Dom Perignon Still A Legend

There’s a provocative book ‘Bursting Bubbles’ by Robert Walters who espouses the quality and terroir-expressive character of the best grower-Champagne producers.  And I agree with his sentiments.  He’s not anti-conventional/conservative Champagne per se, but does point out a number of factors which compromise the best expression of the fruit and land which are accepted practice by the vast majority of Champagne producers.  This is not to say that he doesn’t think excellent wine can be made these ways.

The legendary Dom Perignon gets a bit of stick, as he is regarded by the world as the ‘inventor’ of Champagne, and is thus highly revered by most wine people.  Walters brings it all down to earth in describing how Champagne evolved from making wine in extreme conditions and the merchants promoting bubbles as a quality factor, which was not normally seen as the case.  But for the world, Dom Perignon is the maestro, and of course Moet & Chandon name their top deluxe cuvee range after him.  In the context of conventional Champagne, the Cuvee Dom Perignon is a remarkable wine.  There’s loads of it made, and it has enviable consistency.

The Roaders and The Bassinett Babes were celebrating, and SWMBO and I were invited to attend.  The other night, they had opened a well-known grower Champagne, so there was no expense spared in opening a 2004 Dom Perignon Champagne Brut.  The Roaders were quick to point out the difference between the grower Champagne, and is conventional wine, made from fruit picked earlier, and from across many sites and villages.  In essence much lighter and less ‘expressive’.  But like the author of the book, taking the wine in context, it was one of great beauty and finesse.  Sheer elegance, with a very taut and fine core of white and yellow stonefruits, beautifully integrated with bready-yeasty autolysis,  Still a baby with no aldehydic complexity or hideousness, this was refreshing yet satisfying.  A deliciously elegant and refreshing drink with subtle but great character.  Dom Perignon did not create Champagne, but the wine named after him is legendary.