In 1935, 300 bottles of a 1926-vintage precursor to Dom Pérignon were sold to Simon Bros. The development of sparkling wines as the main style of production in Champagne occurred progressively in the 19th century, more than a century after Dom Pérignon's death. He also introduced corks (instead of wood), which were fastened to bottles with hemp string soaked in oil in order to keep the wines fresh and sparkling, and used thicker glass in order to strengthen the bottles (which were prone to explode at that time). He pioneered a number of winemaking techniques around 1670-being the first to blend grapes in such a way as to improve the quality of wines, balance one element with another in order to make a better whole, and deal with a number of their imperfections perfecting the art of producing clear white wines from black grapes by clever manipulation of the presses enhancing the tendency of Champagne wines to retain their natural sugar in order to naturally induce secondary fermentation in the spring being a master at deciding when to bottle these wines in order to capture the bubble. History ĭom Pérignon (1638–1715) was a monk and cellar master at the Benedictine abbey in Hautvillers. It is named after Dom Pérignon, a Benedictine monk who was an important quality pioneer for Champagne wine but who, contrary to popular myths, did not discover the Champagne method for making sparkling wines. Release will be limited.Dom Pérignon ( / ˌ d ɒ m p ɛr ɪ n ˈ j ɒ n/ DOM perr-in- YON, French: ) is a brand of vintage Champagne. That said, the bottle is a trial-by-fire-an exquisite release sure to be beloved by collectors thanks to its elegant profile, story and fleeting availability. Chaperon worked alongside Geoffroy on the 2008 vintage, a move that may have prepared him for the tumultuous 2010 vintage. The vintage marked his swan song, with 42-year-old Vincent Chaperon succeeding him. “So fine and focused, unbelievably long, with great precision, purity and intensity, yet barely perceptible weight.”Īt the time, Dom Pérignon’s cave was headed by the effervescent Richard Geoffroy, a lauded presence in the Champagne world. “2008 is one of the greatest champagne vintages of my lifetime,” says Tom Stevenson, co-author of the Christie’s World Encyclopedia of Champagne & Sparkling Wine and founder of the Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships told the Financial Times when it was released. Spring brought winter weather, summer brought gloomy spring weather. Not ideal for viticulture.ĭespite the obstacles, wine critics praised the bottles the vintage produced, from all houses that released a vintage. This isn’t the first time Dom Pérignon has persevered through the trials of nature-most recently in 2004, 20. (Of note, 2011 was arguably even worse, so few vintages overall will be declared in the coming couple years.) Few 2010 vintages will be declared from Champagne houses, making the Dom Pérignon 2010 an elusive bottle. Champagne Pierre Gimonnet & Fils has 98% Chardonnay parcels and reported to Wine Spectator they only lost 10% of the harvest.īut still, the difficult vintage produced prominent rot.
Chardonnay grapes were particularly successful over the year as the grape is less susceptible to botrytis. While Dom Pérignon has weathered the storm, it’s a wait-and-see game for many of the houses. As the Champagne unfolds, it reveals a mist of peony and rainwater with a saline finish. On the nose, it’s luminous and bright, with green mango and fresh pineapple. When married together, the two grape varieties are intense and balanced a dialogue of triumph and troubles.ĭom Pérignon declared a vintage quite literally “saved from the waters.” (Pinot noir is a thin-skinned grape, an attribute that makes it more susceptible to botrytis.) Though the pinot harvest was perilous, Dom Pérignon’s parcels of chardonnay were the best in 20 years-rich, concentrated and fully matured without issue.
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