... And We're Back! (And Drinking Champagne!)

If ever a night called for caviar and champagne… (pic taken by me, Jan. 20, 2021)

My apologies for being a bit quiet ‘round these parts for the last month or so. The holidays, deadlines, and an inability to concentrate much on writing about booze in the wake of the Capitol insurrection have all led to radio silence on this end.

But we’ve got a new president in office, it’s a new day, and it’s time to celebrate — and start updating the blog more regularly. And what better way to do it than with a writeup of the champagne with which my lovely spouse and I toasted President Biden and Vice President Harris last night? I’d been saving it for a special occasion for almost the entirety of the Trump administration, and if you’re one of the 81 million or so people who voted him out of office in November, this was as special an occasion as it gets. And it was worth the wait for sure.

I wrote up Perrier-Jouet’s Belle Epoque 2011 expression for Robb Report when it was first released. It was one of the only times I’ve ever written about sparkling wine of any kind, and while I loved it, I was nervous as heck trying to figure out what to say and finding the correct language to say it. I got some help, for which I’m still grateful (if you’re reading this, thanks again!), and I think it came out OK. Alas, it came out under the byline of my editor, but hey, at least the check cleared. And I got a bottle of the bubbly for myself, which was finally put to good use last night. I don’t know how readily available it is at this point, but if you find one that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, by all means pick it up. Here’s the writeup (if you want to see it in its original form, go here):

The distinctive painted boite, adorned with Japanese white anemones, makes Perrier-Jouët’s Belle Epoque one of the most iconic of Champagne bottles. Appearances aside, it’s the cuvée inside that earns the Belle Epoque moniker, as not every harvest produces a vintage worthy of the name. This year, however, the first Brut Belle Epoque release since 2008 is ours for the pouring, having passed the muster of cellar master Hervé Deschamps.

Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque 2011 ($150) is the result of an unusually warm winter, followed by a summery spring, which led to an early blossom and an August harvest. Deschamps, the seventh cellar master since the house was founded in 1811, created a distinctive wine while still retaining the floral notes that characterize the Perrier-Jouët house style. To achieve it, he blended Grand Crus for a final ratio of 50 percent Chardonnay, 45 percent Pinot Noir, and 5 percent Pinot Meunier. The blend was aged for more than five years in Perrier-Jouët’s cellars, with a low dosage of 9 grams of sugar per liter. The result is a lively, vibrant Champagne, with the crispness of the Chardonnay playing off the roundness of the Pinots. It’s dry and slightly acidic, with hints of citrus, light floral notes and a clean, slightly mineral finish.