London Launch of Dom Perignon 2004

Jun 09, 13 London Launch of Dom Perignon 2004
Dom Perignon 2004

Dom Perignon 2004

The Dom Perignon 2004 was an “effortless” wine to make, according to Chef de Cave, Richard Geoffroy. Richard was elucidating on the 2004 during a recent presentation here in London. 2004 was a very good year for grapes, unlike 2003 where just about everything conspired against the vines. For Richard, the challenge was to bring out the character of the grapes in 2004, that year was all about the blending.

Richard Geoffroy, Chef de Cave

Richard Geoffroy, Chef de Cave

He compared recent vintages, 2002, 2003, and 2004  and for him, it’s all about the challenge of making a cool climate wine in hot years, something that is occurring with more and more frequency as climate change seems to be taking hold. Although Dom Perignon has a “style”, they are constantly striving for a “re-invention” of what is a Dom Perignon champagne.

glass of DP 2004

glass of DP 2004

We then tasted the 2004 and it was although it was a very different champagne from the recent vintages, it still had that DP finesse and elegance. This one however, differed greatly from the 2003, being much more soft and understated. Extremely aromatic at first, with a fresh, mineral nose of spices, dried flowers and, as it developed in the glass, orange blossoms.

wild sorrel and sole - an explosion of anise

wild sorrel and sole – an explosion of anise when combined with the DP 2004

A soft champagne with very fine bubbles, the 2004 whispers elegance. A fine minerality runs through it along with white peach and citrus notes. This is a champagne that is going to evolve and upon reflection, probably even more so then the 2003.

caviar, the perfect companion for DP

caviar, the perfect companion for DP

Along with the 2004, we were served a variety of dishes as DP believe that their champagne while often served as an aperitif is best when served with food. The best pairing of the event was the wild sorrel and lemon sole dish – although there was no anise in the dish, that’s all I could taste. Amazingly, it all came from the champagne, a triumph of food and wine matching. I loved it.

Of course, we also had caviar, as Richard said, “I cannot think of a Dom Perignon experience without caviar…” I couldn’t agree more.

The DP 2004 allotment has already sold out in the UK but it should be available at your local merchant soon.

 

 

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.