Dom Pérignon is among the best-known champagne brands in the world, and for many the name is synonymous with luxury. Hardly any other cuvée moves as effortlessly between the wine world, fine dining, pop culture, and the realm of status symbols.

Dom Pérignon also offers a textbook illustration of how consistently the luxury group LVMH understands brand-building and has practiced it for decades.

A Monk Lends His Name

The brand's history, however, reaches back long before LVMH. It is named after the Benedictine monk Pierre Pérignon, who arrived at the Abbey of Hautvillers in 1668 as cellar master and steward. He spent 47 years there working to improve the quality of its wines.

The popular tale that Dom Pérignon invented champagne belongs largely to the realm of legend. His real contribution lay in his work on blending, yields, and selection.

A Brand as a Dowry

The brand as we know it today emerged much later. In 1894, the champagne house Mercier secured the rights to the name.

When Francine Durand-Mercier married Paul Chandon-Moët in 1927, the brand, unused until then, passed to Moët & Chandon as part of her dowry. It was entered in the trademark register in 1930.

The first vintage dates from 1921, but it did not reach the market until 1936, when 100 cases were shipped to New York. A year earlier, Moët had bottled 300 bottles of a special cuvée for its British importer, Simon Brothers.

The response was evidently strong enough that the Dom Pérignon brand followed shortly afterward.

Part of LVMH Since 1987

In the 1970s, Moët & Chandon took over the house of Mercier, and Dom Pérignon has been part of the group since LVMH was formed in 1987.

Ninety years after its market launch, it has grown into a global luxury brand in its own right, one that is now releasing its 2017 vintage.

An Opening Act in Lausanne

I have already had the pleasure of enjoying the new vintage at several tastings and events. One that stays with me in particular was a lunch in May at «La Table» (article in German) at the Lausanne Palace.

There, head chef Franck Pelux cooked alongside Amaury Bouhours of «Le Meurice Alain Ducasse» in Paris, who also serves as an ambassador for Dom Pérignon.

The Dom Pérignon Vintage 2017 opened the meal. What drew my interest above all was the year itself.

2017 Was Anything but Easy

The year began dry. March brought several nights of frost, followed by a very warm May, a hot June, and an equally warm first half of July.

The grapes ripened quickly, the Chardonnay in particular.

In the second half of August, the weather turned and the rain set in. Gray rot, or botrytis, spread, and the Pinot Noir was also hit by sour rot.

The harvest began on August 28, earlier than in almost any year of the preceding half-century. Only 2003, 2007, and 2011 were picked earlier.

No Vintage Without Selection

For Dom Pérignon, this matters more than for most. The house produces vintage champagne exclusively, and when a year fails to convince, it simply forgoes a vintage.

A 2017 was made, but only thanks to a fairly uncompromising selection.

The blend is out of the ordinary as well. Chardonnay plays a particularly prominent role in the 2017, and Dom Pérignon itself draws parallels to 1970 and 2005, two vintages in which the white grape also dominated more than usual.

The wine then spent almost nine years aging on its lees.

Scarcity With a Reason

There is one more distinctive feature. Dom Pérignon describes 2017 as the most limited release in its history to date.

With luxury goods, scarcity is often part of the marketing message. Here, at least, it has a very concrete explanation.

A considerable share of the available grapes never even made the selection. That may be why Dom Pérignon 2018 is already being presented these days, but that is another story.

Yellow fruit and candied citrus peel. (Image: courtesy)

What Dom Pérignon 2017 Tastes Like

The first impression is clearly shaped by ripeness. The nose shows yellow fruit and candied citrus peel, along with floral notes and, later, something earthy and mineral.

Dom Pérignon's own tasting note goes a step further and mentions petrichor. We all know the smell: the earthy scent that rises when rain falls on dry ground or asphalt.

I find it an apt addition to the aromatic profile.

For me, the wine becomes truly interesting on the palate. It opens generously, with substance and ripe fruit, before acidity, salinity, and a fine bitterness come into play.

I particularly like that bitterness, because it gives the wine contour. Despite its ripeness, the 2017 stays taut and lingers long on the finish.

Champagne Is Wine

The lunch in Lausanne reminded me once again how well this Dom Pérignon performs at the table. It was served as the opener, but I could easily have drunk it through the entire menu.

It has enough structure for crustaceans, full-flavored fish, poultry, veal, or roasted vegetables.

Its ripe fruit handles roasted flavors well, while the acidity and slight bitterness make it compelling with food. I regard champagne as wine in any case, and I like to accompany entire dinners with a well-chosen range of champagnes.

Open It or Cellar It

The 2017 is already very approachable today, yet young enough to be given more years without hesitation.

I am especially curious to see how the Chardonnay develops. Given its ripeness and its role in the blend, a good deal should still happen there over the next 10 to 15 years.

Anyone who owns a bottle can open it. Anyone who owns several should leave a few in the cellar.

Enjoyment Guide:

… Temperature: 50 to 54 degrees Fahrenheit (10 to 12 degrees Celsius).
… Glass: Tulip or white-wine glass.
… Timing: Give it 10 to 15 minutes after pouring.
… Food: Crustaceans, turbot, poultry, veal, mushrooms, or roasted vegetables.
… Cellar: Already very good today; a few bottles are worth laying down for the next 10 to 15 years.

Jauch's Verdict

The Dom Pérignon 2017 is ripe and expressive, yet keeps its balance thanks to acidity, salinity, and bitterness. The unusually prominent role of Chardonnay lends it a brighter aromatic profile that should continue to unfold in the years ahead. That this vintage exists at all is owed to strict selection in a difficult year.

«Jauch's Selection»: The biweekly finews column in which Peter Jauch precisely classifies champagne and other fine beverages and supplements them with practical service advice.