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Uutiset
It was in his very first year, 1993, that he created the first Belle Epoque Blanc de Blancs, the very first Belle Epoque of any kind for which Deschamps had full control.
Deschamps has described its development and release as his proudest achievement. Since then, there have only been four more vintages released: 1999, 2000, 2002, and 2004. It is a very limited production; only 10,000 bottles of the 2002 were produced for the entire world, for example. Deschamps hopes that quantity will double over time.
Belle Epoque Blanc de Blancs consists of less than one percent of the entire Belle Epoque production (the Rosé is around 8 percent).
Deschamps is a strong supporter of the 2002 vintage, believing it to be a great year – and he is not alone in that. He also likes the 2004, noting the stone fruit character it offers and comparing it to the 1989 vintage.
The Belle Epoque Blanc de Blancs 2002 is one of the finest champagnes I have ever enjoyed: it is elegant, ethereal, full of finesse, stunning, and beguiling. It is elegance with a steel backbone, possessing a wonderfully creamy texture, peaches and cream with notes of honey, stone fruit, florals, grapefruit, and hazelnuts.
Its impeccable balance pairs with an underlying intensity and immense length.
Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque Blanc de Blancs
Interestingly, its pressure is marginally lower than is typical, giving this wine the impression of being more akin to a first-class white Burgundy than a fizz. Beware, as the bottle is clear, allowing for adverse impact by light stroke, so keep it in its protective box until you are ready to enjoy it.
I’ve only ever seen the Belle Époque Blanc de Blancs 2004 in magnum (yes, not the worst thing to happen), and yet, even taking that into account, the 2004 seems destined for marginally earlier drinking than the 2002.
Both are sensational, but the 2004 has jasmines, florals, stone fruit, and an appealing underlying minerality all wrapped up in a pleasing ripeness. Glorious.
These wines are hard to find, even on the best wine lists. Speak to a quality retailer or keep your eye out. Naturally, they are also not cheap, though local taxes will ensure prices vary widely. Expect to pay the equivalent of several hundreds of Euros per bottle.
And that will seem like a bargain after your first sip!
Viinin Kuvailu
The Story
A single harvest, a single grape variety, a single terroir.
Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque Blanc de Blancs champagne is not only the rarest Perrier-Jouët cuvée, but also the most emblematic – the culmination of the House’s 200-year expertise in revealing the intricate floral facets of its signature Chardonnay grape. Sourced from just two legendary parcels of vines, Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque Blanc de Blancs is the expression of a single grape variety, a single terroir and a single year – a sublime champagne shimmering with golden light, whose freshness and purity are the exhilarating prelude to an explosion of lush floral notes.
Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque Blanc de Blancs is crafted from 100% Chardonnay grapes from only two small parcels of vines – Bouron Leroi and Bouron du Midi – within Cramant, one of the most prestigious Grand Cru villages in the renowned Côte des Blancs. These two exceptional plots, covering just 6.8 hectares/16.8 acres, were among the first acquired by Maison Perrier-Jouët in the mid-19th century, when Charles Perrier, the son of the founders, used his extensive knowledge of viticulture and the terroirs of Champagne to identify their potential for yielding the supreme expression of the Chardonnay grape. Bouron Leroi and Bouron du Midi do indeed unite all the conditions necessary for revealing the unique floral character of Chardonnay. Set halfway up a gentle southeast-facing slope, they enjoy ideal exposure to the morning sun, while their chalky soil maintains constant levels of humidity throughout the year.
The small size of these prized plots, and Maison Perrier-Jouët’s meticulous approach to viticulture, mean that only a limited quantity of grapes can be produced in any given year, while a vintage is declared only in years of near-perfect conditions. Consequently, no vintage of Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque Blanc de Blancs numbers more than 40,000 bottles.
Wine Information
While each vintage has its own personality, reflecting the conditions of its specific year, all present a number of unmistakable qualities, the result not only of their shared provenance, but also of the particular care taken in their elaboration, including a minimum of six years’ ageing on the lees to allow the full floral complexities of the wine to develop. Thus, Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque Blanc de Blancs is characterised by a warm gold colour with almost iridescent glints of green, an intense and intricate bouquet of wild white flowers, rounded out by luscious hints of fruit and honey, and an astonishing freshness and purity that linger into an elegant, silken finish. An exceptional taste experience, it is the ultimate expression of the ethos of Maison Perrier-Jouët, which reinvents nature in order to create extraordinary moments of wonder and delight.
Vuosikerta 2006
2006 was a good year in Champagne, with a near-perfect growing season. July witnessed a heatwave across the region, followed by fresher weather and welcome rains in August, allowing the grapes to rest before the Indian summer took them to perfect maturity. By harvest, the Chardonnay grapes of Bouron Leroi and Bouron du Midi had attained the ideal balance between sugar, acidity and pure floral aromas. The year’s conditions were particularly favourable to Chardonnay, with the ripeness of the grapes, combined with aromatic richness and vinosity, resulting in a wine of exceptional finesse and generosity.
