Kyoto is a very special place and I am always struck by how vibrant this city feels. It offers unparalleled opportunities for empathy and emotion to one who comes with an open and available state of mind.
This story starts in 1996 when I first met Chef Murata (of restaurant Kikunoi). One year later, we decided to organise a series of dinners in the heart of Champagne (at Château Saran), around the theme of Kaiseki—the traditional culinary art form originating in Kyoto. Kaiseki considers the meal in its globality: covering all the fundamentals of Japanese cuisine, strongly committing to the season, carefully balancing all the elements (taste, texture, colors…) and stimulating all of our senses. When trying to pair Kaiseki cuisine with Dom Pérignon, it was important for me to leave behind my westerner bias for the perfect food-wine pairing. Our ambition then was very different: the same wine would be served over the whole dinner, with the aim to reach unity, not on a dish by dish basis, but for the entirety of the event. The integrity and purity of the meal were paramount values to be respected, which meant the wine had to find its supportive role. Dom Pérignon was a vector underlying the whole meal, concluding with rice and green tea (ocha).
Even years later it is still complex for me to assess the extraordinary influence that these dinners had on my vision of Dom Pérignon. Their inspiration ranges from the specific (e.g. a better understanding of the tactile properties of Dom Pérignon) to the generic and fundamental (my personal quest for harmony and aesthetic). They imbued subsequent events with a sense of the theatrical. Even more importantly, it offered me a privileged contact with Japan, a memory of intimacy and complicity that I cherish to this day. I was delighted to visit Kyoto again recently to discuss a future creative project…
With Chef Murata in cellar, Hautvillers.
Dear Richard,
Congratulations for your initiative. The idea to join you during your travels and your wine mission is very exciting. I really enjoy the elegant design of your blog.
I’m the author of the Carnet de bulles blog (champagne communications and events). Today, I will publish a post about your blog.
Have a good journey. Regards, Christophe
I look forward to reading more about your experiences and reading a blog from such a well known winery, and getting to know you, of course. Maybe we can even get you along to the European Wine Bloggers Conference this year?
Hi Richard,
I’m very impressed for my first visit on yur famous blog. Also happy to see that they’re always a witness for moments like the visit of Murata (with a camera !). I remember very well this moment. We had a great time, sharing these two cultures. Long life to tour blog. Sincerly. Philippe E