'My grandfather did what nature can't'

Lucie Pereyre can enthusiastically recount the first wine her grandfather created. Not only did he shake up the Champagne region by using unconventional methods, but this 'Grand Siècle' also set the tone of champagne house Laurent-Perrier, which went on to become one of the greats.
Text: Marjolein Schuman | Image: Leif Carlsson, Jon Wyand

After some tinkering with the sound, we can not only see her, but also hear her: Lucie Pereyrede Nonancourt. A stylish and extremely friendly woman from Tours-sur-Marne, who stepped into the Laurent-Perrier family business in 2019 as the fourth generation. She learned all the tricks of the trade from chef de cave Michel Fauconnet, who has been employed there for more than half a century. Lucie focuses mainly on Grand Siècle champagne, which she represents both in France and around the world. During a Zoom session, she talks to WINELIFE about champagne and we get a good idea of the enormous effort it takes to make such an inimitable wine.

INNOVATOR IN THE REGION

Champagne house Laurent-Perrier has been around since 1812, but with the arrival of freethinker Bernard de Nonancourt, after World War II, it became a real innovator in the region. 'After my family bought the house in 1939, my grandfather became the director in 1948. He redefined the style, signifying it with the three words freshness, purity and elegance. To achieve this, he encouraged innovation. For instance, he brought stainless steel tanks to Champagne for the first time. He reduced the dosage (sugar addition, ed.), also to make zéro dosage champagne. And he decided that his champagne should not only