Italiano
An exceptional tasting of Belle Époque Perrier-Jouët
A fascinating itinerary through different Belle Époque cuvée - vintages 2011, 2008.2006, 2005 and 2004 – to comprehend potential of this great Champagne.
The value of a great wine, and thus also the value of a great Champagne, is measured by how it stands the test of time. For this reason there exists a Cuvée de Prestige denomination, often the top of the line of production, wines that were conceived to challenge time and to do this they are given a different “chromosomic baggage”. The DNA of a Cuvée de Prestige is, in fact, common to many Champagne and is composed of the following elements:
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A selection of grapes for the most part from Grand and Premier Cru vineyards;
- Vinification using only first press juice that matures long on the lees, this because up to dégorgement the presence of the wine on the lees ensures antioxidant protection, allowing the aromas to heighten their complexity without the Champagne aging;
- Above all the imprinting of the wine’s origin, what is often referred to as the style of a Maison and that can be identified in all the Champagnes of a particular producer, a kind of trademark, and that creates an interpretive recognizability which determines whether a consumer prefers one brand over another.
From this point of view, Maison Perrier-Jouët has attracted the preferences of a vast sector of consumers, both wine lovers and experts, with a style composed of freshness, one in which harmonious freshness and finesse are the cardinal points around which the blends are constructed.
The absolute top of their line is the cuvée Belle Époque, a refined Champagne that the Italian market has demonstrated its appreciation of thanks to the great work done in recent years by Antinori and its network of Maison Racommandée – restaurants and hotels where Champagne Perrier-Jouët can always be found by the glass.
Champagne Belle Époque celebrates, according to Maison Perrier-Jouët Chef de Caves Hervé Deschamps, the “Art du Millesime”, in other words the most representative expression of a particular year, the exaltation of a specific harvest through the interpretive keys of Perrier-Jouët’s savoir-faire and ability to create a great Champagne that can stand the test of time.
An icon of floral elegance already with its bottle decorated by Emile Gallé, Belle Époque is a Champagne with quite an established blend: 50% of the grapes come from the best Chardonnay vineyards in Côte des Blancs – in the Grand Cru villages of Cramant, Avize and Chouilly – 45% are Pinot Noir – from the Grand Cru villages of Mailly, Ay and Verzy – and 5% di Pinot Meunier from Dizy. When there has been an exceptional harvest of Chardonnay a rare and prestigious Belle Époque Blanc de Blancs has been produced, while in those years when the harvest were not suited for a classic Belle Époque blend, Chef de Cave Hervé Deschamps has preferred to create a new cuvée. These have included Belle Époque Edition Première and Belle Époque Edition Automne, unique Champagnes that interpreted a harvest from a new point of view yet always consistent with the grace and consideration of the Maison Perrier-Jouët style.
During Pandolfini’s auction of “prestigious and collectors’ wines”, there was a rare tasting conducted by Leo Damiani, the hand behind Antinori’s Perrier-Jouët project, an itinerary through different Belle Époque vintages 2011, 2008, 2006, 2005 and 2004. It was an incredible experience that allowed you to comprehend the potential of this great Champagne.
