Who said that it is necessary to wait for spring to be intoxicated by the scent of flowers? In Champagne, Perrier-Jouët offers an original experience for the Christmas holidays. The historic Maison, recognized for its floral style present in wines, but also in the image, it presents The Banquet of Nature by Perrier-Jouët, a new, elegant approach to tasting. The idea came to Séverine Frerson, Chef de Caves, who thought of a true sensory journey in which nature is the protagonist at every stage, from preparation to the conclusion of the tasting. Combining winemaking knowledge with the botanical heritage of the founding family, leads the winelover public to better grasp the rich nuances of Chardonnay, a vineyard that has always been a symbol of the Maison.
With only eight Chef de Caves since its foundation, Perrier-Jouët has been able to work with rare continuity in the art of revealing all the facets of the grape and Séverine Frerson today draws on her vast knowledge of the terroir to select the crus that will best express the personality of each cuvée within the style of the Maison. Looking to the future, the Chef de Cave aims to "further enhance the expression of Chardonnay not only in the final cuvées, but also in the liqueur de dosage and reserve wines, intensifying the floral aromas of Perrier-Jouët champagnes and revealing new ones that further accentuate its aromatic and structural richness . In short, champagne requires patience and meticulous savoir-faire. This is especially true for the vintage Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque cuvées, for which Séverine Frerson created The Banquet of Nature by Perrier-Jouët.
Experience The Banquet of Nature by Perrier-Jouët
Perrier-Jouët has evolved in symbiosis with nature for more than 200 years, thanks to the legacy of Pierre-Nicolas Perrier (who founded the Maison with Rose-Adélaïde Jouët) and his son Charles, both passionate botanists and horticulturists, who introduced progressive ideas on viticulture and vineyard management. And today, at the center of The Banquet of Nature by Perrier-Jouët, arousing the senses, guiding and enhancing the tasting at every stage, there is still nature and its life cycle, which marks each of the proposed stages.
The terroir and Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque Blanc de Blancs 2004
For Maison Perrier-Jouët it is essential to take care of the earth, because healthy vines depend on healthy soil. In 2020, the Maison introduced an experimental regenerative viticulture program to revitalize the land and increase its fertility, to resist the effects of climate change. To prepare the tasting, on chalk fragments of the Perrier-Jouët terroir in Champagne, guests distribute floral waters with cornflower, jasmine and violet, evoking respectively the minerality, floreality and elegance of the cuvée. The mineral freshness is thus accompanied by the floral richness: this perfect combination is offered by Cramant's Grand Cru terroir.
The awakening and Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque 2013
“During the winter months, nature is discreet. It prepares to awaken, gathering the strength to start growing. This is the phase in which nature blossoms, with the promise of a future magnificence . In this moment of the tasting, the aromatic profile of the cuvée is explored through the texture of different flowers – one light with a white buttercup, one denser and velvety with a begonia and one silky with an orchid – evoking the texture of Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque 2013 and its vertical structure, due to the Chardonnay grapes of the Côte des Blancs: "Just like the awakening of nature, Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque 2013 is a still young cuvée, whose complexity distinguishes it as a very promising vintage ".
Flowering and Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque 1999
"This is the moment when nature – and flowers in particular – expresses all its exuberance, with an explosion of colors, aromas and shapes. It is a moment of fullness, intensity and abundance . And then, the experience before the tasting illustrates the evolution of the style of the Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque cuvée. Guests are invited to taste 2 edible flower petals, white pansy to highlight the floral notes of the wine and Indian cress to bring out the evolutionary notes.
To celebrate the holidays and inaugurate 2022, Maison Perrier-Jouët is organizing a series of exclusive lunches until January 29, which will be open to the public by reservation at +330674270588 (gastronomic and experiential menu, food & wine combinations: 310 euros per person).
The tastings take place in one of the most evocative places in Épernay, in the Maison Belle Epoque, an extraordinary setting, emblematic for the history of art. In addition, the tasting experience will begin its international tour in Germany, China and Japan, to be shared with those who will not be able to enjoy it at Maison Perrier-Jouët in Épernay.
The Maison Belle Epoque in Épernay
The villa, once home to the founding family of Perrier-Jouët, has been recognized by Unesco as a World Heritage Site and has opened its doors to the public a few months ago: it houses the largest private collection of French Art Nouveau in Europe, an emblem of the close bond that unites the Maison to art. Perrier-Jouët has been deeply influenced from its origins by the love of its founders for nature and art: from its collaboration in 1902 with the Art Nouveau pioneer Emile Gallé, creator of the anemone for his cuvée de prestige Belle Epoque, Perrier-Jouët commissioned works to artists such as Daniel Arsham, Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance, Miguel Chevalier, Makoto Azuma, Tord Boontje, Studio Glithero, Simon Heijdens and more recently Vik Muniz, Ritsue Mishima, Andrew Kudless and Luftwerk.
Since last summer, the visit has been part of the Belle Epoque Society, a complete range of experiences that includes three complementary spaces: the Cellier Belle Epoque champagne bar, the Perrier-Jouët Boutique and the Maison Belle Epoque. In the villa it is also possible to discover the work of chef Sébastien Morellon, Executive Chef since January 2021: a creative cuisine inspired by nature that takes up the two pillars of Perrier-Jouët, between art and nature.
