Dom Pérignon cellarmaster Geoffroy to hand over reins in 2019

Dom Pérignon has announced that its long-standing chef de cave, Richard Geoffroy, will formally hand over to Vincent Chaperon at the end of the year.

After 28 years as chef de cave at Dom Pérignon Champagne, Richard Geoffroy will pass the baton to his assistant winemaker, Vincent Chaperon, from 1 January 2019, the house announced today (18 June).

It means that, from next year, Chaperon will take charge of shaping the style and quality of Dom Pérignon’s future vintages.

Chaperon joined Dom Pérignon’s parent Champagne house, Moët & Chandon, in 1999 and became an assistant winemaker a year later.

He has been working alongside Geoffroy for the past 13 harvests and they have declared four vintages together.

Richard Geoffroy, a former doctor of medicine, took up his role as Dom Pérignon’s chef de cave in 1990, crafting and declaring 15 vintages between 1990 and 2009.

‘His job description may say “chef de cave”, but really he’s the brand’s incarnation. He is ultra-visible, ultra-knowledgeable, ultra-approachable,’ said Margaret Rand in her 2013 interview with Geoffroy for Decanter.

Geoffroy created Dom Pérignon’s ‘Plénitude’ Champagne concept, which involves disgorging and releasing the wine during different stages of its development on the lees.

During his long reign as cellar master Geoffroy has collaborated with artist Jeff Koons, filmmaker David Lynch and, most recently, Grammy Award-winning musician Lenny Kravtiz. He has also worked with world-famous chefs Ferran Adrià and Alain Ducasse.

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