Nam Hyun-woo has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2013, mostly covering business and politics. He currently belongs to the Business Desk where he covers topics such as emerging tech, AI, ICT and Korea's chaebol community. Prior to joining the team, he was the paper's correspondent for the presidential office of Korea during the Yoon Suk Yeol and Moon Jae-in administrations.
INTERVIEW falsePerrier-Jouet cellar master invites gourmets to explore pairing of K-food, champagne
Severine Frerson, cellar master of Perrier-Jouet, poses with the champagne house's products during an interview with The Korea Times in Seoul, Oct. 28. Courtesy of Pernod Ricard Korea
By Nam Hyun-woo
Severine Frerson, cellar master of Perrier-Jouet, believes the diverse textures and spices of Korean cuisine make an excellent match for champagne, inviting gourmets in Korea and beyond to discover the harmony between the champagne house’s legacy and globally celebrated Korean cuisine.
“Korea is an emerging gourmet nation where we can imagine many creative pairings between Korean dishes and champagne,” Frerson said during an interview with The Korea Times in Seoul.
“I was impressed by the tenderness of hanwoo and the variety of side dishes that accompany it. The soft texture of the meat and the layers of flavor from the sauces and marinades create a beautiful contrast, and I thought this would pair wonderfully with rose champagne.” Hanwoo refers to Korean beef.
A cellar master is the chief winemaker of a champagne house, overseeing blending, aging and the creation of its signature style. Frerson is the first woman to hold the position since Perrier-Jouet’s foundation in 1811.
Frerson visited Seoul on the occasion of the Perrier-Jouet Society event on Oct. 27, a global gastronomy program that selects star chefs from around the world as its ambassadors to showcase their signature courses paired with the house’s champagnes.
In the Seoul edition, seven Michelin-starred Korean chefs presented dishes inspired by Korean cuisine — such as cold appetizers, snow crab rillettes, seafood dongchimi, or water radish kimchi, and tteokgalbi, or grilled short rib patties — paired with various vintages of Perrier-Jouet’s signature brands such as Blanc de Blancs, Grand Brut and Belle Epoque. The chefs are from five restaurants: Moulin, L'Amitie, Soul, Soseoul Hannam and Yun Seoul.
Severine Frerson, cellar master of Perrier-Jouet, fourth from left, poses with chefs who participated in the Perrier-Jouet Society event at Museum Myungwon in Seoul, Oct. 27. Courtesy of Pernod Ricard Korea
“When pairing food and champagne, you have to think about texture and how spice and freshness come together,” she said. “The tender texture of meats like beef, chicken and fish pairs beautifully with champagne, as do citrus-based flavors such as yuzu and crisp elements like sesame or onion.”
She particularly praised the pairing between champagne and Korea’s soft rice, which tends to melt softly in the mouth compared to the firmer texture of risotto. She said hanwoo also makes a good match, unlike European beef which often has a denser texture.
Frerson said she sees great potential in Korea’s culinary culture, noting that chefs here are increasingly exploring diverse textures, ingredients and cooking methods, which has also led to a broader and more sophisticated drinking culture.
“At Perrier-Jouet, we are feeling strong growth in the Korean market,” she said. “Consumers are becoming more curious and eager to experiment with different pairings, which shows how the ways of enjoying champagne are expanding.” Korea is one of Perrier-Jouet’s top five markets.
Despite its more than 200-year history, Frerson is only the eighth cellar master of the house, as the role is traditionally passed down from a cellar master to an apprentice. Her predecessor, Herve Deschamps, served for 27 years before handing over the position to Frerson in 2020.
“It’s not about being a man or a woman,” she said. “What matters is continuing Perrier-Jouet’s floral and delicate style, and handing over that DNA to the next generation… I will add my own touch as cellar master, but my mission is to enrich the house’s enduring legacy and pass it on to her successor, like a guardian of a sacred temple.”
To uphold that legacy, Perrier-Jouet introduced regenerative viticulture in 2020, adopting practices such as biomass cover crops and green corridors to restore soil fertility. The effectiveness is measured by the number of earthworms found in the vineyards — a key indicator of healthy soil — which she said has doubled over the past four years.