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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

I hope you enjoy today’s discussion.