Perrier-Jouët Blason de France 1961 (Sparkling)

The company takes its name from its founders, Pierre Nicolas Perrier from Champagne and Rose Adélaïde Jouët from Normandy, who established their own brand in 1811. From the outset, their cuvées have stood out for their uncompromising quality. The chateau in Epernay, which was built by Pierre's father in the middle of the 19th century, is an example of both precision and eccentricity. The vineyards were extended over the years and now boast 65 hectares. 99.2% of these have grand cru status, including 40 Chardonnay grand crus in Cramant (29ha) and Avize (11ha), with two iconic parcels, les Bourons Leroy and Bourons du Midi, reserved for the Belle-époque cuvée. The Meunier grapes come from the premier cru vineyard in Dizy and the Pinot Noir from the Mailly premier cru. The vineyards provide one third of the champagne house's grapes and the rest are bought in. Adélaïde looks after the clients while her husband travels the world conquering new markets.
Hervé Deschamps became the company's seventh cellar master in 1993. He skilfully crafts the limited production cuvées, favouring the exceptional over quantity. His blends are worked on and tested regularly until they express the characteristic elegance and finesse of Perrier-Jouët. There is no pre-blending. Instead, the basic wine is developed and then the final blend put together in a single process. Any years deemed to be average are discarded. Since the early 19th century, the house, unusually, has opted for low dosage.

The party wine par excellence, Champagne has a complex reality behind the scenes. Even though the Champagne appellation is unique, there are in fact several different kinds of Champagne: ‘blanc de blancs’ (from Chardonnay grapes), ‘blanc de noirs’ (from Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier or both), a blend of three varieties, from a single vineyard or several, white or rosé, vintage or not, and dosed in varying proportions. What’s more, the Champagne region encompasses the defined area of three AOC appellations: Champagne, Coteaux-Champenois and Rosé-des-Riceys. At either side of the Marne, Reims and Épernay share the title of Champagne capital. Several regions make up the Champagne appellation: Montagne de Reims, Côte des Blancs on the edge of Épernay, Grande Vallée de la Marne and the two banks of the Marne Valley, extended by the Aisne vineyard and the Surmelin Valley. The Aube vineyard is situated at the far-south of the appellation area and is separated from the other segments by 75km of land without vines.

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