Perrier Jouet Belle Epoque 2002 Magnum
Luminous pale yellow in colour, tinged with jade green, suggesting light and purity. The nose, reticent at first, reveals lightly fruited exotic notes, with citrus and white fruit (peaches, pears), as well as exotic fruit. These turn to richer notes of wax, honey, thick cream, nougat and liquorice.
The Pinot Noir influence lends the wine backbone without masking its suppleness. The small proportion of Pinot Meunier settles down these diverse elements, gently rounding off the wine and giving it added body.
In the mouth, the aromatic richness comes through with integrity and elegance.
Look for delicate flavours and textures to accompany this champagne, such as lightly fried, tender Coquilles Saint-Jacques. Sushi and other raw fish are likewise a good match for Belle Epoque ’98, as are most delicately-flavoured dishes.
Grape Variety:
Blend composition: 50% Chardonnay, 45% Pinot Noir and 5% Pinot Meunier
Dosage: 8 g/l
To do justice to the wine, and those who made it, Belle Epoque Vintage 1998 should be served at between 7 and 9°C.
Belle Epoque Vintage 1998 has been gently matured for 6 years in Perrier-Jouet’s historic chalk cellars, gradually fulfilling its rich potential as a superb vintage champagne.
Background Information:
For over two centuries, Maison Perrier-Jouët has continually pursued its quest for quality. 1811 is not just a legendary vintage, it is also the year that Nicolas Perrier, the son of winegrower, Adèle Jouët, the daughter of a family of wine merchants, went on to create a major champagne House. The combination of tradition, “terroir”, know-how, and a love of work created a champagne with elegance and finess.
Lying in the heart of the champagne region, Perrier-Jouët owns 65 hectares rating 99.2% on the quality scale (100% being the optimum). This means that each vineyard parcels is classified almost exclusively as Grand Cru.
The Chardonnay grape, floral and almost feminine in its elegance and finesse, is the signature variety of Perrier-Jouët’s vineyards, with a strong showing of mature vines (23 years old on average). The holdings take in a homogenous terroir of Chardonnay vineyards some 40 hectares in area within the legendary Grands Crus of Cramant and Avize. Two parcels enjoy almost mythical status - Bourrons Leroy and Bourrons du Midi.
From its early days, the House of Perrier-Jouët has made champagne in small quantities with a “limited edition” approach. Like master craftsmen handing down the secrets of their trade from father to son, the seven Chefs de Cave over two centuries have placed quality before quantity.
They have also managed to conserve the House’s historical treasures in the shape of its early vintages, such as the Perrier-Jouët 1825, the oldest left in Champagne today. Hervé Deschamps, our current Cellar Master and guardian of this heritage, is a natural upholder of this creative philosophy.
