#36 Perrier-Jouët's Chef de Caves, Séverine Frerson

<p>Today I’m joined by Séverine Frerson, Chef de Caves at Perrier-Jouët who is the most important custodian of a style that has been shaped by Chardonnay, florality and finesse for more than two centuries.</p><p>Séverine became just the eighth Cellar Master in Perrier-Jouët’s history when she succeeded Hervé Deschamps, taking responsibility for a House with an extraordinarily distinctive identity. </p><p>Perrier-Jouët is often described through the language of flowers, but behind that apparent delicacy is something far more complex: the relationship between aroma and texture, the chalk of the Côte des Blancs, the importance of Chardonnay, and an increasingly precise understanding of the vineyards themselves.</p><p>In this conversation, I wanted to go beyond simply describing Perrier-Jouët as “floral” and understand what that word actually means to Séverine as a winemaker. We explore the botanical spectrum she looks for in the wines, how texture contributes to the House style, and why places such as Cramant remain so important to its identity.</p><p>We also talk about Belle Époque, the challenges of preserving freshness as Champagne becomes warmer, Perrier-Jouët’s evolving approach to sustainability and biodiversity, and importantly, the 2026 harvest - what Séverine saw in the vineyards and what this unusual growing season mightultimately reveal in the wines.</p><p>I hope you enjoy today’s discussion. </p>