Last winter I had one of the years great visits to Joseph Perrier. A house with incredible history, Champagne Joseph Perrier dates back to the early 19th century. It was back in 1825 in Châlons-en-Champagne that the house was founded on a town that was formerly vineyards. The house is now in its sixth generation of ownership and leadership, run by Jean-Claude and Benjamin Fourmon. This house is probably is best known for its Brut Royal, a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. The company also produces a beautiful Blanc de Blancs, and an outstanding Blanc de Noirs. Their tete de cuvee, the ‘La Cote A Bras’ comes from a small parcel of Pinot Noir vines and is made every vintage!
Joseph Perrier is the only winery still headquartered in Châlons-en-Champagne and the house manages 22 hectares of vineyards in Cumières and Hautvillers. In Joseph Perrier’s cellar in Chlons, a former chalk quarry which dates all the way back to the Gallo-Roman period. The house has a beautiful chateau where I met with Benjamin Fourmon as we tasted through his beautiful range of wines. This past weekend I had the pleasure of revisiting these wines and the consistency was really outstanding. I love the new NV Joseph Perrier ‘Brut Nature’ Champagne (OB, 93) which is very nuanced and would be a downright killer match for sushi. I was enamored by the intense and powerful 2014 Joseph Perrier ‘La Cote A Bras’ Champagne (OB, 95) which is dense and really needs an hour of air before consuming. Learn more about this beautiful house in Champagne at josephperrier.com and here are my reviews of the outstanding new wines by Joseph Perrier.
NV Joseph Perrier ‘Cuvee Royale’ Brut Champagne- The NV ‘Cuvee Royale’ includes 20% reserve wines and is a blend of near equal parts Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay as this was disgorged in October 2022. This was given 7 G/L dosage, this offers alluring French bread and pink grapefruit blossom tones on the nose alongside green apple and stony undercurrents. Fantastic now, enjoy over the next seven years. Drink 2023-2029- 91
NV Joseph Perrier ‘Brut Rose’ Champagne- The NV ‘Brut Rose’ is mainly Chardonnay (65%) with the remainder Pinot Noir and and Pinot Meunier. Beautiful ripe red fruits alongside kumquat zest and baking spices on the palate. Bright red cherry and cranberry fruits combine with blood orange zest notes on the palate. Very delicate. Drink now.. Drink 2023-2028- 91
NV Joseph Perrier ‘Brut Nature’ Champagne- This’Brut Nature’ has a base wine from the 2016 vintage, including 15% reserve wines.. It is mostly Chardonnay (62%) with smaller parts Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Aged for 60 months on the lees, this shows pastry crust notes alongside sour apple, and shades of ginger dusted green papaya. This would be a flat out fabulous wine for top class sushi. Very delicate, yet showing a good veil of viscosity, enjoy now and over the next eight years. Drink 2023-2033- 93
2014 Joseph Perrier ‘Tout de Blanc’ Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Champagne- The marvelous, magnum only ‘Tout de Blanc’ Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Champagne comes from the 2014 vintage. Coming from a small selection of Chouilly, Avize, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Cumières et Epernay sourced Chardonnay grapes, this received 4G/L dosage and was stored in bottle for five years before disgorgement in May 2019. Very refined bubbles immediately greet you. This is just so well-balanced, with copious minerals with lemon oil, kumquat zest, and baked Challah bread, this has glorious viscosity, finesse and length. Do not serve too warm. Only 1500 bottles produced. Drink 2023-2036- 95
2014 Joseph Perrier ‘La Cote A Bras’ Champagne- This 100% Pinot Noir Brut Nature ‘Blanc de Noirs’ Champagne was first produced with the 2006 vintage. This single plot, Cumieres- based Champagne comes from vines which were planted more than forty years ago. This is a dense and rich wine, with sterling minerality. Lime zest, wet stone and sourdough bread tones combine with shades of quince and wild mushroom on the palate. Give this a lot of time to evolve, as this is best decanted now and will cellar well for another fifteen plus years. Drink 2023-2037- 95