Dom Pérignon
Vintage 2017 with gift box
Pale yellow robe with green highlights. The nose opens on jasmine and that scent of rain-soaked earth after a storm known as petrichor, followed by candied zest. The palate is creamy, with an almost exotic ripeness — the chardonnay, more present than ever, brings a sun-drenched breadth —, before a…
THE CUVÉES OF MAISON DOM PÉRIGNONThe expert verdict
The structure of this champagne
TASTING NOTES
Pale yellow robe with green highlights. The nose opens on jasmine and that scent of rain-soaked earth after a storm known as petrichor, followed by candied zest. The palate is creamy, with an almost exotic ripeness — the chardonnay, more present than ever, brings a sun-drenched breadth —, before a mineral finish that returns to citrus and toasted notes. Serve it between 8 and 10 °C and allow it a little air in the glass: it opens up with aeration. James Suckling awards it 96/100, Wine Advocate 95+; it will continue to gain from a few more years in the cellar.
The composition
Terroirs
2017 is a vintage that Dom Pérignon almost did not release. After a hot, dry summer that promised the finest hopes, the late-August rains brought botrytis, especially to the pinot noir grapes; Vincent Chaperon sums it up this way: within a week, it went from the "vintage of the century" to a "disaster". A severe selection kept only chardonnays of exceptional ripeness and the best pinot noirs: chardonnay reaches 61% of the blend, its highest share since 1970, against 39% pinot noir. The volume represents only around 15% of a normal release, the smallest in the house's history. The wine rested nearly nine years in the cellar before its release; dosage of 4.5 g/L.
About this house
Dom Pérignon bears the name of the Benedictine monk who arrived at the Abbey of Hautvillers in 1668. Owned by Moët & Chandon since 1927, the house produces only vintages: the first, 1921, went on sale in 1936, and the house declares a year only when it has "something to say" — 2011, 2014 and 2016 were not granted this honour.
The 2017 Vintage holds a special place: it is the last vintage blended under the direction of Richard Geoffroy, cellar master for twenty-eight years, before Vincent Chaperon took over in 2019. A rare vintage, born of a difficult year, that shows what the house can draw from a troubled summer.
The perfect pairing
Aperitif
The creamy texture and candied zest of the 2017 accompany the sweetness of raw prawns; its minerality keeps the pairing crisp.
Starter
The mineral finish of a chardonnay-dominant champagne responds to the iodine of the oyster, without overpowering it.
Main course
The pairing suggested for this vintage: the herbs match the wine's vegetal notes, while its ripeness stands up to meat cooked pink.
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