After 10 years in the cellar it is released – Dom Pérignon 2010 vintage.
The Benedictine monk Dom Pierre Pérignon (1638 – 1715) was interested in wine production. He developed techniques for its making, wrote instructions on the choice of grapes, the blending of cuvées and the way to seal the bottles with cork and a metal cage. However, it was not he, as is often claimed, who invented sparkling wine, nor was it he who made the first champagne. Eqotime's Britta Rossander has taken a closer look at the noble drink and the latest release from Moët & Chandon, Dom Pérignon 2010.
Text: Britta Rossander
The Benedictine monk Dom Pierre Pérignon (1638 – 1715) was interested in wine production. He developed techniques for the making of it, wrote instructions on the choice of grapes, blends of cuvées and the way of sealing the bottles with cork and a metal cage. However it was not he, as is often claimed, who invented the sparkling wine, nor was it he who made the first champagne. Eqotime’s Britta Rossander has taken a closer look at the noble drink and the latest release from Moët & Chandon, Dom Pérignon 2010.
The story of the monk inspired the English journalist Laurence Venn to the name of the champagne he thouht should be invested in. Venn was employed as a PR manager of the time for the Commission de Propagande et de Defense du vin de Champagne . The first institution that gathered growers and merchants with the task of marketing the pearling drink right in the middle of the great depression.
His plan was to create a luxury brand and he presented his idea. But it was never carried out and was carelessly lost. It was instead nicked by Robert-Jean de Vogüé , a former army officer who had just started rebuilding Moët.
The first vintage
For the first vintage of Dom Pérignon grapes from 1921 were used and it was delivered out in 1936. The first buyers were 150 customers of Simon Bros & Co who imported Moët to Great Britain. They immediately ordered 300 bottles. The wine received immediate attention and 100 cases were sent shortly thereafter to the USA. There James Buchanan Duke, the billionaire who had founded the American Tobacco Company, ordered 100 bottles for himself.
Out of that shipment 17 bottles had been saved by Doris Duke, the billionaire's daughter, who had kept them in her cellar. They were sold by Christies at auction in NY in 2004. According to Dom Pérignon's cellar master Richard Geoffroy the 1921 vintage had a “distinct bouquet consisting of sandalwood, vanilla and pralines” and was still ”alive”.
Dom Pérignon Vintage 2010
Dom Pérignon is a vintage wine, which means that it is only made in the best years and that all the grapes used in the wine are harvested the same year, unlike many other kinds of champagne. Now Dom Pérignon Vintage 2010 is being launched.
In 2010 large parts of the harvest in Champagne were destroyed by heavy rain. In the middle of August, on the 15th and 16th, the equivalent of two months' rain came. The amount of water changed everything and with that weather there was a serious risk of noble rot.
The champagne house Dom Pérignon wanted to save what could be saved and took a decision at the beginning of September that meant they could save parts of their harvest.
– During the rainy weekend we followed our gut feeling and chose to sacrifice large parts of the harvst in order to be able to save the best grapes, and we managd to create a fantastic vintage, cellar master Vincent Chaperon tells.
The drasticc decision was taken jointly by him and his predecessor Richard Geoffroy.
A reduced Pinot Noir harvest gave an outstanding result: both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir reached ”the third highest sugar content during the last decade, right in the vicinity of 2002 and 2003.
– Even more surprising was that the grapes had the second highest acidity level during the last decade, just after 2008. So the fruit we picked had a fantastic balance of richness on the one hand and freshness on the other hand, says Vincent Chaperon.
The best grapes in 30 years
After the rain followed the coldest winter since 1996. The change that came gave a steady, dry, cool, ”Indian summer” with sunny days, fantastic light, 19-20 ° C at the warmest with cool nights.
It turned out later that ”the survivors” among the Pinot Noir grapes were the best in 30 years. When they were blended with Chardonnay grapes harmony arose. The vintage was ”saved from drowning”.
About Dom Pérignon Vintage 2010 you can say that it breathes freshness, like after a rain with a sense of peony and jasmine. The scent is fruity sweet of tropical fruits like pineapple, mango and melon. It sounds like a description of a perfume but no, this is a wonderful sparkling wine with the right bubbles and a lovely fresh note.
Fun to know
Champagne improves the memory and counteracts dementia. The bubbly drink does not only put us in a good mood but also keeps the memory fresh and the heart healthy. The bubbles help against memory deterioration and counteract dementia, says Jeremy Spencer, professor at the University of Reading.
Five 5 benefits of champagne according to professor Jeremy Spencer
1. Champagne contains polyphenols that raise the level of nitric oxide in the blood and widen the blood vessels which in turn can prevent both heart problems and stroke.
2. Champagne is good for the memory, a study carried out on mice shows. Here it is the so-called phenolic compounds in the drink that are said to improve the spatial memory.
3. The drink contains powerful antioxidants that have a range of health benefits.
4. A glass of Champagne contains fewer calories than red or white wine.
Source: University of Reading, British Journal and Nutrition
Dom Pérignon Vintage 2010 has article number 7428 at Systembolaget
