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DP brings pink duo to UK market
d=”standfirst”>Dom Pérignon’s chef de cave Richard Geoffroy came to London this week to launch the Champagne brand’s rosé vintage 2000 along with its first mature vintage rosé from its Oenothèque collection.
He used the occasion to stress the importance of blending in Champagne as well as Dom Pérignon’s meticulous approach to creating its pink expression.
“Champagne and Dom Pérignon is all about blending and I’m concerned about the evolution of Champagne because there is an element of fragmentation – people are coming up with bits and pieces,” he said, referring to the expanding number of single vineyard Champagnes.
“The truth is that whenever you put top wines together the end result is superb. After blending we are always better, the wines are more complete and complex.”
Speaking of Dom Pérignon rosé 2000 specifically he added, “Such a structure has got to be from a blend. I defy anyone to achieve such a structure from a single vineyard with a single grape variety.”
He also commented on the stylistic aim of Dom Pérignon rosé. “We wanted the rosé to be the bolder, more provocative face of Dom Pérignon and the 2000 makes a loud enough statement on the Pinot Noir. I think you should make a statement on the Pinot Noir, not be shy about it. We are unashamedly rosé.”
Geoffroy talked of extraordinary attention to detail in the vineyard and cellar when it comes to handling Pinot Noir and creating the red wine for blending.
“Expect more to come in future vintages, we are taking our rosés seriously,” he stated.
He also stressed the different approach at Dom Pérignon for its white and pink expressions. “Our rosé is not the pink version of the white,” he said. “I suspect many in Champagne are just turning their whites into rosés. The logic of blending Dom Pérignon rosé is totally independent and in fact there are fewer components than the white.”
Continuing he pointed out, “The privilege of Dom Pérignon is that we have access to everything in Champagne – all 17 grands crus – and we have an acreage two to four times as large as anyone else. We own 90 hectares in Aÿ and 60ha in Le Mesnil. Dom Pérignon is the largest owner in Le Mesnil and with the best placed vineyards – mid-slope.”
Speaking of the rosé blend components he said, “Aÿ, Bouzy, Cramant and Le Mesnil are core to the rosé. For the red wine component Aÿ and Bouzy,” he added, “and frankly more Aÿ than Bouzy in recent times.”
As for the dosage in the Champagnes Geoffroy said, “I think the dosage at Dom Pérignon is lower than ever and it won’t get any lower – I’m very comfortable with it, I have found a level of balance.”
The rosé has 7 grams per litre, marginally higher than the white at 6 g/l.
Interestingly the proportion of red wine used in the rosé is 20%, which is more than twice the average in Champagne according to Geoffroy, who said that between 6% and 10% is usual.
Explaining this situation he said, “There is the conundrum of achieving colour and flavour on the one hand and low tannins on the other. As a result our addition of red wine is higher than anyone else.”
Nevertheless, the rosé is light in colour, and Geoffroy joked, “Maybe I should say this is a saignée with the Chardonnay blended back.”
“These wines are clearly designed for long, long ageing,” he concluded.
Geoffroy also spoke of his satisfaction at the addition of the first mature vintage rosé from Dom Pérignon’s Oenothèque collection – a 1990.
“This is the first ever Dom Pérignon rosé Oenothèque and it brings the proposition of Dom Pérignon to completion,” he said of the 20 year old pink Champagne.
“The Dom Pérignon proposition is concise – there are two in a given vintage and the Oenothèque to experience Dom Pérignon at another step of maturation.”
He added that the Oenothèque Champagnes were designed to “allow people to enter into a new experience of Dom Pérignon.”
The 1990 rosé was disgorged in 2007, nine years after the first release.
“The extended period on the yeast lees is about bringing more of the intrinsic characters of Dom Pérignon,” he said, as well as "extra richness”.
Despite the Champagne’s age, Geoffroy said “the 1990 Oenothèque will remain on a plateau for many years, I know.”
Notably, Geoffroy served the Oenothèque 1990 rosé in Riedel Vinum XL Pinot Noir glasses, chosen by him to enhance the wine’s intense bouquet.
As for the next Oenothèque rosé, he said, “Who knows? It will not follow the chronology of vintages and maybe ‘88 will be next.”
Dom Pérignon has been making pink Champagne for 50 years and its first rosé was from the 1959 harvest. “It was a glorious vintage,” according to Geoffroy, although most of Dom Pérignon’s library stock from this year has gone – “auctioned off at silly prices”.
The brand does have stock back to the 60s however.
“Dom Pérignon didn’t pioneer rosé making but gave wine recognition to the rosé category and since then many serious winemakers have followed,” Geoffroy recorded.
Finally, he confirmed that Dom Pérignon will be launching its white 2002 vintage later this year, as well as Moët’s 2002.
Patrick Schmitt, 11.03.10