Archive for the ‘Looking Forward’ Category

Dark Revelation

More than a color, Dark is a reflection of the soul of Dom Pérignon: its intensity, its sensuality, its complexity, its paradoxes, its mystery… Each vintage finds its unique way to achieve and incarnate the ideal of Dom Pérignon.

Dark Revelation is the new tasting ceremony of Dom Pérignon. Creating its own pace and atmosphere, Dark Revelation is a path through the chromatic palette of Dom Pérignon, each color personified in a singular dish to highlight a different facet of the vintage and to provoke a specific reaction in the audience.

Dom Pérignon Vintage 2003 is the first Vintage to be discovered by way of Dark Revelation. It is the perfect approach for me to lead our guests in a journey from the surface to the core until we reach the Dark, the essence of Dom Pérignon. From White to Dark, this ritualised tasting offers an unparalleled sensory experience in exclusive events held around the world. Follow me as I introduce you to Dark Revelation…

White. The egg. The creamy texture plays with the richness of Dom Pérignon, revealing its freshness. Surprising.

Yellow. Rice and saffron. The perfection of the rice invites Dom Pérignon Vintage 2003 to a dialogue of precision. In the background, the briny character of the saffron matches the focused minerality of the wine. Intriguing.

Green. Matcha. The wine envelops the lingering bitterness of the tea and soars ever higher. Seducing.

Red. Caviar and hibiscus. Sanguine and briny, this sensuous combination evolves into a Shakespearean drama. Fascinating.

Dark. Black mole and seared Foie gras. The ultimate step, exploring the depths of the wine. With its strong smoky and toasted notes, the mole brings out the energetic, warm side of Dom Pérignon Vintage 2003. Dazzling.

Happy New Year

I wish you all a happy 2011! Let’s raise our glass to health, love and dreams fulfilled!

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

Dom Pérignon

Photo: Guido Mocafico (Katja Martinez Agency)

Harvest, Take 2

We are now past midway through the harvest, with the good news of much higher ripeness than expected, and this across the board. The sanitary conditions are good for Chardonnay, whereas there is some botrytis affecting the Pinot Noirs. However this has been so far easily handled with careful sorting of the grapes and I consider it is a non-issue. There are a few sectors left to harvest, most notably Verzenay and Mailly. I plan to give you a fuller account of the harvest once the global picture becomes clearer.

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.

Chardonnay grapes after the harvest

Harvest, Take 1

The harvest in the Champagne region started yesterday! This is a couple of days earlier than anticipated, due to the high and steady pace of the maturation process since véraison (only to slow down a bit following the rain of the last few days). Surprisingly enough, such a phenomenon is somewhat reminiscent of the extremely warm and sunny vintage of 2003: the outcome should be a slightly above average ripeness. The harvest at Dom Pérignon will start on the 14th with the Chardonnay sites in Avize, followed by the Pinot Noirs in Aÿ on the 16th. The sanitary conditions remain good despite some botrytis. This will easily be taken care of at the time of picking. I will keep you informed.