Unique bottle, decorated with white anemones, the work of 1902 by the master of Art Nouveau, Emile Gallé.
The first Cuvée Belle Epoque dates back to the 1964 vintage.
This champagne is characterized by fine and elegant bubbles, by the variety of aromas, including white floral ones and by the delicacy of its structure. This is what it has always been, but with the 2013 vintage something seems to have changed, perhaps limited to this vintage.
The Belle Epoque is made from Pinot Noir grapes from Verzy and Mailly. The Chardonnay is from the Villages of Cramant and Avize and the Pinot Meunier grapes are from Dizy. This vintage is the work of the new chef de Cave Séverine Frerson, who took over from Hervé Deschamps who assisted her, before leaving the Maison, for the planned handover.
This vintage has surprised everyone a little, being accustomed with the Belle Epoque to fine, delicate champagnes, directed more on elegance than on power. An example are the very pleasant 2008 and 2012 and if we want also 2011, the latter rich in greater freshness but with less structure than the first two vintages.
I am going to write my tasting notes:
Maison Perriet Jouët Belle Epoque, vintage 2013
(Grapes: 50% Chardonnay, 45% Pinot Noir and 5% Pinot Meunier)
From the glass it shines a light golden yellow and the bubbles are quite fine and numerous.
Nose overflowing and varied with aromas of intense flint, cedar peel, iodine, salt, ripe leg pear, mint, light ginger, rubber, lime blossom, green banana peel, red apple peel, pink pepper, white pepper . The olfactory path continues with notes of hard candy of raspberry, vanilla, intense graphite, blond leather, to finish with puffs of chalk.
On the palate it is sapid and mineral and the bubbles are fine and pleasant.
Flavors reminiscent of intense pear juice, lemon and yellow grapefruit.
The body is well present and is much higher than in the 2008, 2011 and 2012 vintages.
Freshness dominates, without second thoughts, the alcoholic mass, making the wine perfectly balanced. Its gustative persistence is long with a ripe banana finish. On the upper gum I felt a little bit of the taste of green banana peel. The freshness is very long and the mineral note is more present than in other vintages.
With regard to the greater structure, this may depend on the fact that the 2013 vintage tended to be warmer with more ripe grapes at the time of harvest. (98/100)
Chef de Cave Séverine Frerson in relation to 2013 expressed herself as follows:
“I associate Perrier Jouët Belle Epoque with white orchids, which are also my favorite flower. For me this cuvée has the same combination of grace and elegance, delicacy and vivacity, together with the solid structure of a white orchid”.
I completely agree with the opinion expressed by the new Chef de Cave Séverine Frerson regarding the 2013 vintage.
