Perrier-Jouët's Cellar Master Reflects on a Lifetime of Champagne

"Based in the Épernay region of Champagne, this more-than-200-year-old house places a particularly vital emphasis on blending to sustain a distinctive, consistent style, especially for its non-vintage cuvées. With only seven cellar masters in its history, Hervé Deschamps spent 36 years maintaining its styles and guarding its traditions and is now training Séverine Frerson to ensure continuity. The spirit of the brand—with Chardonnay expressed as floral, delicate, and elegant—remains central even as it responds to demand with releases like a new Blanc de Blancs (NV). In challenging harvests the Belle Epoque vintage cuvée may not be made, but non-vintage bottlings remain an obligation, underscoring the importance of reserve wine." - Jacob Dean