For almost two centuries, the House of Perrier-Jouët has been a guardian of the finest Champagne traditions.

HISTORY: 1811 is not just a legendary vintage, it is also the year that Nicolas Perrier, the son of winegrower, Adèle Jouët, the daughter of a family of wine merchants, went on to create a major champagne House. The combination of tradition, “terroir”, know-how, and a love of work created a champagne with elegance and finess.

Recognising the potential of overseas markets early on, Perrier-Jouët sent his first consignment to England in 1815 and to the US several years later. In 1854, Charles Perrier succeeded his father and, reacting to the changing tastes of customers, produced a dry champagne, later to be named Brut. In 1888, Perrier-Jouët became the most expensive champagne in the world, with Perrier-Jouët 1874 braking all price records at Christie’s, the world’s leading art auctioneer.

In 1902, Emile Gallé, a Master Glazier from the Nancy School, created a bottle set with anemones for Perrier-Jouët. These anemones became the symbol of the House. This artistic decoration was chosen in 1964 to hold the Belle Epoque cuvée.

KNOW HOW: For over two centuries, Maison Perrier-Jouët has continually pursued its quest for quality.

Lying in the heart of the champagne region, Perrier-Jouët owns 65 hectares rating 99.2% on the quality scale (100% being the optimum). This means that each vineyard parcels is classified almost exclusively as Grand Cru.

The Chardonnay grape, floral and almost feminine in its elegance and finesse, is the signature variety of Perrier-Jouët’s vineyards, with a strong showing of mature vines (23 years old on average). The holdings take in a homogenous terroir of Chardonnay vineyards some 40 hectares in area within the legendary Grands Crus of Cramant and Avize. Two parcels enjoy almost mythical status - Bourrons Leroy and Bourrons du Midi.

From its early days, the House of Perrier-Jouët has made champagne in small quantities with a “limited edition” approach. Like master craftsmen handing down the secrets of their trade from father to son, the seven Chefs de Cave over two centuries have placed quality before quantity.

They have also managed to conserve the House’s historical treasures in the shape of its early vintages, such as the Perrier-Jouët 1825, the oldest left in Champagne today. Hervé Deschamps, their current Cellar Master and guardian of this heritage, is a natural upholder of this creative philosophy.