The véraison started slowly at the end of last week in the early sectors of Hautvillers and Aÿ. At this stage the light coloring of grapes points towards a slower fruit maturation than anticipated, all related to relatively low sunlight and water stress. I suspect we will benefit from several rain showers occurring this week as they should speed up the process. Sanitary conditions are overall very good, with no mildew or rot, however oidium unfortunately made its presence felt in some Chardonnay sites.
No Comments »
From my presentations all around the world I can easily tell that our 2002 vintage has generated high expectations. I feel more excitement than apprehension at this point, especially given the feedback I received! The wine will become available to wine lovers worldwide in September-October. The 2002 Dom Pérignon is already very approachable and inviting, more open than previous vintages at the same stage thanks to the ripeness of the fruit. Many tasters praised its richness which they felt was rather Burgundian in character.
I remember that the 2002 vintage was shaping up perfectly over the summer, until the very end of August when the rain started to fall. At the time it brought back memories of 2001, when everything was going smoothly until the rain arrived… and never stopped. Fortunately the fate of the 2002 vintage was different: everything went fine, with the rain stopping after a few days, and maturity levels being very high, sometimes even close to being overripe for some of the Chardonnays.
The release of a new vintage is the climax after years and years of hard work, both in the vineyard and in the cellar, and the critical acclaim received so far is a special motivation for our teams and collaborators to keep pushing the envelope, as I like to say. The US wine circles have already commented, and the UK press will be sure to follow in the coming weeks.
The Wine Advocate coined a No Guts, No Glory! title to describe our current releases, and I think they captured our intent and spirit very well. The Wine Spectator was equally praiseful (A Grand Slam for Dom Pérignon in 2010), as well as the Wall Street Journal. As a conclusion I would like to share with you some of Ray Tuppatsch’s impressions in his great account of a fantastic dinner held in NY with his group of Champagne aficionados. Passion, like wine, is best when it’s shared!
3 Comments »
The flowering is in progress and going well for the time being. Some early terroirs have flowered last week (around June 16-18), for example the Chardonnays near Avize and Le Mesnil, whereas others are flowering as I’m writing, mostly the Pinot Noirs. In any case the rather cold weather in the region (especially in the mornings) didn’t affect the process. I would also like to point out the currently perfect sanitary conditions for the grapes, especially the fact that there’s not one hint of mildew in the vineyards—we are of course remaining vigilant. A picture is worth a thousand words: I am sure you will enjoy this gallery of pictures taken Wednesday morning!
1 Comment »
Chef Philippe Rochat and myself share a trait of character: we have always enjoyed keeping pushing forward and taking risks. This was therefore not a big surprise when I discovered what he had decided to organise for my first ever presentation of 2002 Dom Pérignon and 1996 Dom Pérignon Œnothèque: a dinner at his restaurant in Crissier near Lausanne (3-star Michelin L’Hôtel de Ville) with representatives of all the top restaurants in Switzerland. This was quite an act of confidence, as we all know that the judgment of one’s peers is always the toughest.
The menu was fantastic, and two dishes stood out for me, both paired with the two expressions of 1996 Dom Pérignon side by side: the original Vintage release and the upcoming Œnothèque—first, green asparagus from Pertuis and Imperial Ossetra caviar, followed by a stuffed morel with an Agaricus mushroom reduction. Both dishes were not only highlighting a difference in aromatics (nutiness versus minerality), but also revealing the whole philosophy of the Œnothèque: the same assemblage from the same vintage, yet two wines so distinct in terms of sheer intensity, mouthfeel, integration of characters and complexity.
Photo: J.-M. Curien
2 Comments »
Dom Pérignon Rosé Œnothèque: the vintages 1966… 1978… 1982… 1985… 1988… and 1990 will be available at a special auction in collaboration with Sotheby’s, to take place in Hong Kong on 21 May 2010. These six vintages complement each other to offer a broader perspective of Dom Pérignon Rosé, testament to the unparalleled ageworthiness of this wine.
Pierre Lurton and Serena Sutcliffe MW have organized a sensational sale of Châteaux Cheval Blanc and d’Yquem and they asked Dom Pérignon to join this “Treasure Direct from the Cellars” auction. As you know the 1990 Dom Pérignon Rosé Œnothèque in bottles is already available commercially—however for the release of older vintages and larger formats our choice is to go through auctions. I have known Serena—a world class wine expert and a fantastic ambassador for Champagne—for more than 20 years: it is of course a pleasure to embark on a project with her again.
Enthusiasm for Champagne at auctions has never been so high: I can even say it is the most significant phenomenon in the world of wine auctions in the last few years. I am proud that Dom Pérignon has been a pioneer, contributing largely to this recognition: we are going even further with this new exclusive sale. The bottles offered come directly from our cellars, which is at the same time a pledge of quality and authenticity: wine amateurs can be assured that the provenance of the bottles cannot be any better!
And as a teaser, let me conclude with my personal notes on 1966 Dom Pérignon Rosé Œnothèque: 1966 was punctuated by some remarkable events, which in the end had little effect on the harvest. Winter freezes caused only very minor damage. Chlorosis affected some sectors, but the flowering went smoothly. It was followed by a number of hailstorms between May and August. The harvest began on September 22 in good conditions, with the grapes in perfect health. The wine breathes and radiates a wide spectrum of notes in which tea and meringue blend with roses and spices. Its body is light and silky, supremely elegant; everything about it is precise, agile and clear.
