PERFECTION
swirls
A
man, a wine, a legend… an icon! This is what sets apart a bottle of Dom from its counterparts. And with the entry of the Vintage 2003 in India, connoisseurs at home would be delighted. Arnaud de Saignes talks to ATELIER about the brand, the nuances of a Vintage and more.
is made from grapes harvested in various years. And if we go back in history, we can say that Dom Pierre Pérignon is the spiritual father of all champagnes! And ‘power of creation’ is? The house has absolute faith in this power of creation, the very source and principle of its inspiration. As we know, Dom Pérignon is the fruit of an assemblage to which only Richard Geoffroy, Dom Pérignon’s chef de cave, holds the key. Dom Pérignon shares the power of creation with certain contemporary creators who push the boundaries of their art. Most recently, Lang Lang, Bob Wilson and Alexandre Desplat created a performance piece, inspired by three Dom Périgon Vintages, in the Château de Versailles.
Tell us about the essence of the Dom Pérignon label. The Dom Pérignon label has become one of the most iconic and recognisable labels in time. Its shape and artwork have stayed true to its origins and have only been altered very slightly throughout the years. Millésimé refers to the fact that Dom Pérignon only produces Vintage champagne whereas AltumVillare refers to the Latin name of Hautvillers, the birthplace of champagne, and the location of the abbey where Dom Pierre Pérignon elaborated his wine for over 40 years. The Benedictine abbey at Hautvillers
A TOAST TO
PERFECTION
Is it just a celebratory drink? Rediscover champagne as a wine and take one or several Vintages throughout a dinner. Experience how the wine sustains itself against the food-pairing. What food pairs best with a bottle of Vintage 2003? To accompany the launch of Vintage 2003, Dom Pérignon has introduced Dark Revelation. Designed to reveal the personality of its vintages in an unusual way, this ritual, inspired by the chromatic palette of Dom Pérignon, features colour, food and wine accords. Some of the unusual accords include Prunier St James cavier and Hibiscus jelly, or black mole and foie gras. Enjoy!
When champagne meets the tongue... The wine’s seamless mouthfeel creates a complete sensorial experience. Having said this, each Vintage has its own sensory journey, its own personality. •
atelier
The standing of Dom Pérignon’s wine was so prestigious that orders for it were placed by Sir Claude Tribouleau, a purveyor to the court who had the privilege of choosing wines for Louis XIV’s table.
What is your favourite drink? I truly enjoy all Dom Pérignon Vintages because each Vintage is unique and singular. But recently I had the chance to preview and taste for the first time the Rosé Vintage 2002, which will be launched next year. A compelling experience!
l
78 7 8
Dom Pérignon Vintage 2003
Dom was the first prestige cuvee ever introduced, wasn’t it? Even more importantly than being the first prestige cuvee, Dom Pérignon has been from the very beginning a vintage-only champagne, meaning that it is only made in the best year, and all grapes used to make the wine were harvested in the same year. Many champagnes, by contrast, are nonvintage, which means that the champagne
Above: Richard Geoffroy, Dom Pérignon’s chef de cave, samples a glassful Below: The cellar with Vintages in the making
2012 l november
atelier ate a at tte elli lie iie er l no november nov n ov o vem emb e mb m be err l 220 2012 201 01 0 12
Picture the monk and cellar master Dom Pierre Pérignon, brewing magic at the Benedictine abbey in Hautvillers. Modern-day bottles infuse this and a bit of extra prestige. Maleeka Kashyap talks about the soon-to-launch Vintage 2003 in India, in conversation with Arnaud de Saignes, global marketing and communications director, Dom Pérignon.
And so they tell the tale of the monk and the abbey... In 1668, the young monk Dom Pierre Pérignon took up his duties as cellarer of the Benedictine abbey of Hautvillers. His ambition was to make ‘the best wine in the world’, which took a visionary mind and an exceptional sense of daring to declare such an ambition at the end of the 17th century. Pérignon invented, perfected and brought fame to previously hit-or-miss techniques in order to create a wine with an unrivalled reputation. The elite of the period, who were seeking out new taste sensations, immediately recognised its worth. The standing of Dom Pérignon’s wine was so prestigious that orders for it were placed by Sir Claude Tribouleau, a purveyor to the court who had the privilege of choosing wines for Louis XIV’s table. Today, the House of Dom Pérignon keeps the vision of Dom Pierre Pérignon intact.
So the wines have the creator’s touch? The creators don’t intervene on the wine production. They re-interpret the iconic codes of Dom Pérignon, such as the label, the foil and the outer giftbox.
