Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque Blanc de Blancs: 2012 release and vertical tasting

To celebrate the release of the Belle Epoque Blanc de Blancs 2012 ⎯ only the seventh vintage since the inaugural release of the 1993 ⎯ Perrier-Jouët held a vertical tasting of all vintages to date. Hosted by Séverine Frerson (cellar master since 2020) and sommelier Alexandre Freguin (UK best sommelier 2018), this was an unusual event. As most Champagne is non-vintage, vintage Champagnes are rarely produced frequently enough to make vertical tastings possible. Scroll down to see the tasting note and score for Belle Epoque Blanc de Blancs 2012 and six other vintages [subscriber-content]Belle Epoque is Perrier-Jouët’s top cuvée, indeed top three cuvées, as there are three different iterations: Brut, Rosé, and Blanc de Blancs. Each is made only in exceptional years. It’s rare for all three to be produced in the same year, and this happened only in 1999, 2006, and 2012. The next release of Belle Epoque Blanc de Blancs will be 2014. Belle Epoque Blanc de Blancs challenges the usual assumptions about Champagne. For non-vintage Champagne, consistency is the key, depending on blending to achieve the same style using varying base wines, reserve wines, grape varieties, and vineyard sources. Vintage Champagne is different, in that it reflects the character of the year, although it’s still possible to change the blend of varieties or the source vineyards to conform to the house style. But Belle Epoque Blanc de Blancs comes exclusively from Chardonnay , and from a single source, so it’s an unadorned reflection of time and place. The grapes come from two virtually adjacent vineyards in Cramant in the Côte des Blancs: Bouron Leroi and Bouron du Midi (among the first plots acquired in 1848 by Charles Perrier, son of the founders of the house). The vines are now around 70 years old. This wine is the smallest cuvée Perrier-Jouët produces in terms of volume. ‘It’s secret,’ is all Séverine will say when asked exactly how much that is, but the two vineyards together total 6.8ha, so it’s probably around 50,000 bottles. ‘We have three words for Belle Epoque Blanc de Blancs,’ Séverine says: ‘florality, purity, and minerality. We keep the same style.’ Belle Epoque Blanc de Blancs 2012 The tasting started with the 2012. Recently disgorged, it is showing the style at the start of its life, without the effects of evolution in the bottle, giving a direct insight into the cellar master’s intentions. ‘This one is very pure and floral, very straight and elegant,’ Séverine says. It conveys almost a sense of the austerity of zero dosage. Although it's not zero dosage. It's low though, at 6g/L, just at the border of Brut and Extra Brut. In fact, there has been a steady decrease in dosage, from 10g/L in 1993 and 1999, to 8g/L between 2000 and 2006, and now 6g/L in 2012. This is in line with a general reduction in dosage levels across Champagne this century, compensating for increased ripeness resulting from climate change. The only vintage in the line up where you really directly sense that decline in dosage is 2012, perhaps because it’s more obvious as the effects of ageing have not yet kicked in. The 2006 and 2000 vintages show as the richest, although dosage is less than the more restrained vintages of the 90s. The austerity at release is levelled out in older vintages by the development of more mature fruit flavours with notes of toast and brioche. See a vertical tasting of the Belle Epoque Brut here Identifying linearity of style The lineage runs clearly through 2004, 2002, 1999, and 1993, all showing developed stone fruits tinged with citrus against that backbone of austerity. Given vintage variation, there is actually a striking consistency of style. When I asked how this is achieved, Séverine said ‘we select appropriate years. For Brut and Rosé, I also select plots for the style (not for Blanc de Blancs because there are only two plots).’ Comparisons of 2004 versus 2002, and 1999 versus 1993, are fascinating as the wines in each pair were disgorged around the same time, so vintage effects are uninfluenced by different ageing periods since disgorgement. The 2004 is a little broader than the 2002. Séverine says it will age another 20 years, ‘no problem.’ The 2002 has a finer, silkier structure, and more evident freshness: personally I think it might live longer, but Séverine believes the 2004 will outlast the 2002. ‘It was a spectacular year with high potential for ageing.’ [caption id="attachment_481477" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Séverine Frerson leading the vertical tasting: Credit: Perrier-Jouët[/caption] It must be noted that the 2004 was poured from magnum, while the other vintages were from 75cl bottles. Is the 2004’s sense of restraint a vintage characteristic, or because it was poured from magnum? Alexandre Freguin says ‘the magnum is magnifying the effect of the vintage, but you would never know it’s 18 years old.’ When I tasted the 2002 at Perrier-Jouët soon after disgorgement, it impressed me with its harmonious quality, deep, round, silky texture, and lively acidity. I expected it to last 10 years. My experience shows how easy it is to under-estimate longevity, because Belle Epoque ages so slowly. 1999 and 1993 are fully mature, but neither feels anything like 16 years past disgorgement: 1999 is wonderfully fresh, and 1993 resembles 2002 with a touch more obvious acidity, counterbalanced by notes from extra time before disgorgement that I would describe as caramel, and Séverine describes as toasted almonds or pecans. Belle Epoque ages so subtly that I would defy even experienced tasters to identify 10 years difference in disgorgement times between 2004/2002 and 1999/1993. Two more rapidly developing vintages are outliers. ‘2006 was a very sunny year, you can see it in the wine,’ Séverine says. Although quite recently disgorged, it shows a mature nose and palate with tertiary impressions. In a blind tasting, it would probably seem older. The 2000 also appears richer than usual, with less ageing potential than 2004 or 2002. Neither 2006 nor 2000 shows the full sense of the usual linearity of style. Séverine summarises the tasting accurately, ‘we are showing the consistency of the cru, the plots, the grapes, but tempered by the vintage. Each year has its own personality. It’s a picture of place and terroir.’ [/subscriber-content] Belle Epoque Blanc de Blancs 2012 and six other vintages: The wines are listed in descending vintage order [wine-collection] Related content: Perrier Jouët: Producer profile Top Côte des Blancs wineries to visit What’s the difference between ‘brut nature’ and ‘zéro dosage’? – ask Decanter

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Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque Blanc de Blancs: 2012 release and vertical tasting

Scroll down to see the tasting note and score for Belle Epoque Blanc de Blancs 2012 and six other vintages

Belle Epoque Blanc de Blancs 2012 and six other vintages:

Related content:

Perrier Jouët: Producer profile

Top Côte des Blancs wineries to visit

What’s the difference between ‘brut nature’ and ‘zéro dosage’? – ask Decanter

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