Belle Epoque 2015

The wine in this vintage

2015 in Champagne was a hot, very dry year, with an early harvest of ripe, healthy and nicely concentrated grapes that produced generous, sunny wines. In Belle Epoque 2015 that ripeness meets the house's floral finesse: peach, apricot, candied citrus, acacia blossom, honey and brioche on the nose; a creamy mousse and broad, rounded substance on the palate, kept balanced by freshness, with a long, lightly spiced finish. A Champagne of immediate appeal, it is already enjoyable but has the structure to evolve well and can be kept for several 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

• 93 Robert Parker

Technical details

Producer

Perrier Jouet

Region

Champagne

Country

Francia

Type

Bollicine

Vintage

2015

When to drink

Hold, still evolving

Critics' average

93/100

Sizes

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

eWibe code

0700115