79
A
man, a wine, a legend… an icon! This is what sets apart a bottle of Dom from its counterparts. And with the entry of the Vintage 2003 in India, connoisseurs at home would be delighted. Arnaud de Saignes talks to ATELIER about the brand, the nuances of a Vintage and more.
is made from grapes harvested in various years. And if we go back in history, we can say that Dom Pierre Pérignon is the spiritual father of all champagnes! And ‘power of creation’ is? The house has absolute faith in this power of creation, the very source and principle of its inspiration. As we know, Dom Pérignon is the fruit of an assemblage to which only Richard Geoffroy, Dom Pérignon’s chef de cave, holds the key. Dom Pérignon shares the power of creation with certain contemporary creators who push the boundaries of their art. Most recently, Lang Lang, Bob Wilson and Alexandre Desplat created a performance piece, inspired by three Dom Périgon Vintages, in the Château de Versailles.
Tell us about the essence of the Dom Pérignon label. The Dom Pérignon label has become one of the most iconic and recognisable labels in time. Its shape and artwork have stayed true to its origins and have only been altered very slightly throughout the years. Millésimé refers to the fact that Dom Pérignon only produces Vintage champagne whereas AltumVillare refers to the Latin name of Hautvillers, the birthplace of champagne, and the location of the abbey where Dom Pierre Pérignon elaborated his wine for over 40 years. The Benedictine abbey at Hautvillers
A TOAST TO
PERFECTION
Is it just a celebratory drink? Rediscover champagne as a wine and take one or several Vintages throughout a dinner. Experience how the wine sustains itself against the food-pairing. What food pairs best with a bottle of Vintage 2003? To accompany the launch of Vintage 2003, Dom Pérignon has introduced Dark Revelation. Designed to reveal the personality of its vintages in an unusual way, this ritual, inspired by the chromatic palette of Dom Pérignon, features colour, food and wine accords. Some of the unusual accords include Prunier St James cavier and Hibiscus jelly, or black mole and foie gras. Enjoy!
When champagne meets the tongue... The wine’s seamless mouthfeel creates a complete sensorial experience. Having said this, each Vintage has its own sensory journey, its own personality. •
atelier
The standing of Dom Pérignon’s wine was so prestigious that orders for it were placed by Sir Claude Tribouleau, a purveyor to the court who had the privilege of choosing wines for Louis XIV’s table.
What is your favourite drink? I truly enjoy all Dom Pérignon Vintages because each Vintage is unique and singular. But recently I had the chance to preview and taste for the first time the Rosé Vintage 2002, which will be launched next year. A compelling experience!
l
78 7 8
Dom Pérignon Vintage 2003
Dom was the first prestige cuvee ever introduced, wasn’t it? Even more importantly than being the first prestige cuvee, Dom Pérignon has been from the very beginning a vintage-only champagne, meaning that it is only made in the best year, and all grapes used to make the wine were harvested in the same year. Many champagnes, by contrast, are nonvintage, which means that the champagne
Above: Richard Geoffroy, Dom Pérignon’s chef de cave, samples a glassful Below: The cellar with Vintages in the making
2012 l november
atelier ate a at tte elli lie iie er l no november nov n ov o vem emb e mb m be err l 220 2012 201 01 0 12
Picture the monk and cellar master Dom Pierre Pérignon, brewing magic at the Benedictine abbey in Hautvillers. Modern-day bottles infuse this and a bit of extra prestige. Maleeka Kashyap talks about the soon-to-launch Vintage 2003 in India, in conversation with Arnaud de Saignes, global marketing and communications director, Dom Pérignon.
And so they tell the tale of the monk and the abbey... In 1668, the young monk Dom Pierre Pérignon took up his duties as cellarer of the Benedictine abbey of Hautvillers. His ambition was to make ‘the best wine in the world’, which took a visionary mind and an exceptional sense of daring to declare such an ambition at the end of the 17th century. Pérignon invented, perfected and brought fame to previously hit-or-miss techniques in order to create a wine with an unrivalled reputation. The elite of the period, who were seeking out new taste sensations, immediately recognised its worth. The standing of Dom Pérignon’s wine was so prestigious that orders for it were placed by Sir Claude Tribouleau, a purveyor to the court who had the privilege of choosing wines for Louis XIV’s table. Today, the House of Dom Pérignon keeps the vision of Dom Pierre Pérignon intact.
So the wines have the creator’s touch? The creators don’t intervene on the wine production. They re-interpret the iconic codes of Dom Pérignon, such as the label, the foil and the outer giftbox.
79
