Personal advice
Perrier Jouet produces very stylish, fine champagnes. The house's status among connoisseurs is based on the unique Prestige Cuvée Belle Époque. Belle Époque is known for the extravagant Art Nouveau design of its bottles, created in 1902 by Henri Gallé. Henri Gallice, President of Perrier Jouet and an art master, had been friends with Émile Gallé, founder of the École de Nancy and pioneer of Art Nouveau craftsmanship, since 1877. In 1902, Gallée designed four Perrier-Jouët bottles. The bottles were subsequently forgotten and were rediscovered by chance in early 1964. Chef de Cave André Baveret had been planning to launch a Prestige Cuvée for some time, and at this time, Michel Budin, an Art Nouveau enthusiast, recognized the iconic impact of this bottle. In 1972, the 1964 vintage was presented at the Belle Epoque restaurant Maxim's and immediately sold out at its general launch in 1973.
Perrie-Jouet still produces comparatively small quantities from its own old vines. The Belle Epoque style is particularly characterized by the excellent vineyards in Cramant. Chardonnay contributes half to the cuvée, Pinot Noir the other half, excluding a small portion of Pinot Meunier. Perrier-Jouet has changed hands frequently, from Mumm to Seagram to Allied Domeq to the current owners, Pernod-Ricard. Given the house's insignificant size, the holdings' share of sales was so small that the house's refined, subtle, yet pleasing style has been preserved.