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Wine Description
The Story
Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque is the original Belle Epoque vintage cuvée, first appearing in 1964. Instantly recognisable throughout the world, its bottle is adorned with the graceful spray of Japanese white anemones created for Maison Perrier-Jouët by Art Nouveau master Emile Gallé in 1902.
Working at the vat, plot by plot, the Cellar Master tastes and tests time and again, finally isolating the wines, turning each cuvée into a unique wine that expresses all the characteristic elegance and finesse of the House of Perrier-Jouët. "I throw myself into each composition with one combined effort, like the creative flow of an artist, at that moment when intuition, sensitivity and skill somehow inexplicably come together." Hervé Deschamps.
In 1902, Emile Gallé designed a delicate spray of anemones to be engraved on the prestigious cuvées of Perrier-Jouët Champagnes. The House has remained loyal to this artistic heritage ever since.
For Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque, Séverine Frerson specifically selects Pinot Noir grapes from two crus, Verzy and Mailly-Champagne, in the north of the Montagne de Reims, both characterised by their chalky soils. “Pinot Noir grapes from Mailly-Champagne in particular have an elegance and finesse that harmonise perfectly with our signature Chardonnay from Grand Cru terroirs in the Côte des Blancs,” she says. “They therefore enhance, rather than overwhelm, the delicate floral structure of the wine.” The result is an elegantly structured cuvée with a clear floral dimension, making Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque an outstanding example of the art of blending in the Perrier-Jouët style.
Wine Information
A pale gold, clear and luminous, like an autumnal sun. Aromas of ripe, juicy pear, a hint of citrus (yellow grapefruit, lime), green pepper and ginger. A subtle salinity. A generous, lively attack and a lush, creamy texture. Floral notes of linden blossom, complemented by pear, mandarin and grapefruit zest.
While every vintage of Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque naturally expresses the characteristics of its particular year, the personality of this iconic cuvée is clearly defined: poise, harmony and elegance combine to captivate the senses, with its bright gold colour and subtle sparkle an inviting prelude to rich nuances of white flowers and white-fleshed fruit. A long, expansive finish testifies to the rare quality of this exceptional champagne.
Vintage 2013
2013 was a year in which the usual pattern of the seasons was delayed, with a cold winter and a cool, wet spring resulting in the vines flowering more than two weeks later than average, in the first days of July. Fortunately, the eventual outcome proved well worth the wait: after a dry, sunny summer, autumn brought favourable conditions up until harvest, which began on 30 September. This last October harvest of recent years yielded clear wines with a good balance of alcohol and acidity.
