Belle Epoque 2011

The wine in this vintage

2011 was a difficult Champagne vintage: a warm, early spring, a cool, damp summer and one of the earliest harvests on record, with grapes that were not always even. Few houses declared the year, and those that did relied on strict selection. Belle Epoque 2011 shows a lighter, more approachable profile: white flowers, pear, citrus, almond and a yeasty note; a soft, medium-bodied palate with a delicate bead. Wine Enthusiast rated it 94 points. A Champagne for the medium term, it drinks well now and can be kept for a few more years.

The producer · Perrier Jouet

Founded in Épernay in 1811 by Pierre-Nicolas Perrier and Rose-Adélaïde Jouët, Perrier-Jouët is one of Champagne's great historic houses. From the nineteenth century it stood out for a delicate, floral style that was ahead of its time, and for an early focus on drier, less dosed Champagnes that won over the courts and markets of Europe. Chardonnay lies at the heart of its identity, especially from Côte des Blancs Grand Crus such as Cramant and Avize, giving the wines finesse, brightness and a signature floral elegance. The house emblem is the bottle adorned with Japanese anemones, designed in 1902 by Art Nouveau master Émile Gallé and rediscovered in the 1960s for the prestige cuvée Belle Epoque. Now part of the Pernod Ricard group, Perrier-Jouët entrusts its stylistic continuity to a small succession of cellar masters, while keeping strong ties with art, design and nature. The result is refined, finely chiselled Champagnes that combine freshness and complexity.

Critics' scores

• 94 Wine Enthusiast
• 89 Wine Spectator
• 15.5/20 Jancis Robinson

Technical details

Producer

Perrier Jouet

Region

Champagne

Country

Francia

Type

Bollicine

Vintage

2011

When to drink

Hold, still evolving

Critics' average

91.5/100

Sizes

75 cl, Magnum 150 cl, Case of 6 × 75 cl

eWibe code

0700111