Champagne Brut AOC Vintage 2013 Dom Pérignon

Champagne Brut Vintage represents the history of Dom Pérignon and its fame is spread all over the world. This wine is dedicated to the Benedictine monk of Hautvillers Abbey who lived in the 17th century and who had contributed to the qualitative growth of Champagne viticulture.

Dom Pérignon was one of the first cuvée de prestige in the history of Champagne. It was the brainchild of Laurence Venn, an English advertising man employed by Simon Bros. & Co., the English importer of Moët & Chandon, who had the idea of creating a very high quality Champagne to be sold to the British aristocracy on an allotment basis.

Made from the best Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes, ripened over the course of a year and harvested towards the end of September. Second fermentation takes place in bottle according to the Champenoise Method. The wine is then aged on the lees for at least 8 years, until the Chef de Cave deems it ready.

In the Champagne region, 2013 was a late year, characterized by a cold and wet winter followed by a very cool and rainy spring. The vines started growing about fifteen days late. The hot and dry summer, with the highest exposure to the sun ever recorded in Champagne, was particularly beneficial to the quality of the grapes. The early September rains soon gave way to the wind, which kept the grapes healthy until harvest. The harvest lasted from 28 September to 15 October, and the grapes showed a promising balance between acidity and roundness.

The nose is delicate and complex. The bouquet reveals notes of eucalyptus, mint and vetiver, accompanied by fruity aromas of mirabelle plum, apricot and orange blossom, finishing with notes of pepper, cardamom and liquorice, iodized and toasted notes. The palate is elegant, clean and precise. At first, it is enveloping and ethereal, only to be reinforced by a fine and silky texture. The finish is a salty, sapid sensation of great gustatory harmony.