Joseph Perrier

Joseph Perrier is the only champagne house that has stayed in Châlons-en-Champagne. It was founded in 1825 as Joseph Perrier et Fils by the son, Joseph, together with his father François-Alexandre. In 1827 Joseph Perrier settled on the site where the house still stands today, at the foot of a chalk hill. He later also served as a member of the departmental council and, from 1854 to 1860, as mayor of Châlons.

Family and royal clientele

The house has belonged to the same family since 1888. Jean-Claude Fourmon, great-grandson of Paul Pithois, ran it together with his son Benjamin. Benjamin Fourmon succeeded his father in 2019 and represents the sixth generation. The chef de cave is Nathalie Laplaige. In 1889 the house became champagne supplier to Queen Victoria and her son Edward VII, which gave rise to the name of the Cuvée Royale. To this day the house exports around 70 per cent of its production.

Vineyards and cuvées

According to the house, it farms 24 hectares of its own vineyards. Older sources give 21 to 23 hectares. They lie in the Marne Valley and are planted mainly with Pinot Noir. Most of the land is in Verneuil, with the rest in Cumières, Hautvillers and Damery. There are also two hectares of Chardonnay. Picking is done by hand into small baskets.

The range runs from the Cuvée Royale Brut through Blanc de Blancs, Rosé and Brut Nature to the Blanc de Noirs "La Côte à Bras". There is also a Cuvée Royale Organic Extra Brut. The prestige cuvée Joséphine was first made with the 1982 vintage and is named after the founder's daughter. It is made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grown exclusively in grand cru sites.

Visit and tasting

The Gallo-Roman cellars sit at ground level and are dug into the hill next to the winery buildings, a rarity in Champagne. Three kilometres of galleries are protected by an arboretum that acts as a natural temperature regulator. After two years of renovation they reopened to visitors at the end of 2020. The tour ends with a tasting of the Cuvée Royale Brut and lasts about an hour and a quarter. You can book through the house's website or by phone on +33 3 26 68 29 51.