Our Selection for Wine of the Week December 13, 2010
Champagne Perrier-Jouët
Grand Brut France
Perrier-Jouët is the namesake winery of its founders Pierre Nicolas Perrier and Adele Jouët who, in 1811, met, fell in love and began making great Champagne. The winery has become known for fine craftsmanship, but may be even better known for its artistic heritage. In 1902, the Art Nouveau movement's Emile Gallé was inspired to design a bottle adorned with Japanese anemone flowers for the house. The bottle was immediately utilized for Perrier-Jouët's prestige cuveé and became the inspiration for the Champagne house's signature Art Nouveau style. But the winery's success is most certainly not built on looks alone. The Grand Brut, Perrier-Jouët's entry-level bottling, is largely considered a benchmark of non-vintage Champagne. Impressively elegant for the price, it offers zesty lemon and grapefruit on the nose and palate along with hints of white flowers, pineapple and just a touch of yeasty bread dough. Crisp and zippy enough to awaken the palate at brunch, it works well with most breakfast foods. At a party, try pairing with stuffed mushrooms, poached shrimp, ceviche or a variety of cheeses. It even works well with pizza.