Vintage 2003 was the perfect occasion to prove our ultimate commitment to the vintage, and to our philosophy of risk-taking, and wine critics and writers have acknowledged that. I wanted to share the moment of declaration of the vintage with this audience.

Today, wine experts worldwide are invited to premiere Dom Pérignon Vintage 2003. Screens connecting Paris, London, New York, Hong Kong and Tokyo will allow our guests to taste at the same time, while I will be hosting the event from Paris. A specific Twitter hashtag (#dpdeclares) is used for this occasion. You are most welcome to follow the conversation, on Twitter @r_geoffroy and reading the first reactions on www.2003.domperignon.com.

The 2003 Dom Pérignon has already received numerous accolades: Bruce Sanderson (The Wine Spectator) lauded its “impressive core of fruit and structure” as well as its “finish that retained elegance, freshness, finesse and complexity”; Antonio Galloni (The Wine Advocate) declared it “one of the most thoughtprovoking Champagnes I have tasted in a long time”; Richard Juhlin simply named it his Champagne of the vintage and noted its long aging potential.

Dom Pérignon Vintage 2003 will be available in three weeks. I look forward to traveling the world and sharing this great vintage.

The adventure will continue here in the same spirit as in 2010, which means your participation is not only welcome, but encouraged!

Photo: Guido Mocafico (Katja Martinez Agency)

We have been tasting the 2010 base wines no fewer than three times in the past couple of months. It only confirms the first impressions we had at the end of the harvest. My feeling at this stage is that the 2010 vintage does not deserve the lukewarm comments by some. The Chardonnays have developed brilliantly, sometimes on the verge of over-ripeness (reminiscent in this of 2002) with a rich mouthfeel and a striking fruitiness. However Dom Pérignon is always an assemblage, and the other side of the picture is just as critical: the Pinot Noirs were carefully and properly sorted at the time of picking. They all display good structure and presence, but are maybe lacking a bit in freshness and vibrancy. It will be interesting to see how these Pinots evolve until we prepare the final assemblage in the early Spring of 2011. We will only then make up our mind: to declare or not to declare.

Dom Pérignon Œnothèque was launched in 2000, long enough ago to look back on what started like a revolution and now feels so natural. We went full circle earlier this year through the addition of Rosé to the Œnothèque program—this was quite an event! Our offer remains limited but consistent, with only two assemblages, White and Rosé, each available in successive Vintage and Œnothèque releases. Ten years ago, when we decided to open the door of our wine library and make the treasures of Dom Pérignon available to the outside world, my feeling was first and foremost of pride. Nothing personal, as I did not create these vintages, yet proud I was of the incredible longevity of Dom Pérignon and the contributions of my predecessors. The former Chefs de Cave had indeed been visionary enough to put all these great vintages aside, purely for the sake of memory and legacy.

Dom Pérignon keeps pushing one step further, sometimes rewriting the rules, to pave the path for renewed experiences. So does Œnothèque, glorifying the exclusive process of actively aging a wine on its lees to offer a magnified style through re-releases. Œnothèque prolongs the character of the original Vintage wine, coming ever closer to the ideal of Dom Pérignon. The patience of wine lovers is now rewarded with a deeper, more intimate discovery and perception of Dom Pérignon. The current Vintage is put in proper perspective by giving a glimpse of the aging potential. It would now be virtually impossible for me to imagine Dom Pérignon without its Œnothèque expression.

Photos: Mi-Hyun Kim

The Andy Warhol Diaries
March 8, 1981

I have always loved this anecdote shared by Andy Warhol in his diaries… More than 20 years after leaving us, Warhol’s presence has rarely been felt so strongly. I am pleased that Dom Pérignon is now paying an homage to him through a limited edition release of the 2002 vintage. Andy Warhol is a true icon who broke and reinvented every rule in the artistic field. He was unique in his ability to show it all, yet retain his own world of inviolable privacy.

Royal ballotine of pheasant
Petit pâté en croûte à la bourgeoise
Fresh deep-sea oysters
Lobster aspic chaud-froid

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Beef madrilène with gold leaf spangles
Puréed chestnut soup with truffles from the Court of Italy
Bisque of shellfish from our coasts with a boletus infusion
Pumpkin soup, fresh from the Royal vegetable garden

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Scallops with oyster liquor
Wild duck cromesquis à la Villeroy
Hare stew
Roast beef, carrots and smoked eel
Wild salmon au sel

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Green and fresh herb salad in gold leaf
Rice salad à la royale
Morel soufflé
Iced cheese
Hard-boiled egg

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Edible Candle

Great wines are blessed with a transcendental quality: they are the time machine bringing the finite of fruit into the infinite realm of imagination and emotion. One year ago (to the very day!), we embarked on a journey back to the seventeenth century, the Palace of Versailles and the Sun King’s table, with the help of Dom Pérignon Œnothèque.

Pierre Pérignon, unanimously recognized as the spiritual father of Champagne, was the exact contemporary of Louis XIV. We know that the Sun King loved Père Pérignon’s wine more than any other; cases upon cases were ordered for his court and his table. More than three centuries later, it was legitimate to go full circle and hold an incredible event in homage to the King and his vision of a luxury à la Française, re-creating the mythical Sun King’s Table. But more than a re-creation, it had to be a performance, a true ceremony in the name of pleasure: in the Antichambre du Grand Couvert, the exact place where the King took his meals every evening, re-opened for the first time for a reception, a banquet prepared by Jean-François Piège in the spirit of the era, served by waiters in livery, and accompanied by a unique wine throughout: the solar 1976 Dom Pérignon Œnothèque.

]]> http://www.creatingdomperignon.com/at-the-kings-table/feed/ 1 http://www.creatingdomperignon.com/at-the-kings-table/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CreatingDomPerignon/~3/FHoGRxL24og/ http://www.creatingdomperignon.com/2002-part-3/#comments Wed, 27 Oct 2010 21:54:00 +0000 Richard Geoffroy http://www.creatingdomperignon.com/?p=597 A couple of months ago I discussed the opinions of US critics and journalists regarding 2002 Dom Pérignon, mentioning that their colleagues from the UK were sure to follow with their own commentaries.

Jancis Robinson MW had great words about this champagne, starting with the “extraordinarily firm, confident, intense nose”, and comparing it to one of the greatest wines in the world: “Definitely the savoury side of Dom. Nothing remotely sweet or fat – though it’s as intense as a Montrachet [...] More like a Montrachet with a bit of carbon dioxide laced into it than a typical Champagne.” She gave it a perfect score of 20/20, only the fourth Champagne to get this honor.

Serena Sutcliffe MW was equally praiseful: “A great bouquet of almost apple freshness as you open it. It totally tingles on the tongue. Utterly luscious and yet with ultimate finesse. Next day, on ullage, under a pressure cork: amazing, alluring Champagne, all minerality and toast – instantly recognisable Dom Pérignon.”

I would like to conclude this short overview with a nice blog article written by Anthony Rose about the Dom Pérignon releases in 2010, and in particular 2002 Dom Pérignon.

I selected five stars in the world of French Gastronomy to create a dinner for 100 guests, proposing one dish alongside every single vintage featured in the new campaign of Dom Pérignon: 1962, 1976, 1996 with the addition of the current vintage of 2002. Jean-François Piège, contributing an homage to the 60s and the Nouvelle Cuisine of the 70s; Bernard Antony, master cheese maker and affineur; Christophe Michalak, winner of the World Pastry Cup in 2005, with a futuristic dessert; Christophe Vasseur, baker extraordinaire and his Pain des Amis; and finally Gérard Basset MW, the World’s Best Sommelier 2010.

The harvest itself went reasonably well. As I mentioned before, the maturity of the grapes has reached very satisfying, largely above average levels, a relative surprise given the weather conditions over the summer. Chardonnays were healthy and the botrytis in the Pinot Noirs was to a large extent a non-issue—we only had to pay attention at the time of picking. However the very last days of the harvest were quite rainy and it was really time to finish. This harvest leaves us all with the great feeling of having done our utmost: good things should come out of it, but it is hard to say more right now. As usual, patience is key.

How much age do you like to see on a bottle of Dom Pérignon before you drink it–peak or ideal is what I’m looking for. And what are your favorite vintages–any century? What are the next vintages planned–after 02?

Regarding the first question, it of course depends on whether we are considering the bottle before or after disgorgement.

After disgorgement, we do the utmost so that Dom Pérignon can be enjoyed right after release, not only defining carefully the timing of disgorgement but also waiting for at least another 6 months before releasing the bottles. From that point onward the wine will keep developing gracefully for at least 20 years, if not more. As for myself, I particularly enjoy Dom Pérignon 3 to 5 years after disgorgement.

If we now consider the wine on its lees (therefore while still undergoing yeast maturation, also called autolysis), I can see 3 windows of opportunity, or plénitudes: the first one 8 years after the vintage (which is when Dom Pérignon Vintage is released); followed by a second plénitude between 12 and 15 years after the vintage (which is the first Œnothèque release); and finally a third plénitude 30-40 years after the vintage (which leads to a second Œnothèque release, for example 1969 or 1971 right now). After this point I would say that the wines evolve only extremely slowly, with a steadier development curve.

Regarding the second question, I could answer it in two different ways. Either by mentioning the most recognized vintages, based on pedigree (e.g. 1921, 34, 47, 55, 59, all our vintages in the 60s, 73, 75, 76, 82, 85, 90, 96, 02). Or by considering the attachment I have for certain vintages, which is of a more intimate nature, typically due to the challenge they created: some of the time in the vineyard like 1969 (strict sorting of the grapes to a satisfactory quality) or 1980 (with very late borderline harvest); or in the cellar such as 1988 (as sharp as a razor blade, with the risk of being hollow on the midpalate—fortunately we managed to avoid that…) or 1996 (we had to master the impetuous and provocative character of the vintage, including the necessity to resist the temptation to incorporate some oxidative, forward developing Pinot Noir elements despite their charming nature).

Coming to the last question, all I can say is that the 2000s were an exciting decade, very generous with all the regions of France. On a purely technical basis we could have declared all the vintages except 2001. However we chose not to, but you will have to be patient to discover our decisions!

(You can find all the questions and answers on the special archive forum on Wine Berserkers.)

I wanted to show the small size of the grape-pickers in the vineyards, seemingly lost in a sea of vines. It is hard to imagine how they managed to harvest everything! –Mi-Hyun Kim

I particularly like this picture because it represents for me the perfectionism and dedication shown by the grape-pickers. They are so focused on their task, so intent on not forgetting any grapes, that they might actually go for the same cluster as one of their team-mates! –Mi-Hyun Kim

I like the theatrical ambiance in this picture, with the silhouettes of grape-pickers like Chinese shadow-puppets (as they say in France) against the background of a wall of mist looking ready to sweep over the vineyards. –Mi-Hyun Kim

In the meanwhile I would like to introduce you to Mi-Hyun Kim, a very talented photographer with whom I have already worked a few years ago. I have invited her to Dom Pérignon to experience the 2010 harvest. She will be your guide on the blog for the next couple of weeks, sharing her thoughts and her fantastic pictures with all of us.

Jeff Munro asked the following question:

Could you explain how the wines from these recent past three great vintages (’90, ’96, ’02) are similar and different from your perspective? Each has their merits, and it would be interesting to see what your thoughts are on them as a group and individually.

I also consider these three vintages as the greatest ones of the past 20 years at Dom Pérignon, and I am pleased that we made them available right as we speak: 2002 Dom Pérignon Vintage, 1996 Dom Pérignon Œnothèque and 1990 Dom Pérignon Rosé Œnothèque.

These three vintages all display a very strong character, making a statement about intensity, volume and stature. Two of them (1990 and 2002) showed a personality fusional with the style of Dom Pérignon, highlighting the typical aspects of ampleness, roundness and texture. To the contrary, the nature of the 1996 vintage was in tension with the character of Dom Pérignon: concentration and power to the point of being somewhat provocative and haughty. This confrontation with Dom Pérignon’s style helped create a great Champagne.

In a way it reminds me of wine & food pairings: one can either play on the complementarity (fusion), or the opposition (tension). In both cases outstanding results can be achieved, but the greatest challenge lies with finding harmony in conflict.