2 Comments »
I was checking on the vineyards yesterday and was happy to see that the vines are budding quite vigorously. Actually there has barely been a spring this year: the winter has been long and cold, and the current weather reminds us more of summer than anything! The sudden growth of the vegetation is exceptional, and I think even unprecedented.
We had no frost so far this year and it looks like we shouldn’t fear that too much right now, but of course it is traditional to wait for the Saints de Glace before saying more (11-12-13 May, days renowned for the potential frost they bring). So let’s keep our fingers crossed! The buds look like green butterflies on the vines… the clusters are beginning to appear and the campaign of protection against mildew will have to start soon: a new cycle is under way.
1 Comment »
I just read Jay McInerney’s new column in the Wall Sreet Journal (dated April 10) and I am particularly pleased that he chose to dedicate his first article to rosé Champagne with an emphasis on Dom Pérignon Rosé. He understood my current approach as well as the pioneer efforts of my predecessors.
I have to say I enjoy reading other blogs, even moreso when they talk about mine! I noticed a recurring comment about Making Dom Pérignon being published in English only—I am afraid I will nevertheless stick to English to point out that I decided to respect the Loi Evin in this case.
1 Comment »
Glasses are definitely a key part of wine tasting. Finding the right glass for each individual wine could well be the hobby of many wine geeks, still for me it is also crucial to provide the best possible experience to Dom Pérignon lovers. I have always had a friendly relationship with Georg Riedel, born of our mutual esteem. The Riedel family business, established in 1756 in Bohemia, is known worldwide for its high-quality crystal glasses: their Burgundy Grand Cru crystal glass, handmade and mouth-blown, is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Last August I had the visit of Maximilian Riedel (Georg’s son, representing the 11th generation of the family in the glass business) who came to me with a large selection of stemware: our aim that day was to find the perfect glass for Dom Pérignon Rosé, a glass that would do justice to the wine by presenting it in the best conditions for appreciation. It would have been possible to create a specific glass for this Champagne, but I preferred to choose from the existing collection. At the time I also had the upcoming 1990 Dom Pérignon Rosé Œnothèque in mind. I settled on the Pinot Noir Vinum XL, which is not so surprising given the assertive Pinot Noir character of Dom Pérignon Rosé. This fantastic glass really shows the wine in an uncompromising way, especially on the palate.
The first aspect that grabbed our attention was the intensity of the nose and how the wine could breathe in the glass. Second, I felt it put the fruit right at the center of the tasting experience without compromising the complexity of the aromas. Third, it rendered the right expression on the palate, especially the amplitude and texture, both of them fundamental qualities of Dom Pérignon. And incidentally, I could only appreciate the lyre shape of this glass that resonates with the Oriental theme of the Silk Road dinners!
15 Comments »
Discovery is the essence of travelling. As I was in Kyoto at the end of January, I met Shuji Nakagawa who took me into his own world. Mr. Nakagawa is a Master of traditional Japanese woodcraft. He is walking in the steps of his father, Kiyotsugu Nakagawa, promoted to “Japan National Treasure” in 2001 for his craftmanship. Mr. Nakagawa is particularly gifted at crafting Oke, the traditional wooden Japanese bucket (for example bath buckets). I was visiting him because he had crafted a Champagne cooler for Dom Pérignon… made out of wood!
I was senstive to our commonalities: the respect of tradition, the transmission of techniques and savoir-faire, the fact that nature and time are important factors in our achievements. This is a natural way for Dom Pérignon to support Japanese traditional craft. Mr. Nakagawa is one of the chosen few with a license to buy the Koyamaki grown in the Japanese Emperor’s woods. The Koyamaki is a precious pine tree wood, from one of the oldest tree species in the world. It is a natural thermal insulator, very light, and also offers high insulation from humidity: a perfect combination of properties for a cooler which can safely find its place on a tatami mat. The wood staves, of a singular white color and surprisingly grainy texture, are carefully prepared and assembled so that no external element is used to tie them together, in the same way a cooper would work. The structure is reinforced by three metal rings. Mr. Nakagawa explained to me that the unique, harmonious curve of this cooler was inspired by the shape of the Dom Pérignon bottle. He had to build a new block plane as well as other tools specifically to create this handmade, limited edition Champagne cooler.
The skill and patience required to make one of these artifacts are simply amazing. I consider it far more than a cooler: it is Nakagawa-san’s personal interpretation of Dom Pérignon, a real work of art.
3 Comments »
I am in New York right now for our 2010 Wine Mission in the United States: a series of events and dinners around the theme of the Silk Road—stay tuned! From my room at the Standard with the Statue of Liberty in the distance and before flying to Los Angeles, I want to take the time to introduce you to our Rosé in 2000. A milestone in the history of Dom Pérignon Rosé, an impressive wine in itself, it allows me to look at the same time back and forward.
Looking back, as I think of the creator of Dom Pérignon Rosé in 1959: René Philipponnat. I contemplate what has become Dom Pérignon’s legacy: his ambition to pioneer Rosé wines at a new level; the start of the Dom Pérignon Rosé adventure that generated the other expression of Dom Pérignon. Looking forward, as it is my duty to live up to this heritage and keep pushing and taking risks to offer you an ever more provocative Rosé. Forward again as I feel the time is right to make a statement and raise the awareness level of this wine.
2000 is a major vintage of Dom Pérignon Rosé, which allowed me to push and refine Dom Pérignon’s ideal. The main paradox is of course the ardent expression of the Pinot Noir: lively, facetious, vibrant—combined with the devotion to the assemblage. Finally the audacity of the Pinot Noir stands in stark contrast with the extreme classicism of the 2000 vintage.
1 Comment »
