, the greatest northern examples can resemble the wines of Côte-Rôtie. André’s are certainly among the finest, and they always have great density despite their seeming weightlessness and elegant bouquet. Here is a great opportunity to snap up a few bottles of this rarely seen nectar, to be enjoyed now and over the next five years.