Winemaker

Nathalie Laplaige

Cellar Master, Champagne Joseph Perrier

Discipline: Winemaker
Based in: Châlons-en-Champagne, France
Venue: Champagne Joseph Perrier · Winery

i. Biography

Directing the assemblage for a historic Champagne house demands navigating both decades of institutional palate memory and the immediate shifts of each growing season. Nathalie Laplaige assumed this responsibility at Champagne Joseph Perrier in Châlons-en-Champagne, taking charge of the house's blending tables and cellar inventory.

Coming Up

Laplaige arrived at the maison in 2017, marking a pivotal transition in its production history. Prior to her appointment, the cellar had been guided by an unbroken lineage of four cellar masters stretching back to 1943, culminating in Jérome Dervin, the final figure in four generations of Dervins to oversee the estate's vats. Stepping into a post governed by what she noted was a deeply ingrained style, work methods, and mindset, she took over the management of base wines and reserve blending. Her technical work centers on calibrating cuvées against the climate conditions of individual harvests while preserving the house profile. For the Cuvée Royale Brut Rosé, Laplaige oversees a blended rosé structure assembled with a selection of 10% still red wines. In technical tastings and master classes, she works through still base wines to evaluate structure before prise de mousse, analyzing lots of clear Chardonnay and clear Pinot Noir wines that inform the final assemblages.

Where They Are Now

Nathalie Laplaige serves as the Chef de Caves at Champagne Joseph Perrier, leading the cellar alongside house head Benjamin Fourmon. In addition to directing cellar protocols and shaping releases such as the Cuvée Royale Blanc de Blancs and zero-dosage bottlings, she leads master classes and works on food pairings tailored to the house's cuvées. Her contributions to regional winemaking were formally recognized with her appointment as Chevalier à l'Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne.

Career - Chef de Caves — Champagne Joseph Perrier (2017–present)

FAQ What is Nathalie Laplaige's current role? Nathalie Laplaige serves as the Chef de Caves (Cellar Master) at Champagne Joseph Perrier, a position she has held since 2017. Whom did Nathalie Laplaige succeed at Champagne Joseph Perrier? She succeeded Jérome Dervin in 2017, following an unbroken succession of four cellar masters from the Dervin family dating back to 1943. What honors has Nathalie Laplaige received? She was appointed Chevalier à l'Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne.