This is the tale of two bottles of Dom Pérignon, from the exceptionally warm and dry vintage of 1976; born on the same day in the spring of 1977; and having spent the first seven years of their existence together in our cellars.

The first bottle was part of the original release of Vintage 1976 Dom Pérignon, disgorged in 1984. This bottle traveled from France to Sarajevo (Yugoslavia at the time) to start a new life, resting in the cellars of a famous restaurant. It managed to survive through the Bosnian war that tore the country apart… until a winemaker friend (who happens to be the only flying winemaker in Champagne!) recently acquired it on the premises–Sarajevo now being in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He brought it back home to Hautvillers, making it a really well-traveled bottle of wine!

The second bottle never left its birthplace, for a more peaceful life: instead of being disgorged after seven years, the wine kept maturing slowly and actively on the lees (of the yeast which made it sparkling in this very bottle), in the deep and cool wine library of Dom Pérignon. This extended period of undergoing a subtle and mysterious process of yeast maturation–we call it autolysis–gradually refined the aroma profile and the mouthfeel of the wine, all the while minimizing the action of oxidation (and thereby improving ageworthiness). I selected this bottle from our library for a one-off OEnothèque re-release five years ago: 1976 Dom Pérignon OEnothèque was hand disgorged (à la volée) in 2004. Dosage was really minimalist, actually the lowest ever in the history of Dom Pérignon.

Both bottles were eventually reunited (after so many years!) in the Abbaye of Hautvillers and we were fortunate enough to taste them next to each other. The original release Vintage had aged beautifully, showcasing powerful and opulent tertiary aromas, as could be expected from a 34-year-old wine. The more recently disgorged bottle stood out by its baffling freshness, intensity and complexity, putting the vintage under a new light. Both wines–the exact same blend from the same vintage–were outstanding in their own right. We could literally taste two different expressions of Dom Pérignon side by side; in my personal view the 1976 OEnothèque being truer to the spirit of Dom Pérignon with its magnified and incomparable precision, vibrancy and mouthfeel.

Two great wines, so close and so different, unmistakably Dom Pérignon.

“We have a bottle of 1988 and 1990 – are they still good to drink?”

This question often comes up in discussions I have with wine enthusiasts, on various vintages. Dom Pérignon is highly recognized for its ageworthiness, and I can vouch for Dom Pérignon wines having the capacity to keep maturing gracefully and improving for a long time: they will provide an outstanding drinking experience at the very least for 20 years after release (dégorgement), be it original Vintage or Œnothèque releases.

It is not uncommon for wine lovers around the world to drink bottles of Dom Pérignon 40-50 years old or more–I even met people who feel that the first release of 1973 Dom Pérignon is currently entering its prime, or are just starting to drink magnums of 1961 Dom Pérignon, re-released in the UK in 1981! I also remember an absolutely stellar bottle of 1921 Dom Pérignon (disgorged in 1936) tasted in 2004 with Michael Broadbent, the Head of the Wine Department at Christie’s.

To come back to the question, not only should these wines be drinking well right now, they will keep developing richer and more powerful characteristics from the extra time spent maturing in the bottle–assuming of course that these bottles have been properly stored (ideally in a cold, humid and dark cellar).

For the time being, though, I tend to use any glass which is ample enough to allow the wine to express itself, improving the mouthfeel, but not that large a glass that it would be detrimental to the whole experience by stretching the substance of the wine too thin. Such a glass will also provide enough space for the wine to breathe and develop, which is typically critical for all Dom Pérignon wines. I definitely prefer this approach to decanting. To be quite honest, I do not expect from a wine glass to magnify the sensation of how a wine tastes or feels–I am quite happy if a wine glass can instead simply do justice to the wine, participating with other factors (such as temperature) to as perfect an experience as possible.

I was under the impression they wanted to learn more about Champagne—while it appears there have been few references to this region in their writings so far, I can only hope this will change… With their manga Yuko and Shin Kibayashi have succeeded in putting wine at the center of attention, and delivering arcane considerations about wine into the mainstream. They have been acclaimed by Decanter magazine and others as creating one of the most influential wine publications ever, distributed internationally with over 6 million copies sold. Bravo!

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!

Coming back to the Seven Sensualities dinner for the launch of 2000 Dom Pérignon, we selected three teas, all of them magnifiying different facets of the wine: the first one called Ba Da Chun (from the pu er sheng cha family), from the 2007 vintage, young and vibrant; the second one called Chen Yin, vintage 1992, from the Guang Dong province, a very rare tea, intense and complex; and finally another pu er sheng cha from the 1990 vintage, mature and tactile. Talking with Master Tseng, I have come to understand that there is so much in common between wine and tea, all the way from the terroir to the appreciation: indeed for the ancient Chinese, tea was a drink supposed to satisfy the senses as well as the soul. She follows tea from the plantation to the cultivation and harvest, followed by the selection, production (including sometimes fermentation!) and the aging process. She also pointed out that pu ers, much like wines, are categorized by vintage and region of production—and also sometimes counterfeit! The quality of storage is as crucial as for wine: strict control of temperature, humidity or air flow is necessary. Tea and wine have been consecrated by their respective culture; tradition is key, and Master Tseng and I embrace it as well as modernity. As China is increasingly opening its doors to a world of fine wine, I hope that the rest of the world will be eager to discover the amazing depth and quality of Chinese tea.

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

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.

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.

The Champagne region produces a whole spectrum of wines, from the pure Chardonnay Blanc de Blancs to the black grape driven styles (ultimately Blanc de Noirs). Dom Pérignon stands right at the center of this universe with its quest for the perfect balance between Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, a yin and yang complementing and opposing each other to create tension and intensity nearly to the point of paradox. This leads to an elaborate and stimulating creative process that finds its resonance in the complexity, completeness and rhythm of the final wine. The addition of the third grape would bring a stability going against this ideal. Some vintages like 1973, 1988 and 2000 are fusional with this approach, whereas others such as 1969, 1980 or 1996 were by essence rather in contradiction with the spirit of Dom Pérignon, leading to a challenging assemblage eventually increasing tension and depth.

The assemblage magnifies the sum of the best terroirs in Champagne, in counterpoint to the fact that Dom Pérignon is always a vintage wine. Having access to all 17 Grands Crus vineyards in Champagne (and in particular the 8 core Grands Crus of Aÿ, Bouzy, Verzenay, Mailly, Chouilly, Cramant, Avize and Le Mesnil) as well as the historical Premier Cru from Hautvillers is my privilege and creates a myriad of options. This is all the more daunting since we aim for at most two distinct assemblages per vintage: the White and the Rosé—I will come back to this specific topic in a future entry. I vividly remember the 1996 Dom Pérignon Rosé as a perfect example of the necessity to devise an original assemblage depending on the vintage: we had to explore uncharted territories in this specific case, especially to address the oxidative character of the Pinot Noir. I have to add that the tradition of the assemblage has always taken precedence over winemaking techniques and their evolution: our principle of the assemblage can only reach its pinnacle through a spotless, transparent vinification process. The individual component wines have to be as vibrant and as expressive of the terroir as they can.

The creation of the signature style of Dom Pérignon is all driven by taste, and by that I mean the overall expression on the palate. Rather than following the same composition (or should I say, recipe?) year after year or relying on analyses, an intimate knowledge of Dom Pérignon is necessary to craft the perfect assemblage. Each vintage is a unique opportunity to reinvent ourselves and unveil the harmonious dialogue between the expression of nature and style. As a result, the final composition changes every vintage: at times a blend in perfectly equal proportions (e.g. 1990 Rosé), at times up to 60% Chardonnay (1982) or 60% Pinot Noir (1969), and only once going over 60% (with 65% Chardonnay in 1970). I give you these numbers to paradoxically show that our focus is not on them!

By the way, we create an assemblage in every vintage before making the final decision whether to declare the vintage or not. The assemblage of the 2009 wines has been completed recently (you might have noticed that the blog has slowed down a bit). I have therefore reached a conclusion on 2009, but I will let you guess which one!

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.

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!

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The Hautvillers Abbey is located on a literally divine setting: according to legend, around the year 650, a dove sent by God led Saint Nivard, who was walking in the hills, to the spot. As it flew around the forest, the story goes, the dove left behind flashes of light so pure and bright that they made the forest glow. After it finally came to rest on a beech tree, Saint Nivard, guided by the bird’s mysterious flight, in which he recognized God’s will, decided to found the Abbey of Hautvillers there. The Abbey is still imbued with its origins and remained a highly spiritual place until 1791. The church, today the town’s proprety, has miraculously escaped unscathed from the perils of history and the vandalism following the French Revolution. It is nearly in the state Dom Pérignon left it, restored and glorified under his impulse and leadership. At the foot of the altar, a slab of black marble covering Dom Pierre Pérignon’s remains bears the inscription of his name and the record, in latin, of his exemplary life.

Leaving the church through the porch, the private part of the Abbey can be found. I vividly remember the first time I set foot there and how moved I was. The majesty is only matched by the tranquility emanating from it. I may say that it still produces the same effect on me: I am ever awed by its amazing beauty. The site is surrounded by an amphitheater of vineyard-covered hills, with the heights of the Côte des Blancs on the other side and the Marne lazily wending its way through the valley below. The park, planted with trees hundreds of years old, is home to the “Clos Sacré” and its vines cultivated in a pre-phylloxeric manner. I like the idea that the serene, austere beauty of the scene and the view from this high point is still as moving as it was in Saint Nivard’s day. The cloister, with only one surviving side, is located in the center of the Abbey. On the first floor was the well-stocked library: a place of knowledge and study that Dom Pérignon visited regularly. Its contemplative and serene aura is best expressed through the caressing light bathing the place. This is now the exclusive location where Dom Pérignon tastings are conducted.

Obviously, the legacy of Hautvillers is of a spiritual nature—we chose to keep it free from the technical. I find inspiration there, wandering through the grounds, and reflecting on how to stay true to the single path Dom Perignon has been following since the origins…

I first collaborated with perfumer (and wine lover) Thierry Wasser in 2003 at the occasion of an atelier held in Japan with Georg Riedel on the theme of the Dom Pérignon nose. The correspondences between our two universes — we are both devoted to the art of assemblage — strengthened our friendship in the following years. This paved the way for a closer relationship between Dom Pérignon and the prestigious perfume house Guerlain (the oldest in France) when Thierry became the successor to Jean-Paul Guerlain in 2008. As Thierry was preparing the launch of his latest creation, Idylle, in the spring of 2009, we discovered troubling similarities between the Bulgarian roses featured by the perfume and the bouquet of 1996 Dom Pérignon Rosé. We asked Pascal to design a recipe to complement both 1996 Dom Pérignon Rosé and Idylle, at the launches in Tokyo and Hong Kong. He came up with the idea of this ice cream, selecting a specific, high quality variety of loukhoum, sourced directly from Istambul: smaller and harder than usual, it provides a singular texture and unctuousness to the dessert. The sensuous pairing with Dom Pérignon Rosé turned out to be so spectacular that we decided to include it in our Silk Road dinners.

Let’s go behind the scenes to discover how this event came to life—I hope this will inspire you and make you look at Dom Pérignon from a new perspective.

Ever since the project in Kyoto I have kept elaborating on dinner experiences to highlight the many facets of each wine and to create as many sensations. Going far beyond conventional food-wine pairing, they create a mysterious and poetic atmosphere conducive to an ultimate goal of sensuality. Pascal Tingaud, the chef de cuisine at Dom Pérignon, has been contributing to the project for the past ten years. Pascal travels with me and prepares these dinners, whatever our destination. This sometimes leads to rather exciting situations involving a mix of great logistics and total improvisation!

As you can see below from the menu, I tried to stay as open-minded as possible. Formalism was kept to a strict minimum: I did not feel restricted to a vague “starter-main course-dessert” structure, nor to specific regions. Rather than unity of time or space, I aimed at embracing different cultures: the menu is based on unpretentious generous traditional dishes, selected to respond to the wine and to build a steady progression through the meal. Each wine has its own story to tell: my role was to listen, interpret the images and ambiances that it evoked and translate them into an exploration of the cooking treasures of the Orient.

The Mezze, served with 2000 Dom Pérignon Rosé, bring us from one end of the Silk Road to the other, with both classics (Baba Ghanoush) and rarities (Watermelon Curry from Rajasthan). Each dish has its own role to play, its own dialogue with the wine: carrots and ginger to amplify the fruit; a salad of beetroot, orange and cinnamon to shape a contrast of textures. The couscous, prepared with sea bass and rose petals and served with 1990 Dom Pérignon Rosé Œnothèque, plays with the paradox of amplitude and precision. The Harira soup (a celebration of the end of Ramadan in North Africa) surprises with its caressing concentration and lightness. The sweet dishes, particularly the rose Turkish delight (loukhoum) ice cream, magnify the onctuosity and sensuality of the wine. A seamless conclusion to the journey? We simply have to accept the rule of the ancient caravans: no step is ever final, the journey is all that counts.