First taste: Dom Pérignon 2010

Launching Dom Pérignon’s new 2010 vintage, chef de cave Vincent Chaperon was bathed in a bright light, the result of Hautvillers sunshine rather than from the virtual effects of Zoom one feels.

His suit is sober and dark, possibly a little better cut than Dom Pérignon’s Benedictine habit, but he looks the part, managing, with great panache, to meet the challenges of being LVMH’s ambassador for this flagship brand, and at the same time to communicate the passion of the dedicated winemaker as the latest in a long line going all the way back to the Dom himself.

He could not be in a better place.

Scroll down to see Simon Field MW’s Dom Pérignon 2010 tasting note and score

Seldom has this passion and dedication been more important, however; even the press release describes the 2010 vintage as ‘harsh, contrasted and perilous’ and Chaperon pulls no punches.

This is a triumph out of adversity story for sure, ‘exploring new frontiers’ and therefore not quite a classic DP vintage in the vein of 1990, 2002 or 2008. An interesting and somewhat unusual overture…

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