2018 Dom Pérignon

Chef de Caves Vincent Chaperon once again presented a range of vins clairs to start the tasting, each accompanied by detailed maps of the corresponding plots. Last year, I toured several vineyard sites with the entire viticultural team. Chef de Caves Richard Geoffroy, Chaperon’s predecessor and mentor, rarely showed vins clairs. I don’t remember him ever mentioning a vineyard in all the years I tasted with him. Not once. That is not a criticism, it’s simply a reflection of how different generations of Chefs de Caves think about their roles. Chaperon has also decided to start bottling Dom Pérignon in years where quality is high but volumes are low, because he wants to document each vintage. That is another departure from the past. The 2017 Dom Pérignon, the last vintage vinified by Geoffroy, will be a tiny release that is projected to last in the market for just a few months. Chaperon has bottled Dom Pérignon in every vintage from 2018 to 2024, except for 2023. More importantly, there is a new feeling of energy at Dom Perignon today that is palpable.