Perrier-Jouët

Winegrowers’ Portraits Épernay

Perrier-Jouët

The first limited edition
of Belle Epoque since 1902

In 1811, Pierre Nicolas Marie Perrier, from a long lineage of Champagne origin, married Adèle Jouët and established with her the Champagne House which was to bear both their surnames: Perrier-Jouët. The main part of its winegrowing area was gradually formed in the finest growths: Aÿ, Mailly-Champagne, and most importantly in Avize and Cramant.
Managed by Charles Perrier, in 1861 the company Perrier-Jouët became an official supplier of the Court of England and of Queen Victoria, and then a few years later of the Imperial Court of France. The fashion for Champagne continued brilliantly and perfectly matched the euphoric mood of the 1900s. As the song went: “La Belle Époque, c’est du champagne..”, and Perrier-Jouët established itself everywhere as the best and most sophisticated of brut champagnes. At that period the company exported a million bottles annually, three quarters of this quantity to the
United Kingdom.
The cuvee “Belle Époque” was created in 1964 and launched in 1969. It was one of the greatest successes of Prestige Cuvées of the 20th century. This event marked a decisive turning point in the history of the brand, with the return of the bottle first created by Émile Gallé, which had been sleeping for more than 60 years in Perrier-Jouët’s closely guarded cellars. A true work of art, the printed Art Nouveau bottle adorned with white anemones has become the symbol of this magnificent Champagne House.

Today, for the very first time since this fabulous glass container was created in 1902, the prestigious Champagne House has called upon the talents of a well-known floral creator, Makoto Azuma, to bring out, at the occasion of the end of year festivities, the Cuvée “Belle Époque Floral Edition.” This limited edition of Cuvée Belle Époque 2004 will be presented in a gift box also decorated with a floral composition designed by the artist.
Defying the boundaries of style, Makoto Azuma has created a delicate floral composition where flowers and golden leaves intertwine harmoniously with white Japanese anemones: it is really a tribute to Art Nouveau, a movement strongly inspired by Japanese aesthetics. “I wanted to create an original composition” Makoto Azuma tells us “by drawing inspiration from the airy bubbles of Cuvée Belle Époque and the delicate movement of anemones, whilst respecting Emile Gallé’s work of art.”
The specific choice of flowers and many alterations to achieve the perfection of a leaf, a petal or pattern on the bottle itself, such were the challenges met by Makoto Azuma in creating “Belle Époque Floral Edition”, a poetic, modern composition which embodies the exceptional values and integral perfect quality at Perrier-Jouët, one of the most prestigious Champagne Houses.
Dominique Peyral-Bon
Translation from French by
Anne-Marie Shepherd-Capdemourlin

PERRIER-JOUËT
28, avenue de Champagne
51200 EPERNAY
Tél.: +33 (0) 3 26 53 38 00
www.perrier-jouet.com

MAKOTO AZUMA,

THE FLORAL DESIGNER

Born in 1976, Makoto Azuma grew up in the countryside. In 2002, he opened a “high fashion” floral creation workshop, the Jardin des Fleurs, and then expanded his activities abroad. Reveal flowers and plants in their uniqueness, elegance and mystery, explore all their facets, work with them in a bespoke way and raise them to the rank of works of art: such was the creative choice made by this artist. His floral artwork or astonishing sculptures are unhesitatingly modern and flourishing at exhibitions, events and performances all over the world, such as in Paris at Hermès, at Colette, the Cartier Foundation or in Düsseldorf at the NRW Forum. Since 2009, his experimental laboratory Azuma Makoto Botanical Research Institute has been exploring plants’ infinite potential.
With Perrier-Jouët, Makoto Azuma has succeeded, thanks to his creativity, in bestowing eternal life to plants or flowers which are in essence ephemeral.