Dom Pérignon, not only a vintage champagne!
Dom Pérignon is, of course, the name of a prestigious champagne, but it is first and foremost the name of a Benedictine monk.
Pierre Pérignon was born around 1638 into a bourgeois family in the town of Sainte-Menehould, in the Marne département. While he did not invent champagne or the méthode champenoise (the traditional method of making champagne), he made a significant contribution to its production.
Local records indicate that, from a very young age, Pierre Pérignon participated in the grape harvest and the upkeep of the vineyards belonging to his father, a court officer. He then entered the Jesuit college in Châlons-sur-Marne and ultimately chose a religious career over a legal one.
He worked as cellar master at the Abbey of Hautvillers, near Épernay, where he mastered wine-making techniques, notably the blending of grapes from different vineyards, thus contributing to the quality and stability of the wines produced in the region. He was also a pioneer in the use of cork stoppers, which prevent wine spoilage and promote ageing.
This major role earned him the honorary title of Dom, derived from the Latin Dominus (Lord). Pérignon’s role in developing these techniques helped make Champagne the premier region for sparkling wine production. Dom Pérignon administered the Abbey of Hautvillers until his death on September 14, 1715, and was buried in the choir of the church.
Dom Perignon, a renowned oenologist and businessman
Dom Pérignon’s expertise extended far beyond the art of wine-making; he excelled not only as a winegrower and winemaker but also as a merchant!
A genius oenologist, he dedicated his life to numerous experiments aimed at improving the quality of wine, which, until then, had been rather mediocre. He devoted himself tirelessly to blending the finest grapes from diverse grape varieties and vintages, meticulously preserving them in the bottle to create exceptional wines. The remarkable wines of the Abbey of Hautvillers found their way to the table of King Louis XIV consecrating the abbey and the village as the birthplace of Champagne.
The debate over the true ‘inventor’ of Champagne
History often credits Dom Pérignon with inventing the méthode champenoise. However, sceptics argue that he could not have been its originator, as sparkling wine requires bottles hermetically sealed with a cork, a technology that did not exist in his time. They also point out that the royal decree authorising the bottling of Champagne was promulgated in 1728, thirteen years after Dom Pérignon’s death.
Conversely, proponents of the opposing theory claim that Dom Pérignon used beeswax to seal bottles of white wine and added sugar to induce a second fermentation, thus creating the effervescence and mousse characteristic of Champagne wines.
Centuries after his death, separating fact from fiction remains a challenge, especially since Dom Pérignon and his contemporaries make no explicit mention of the production of sparkling wine. Historical documents only mention still wines from the Abbey of Hautvillers.
It is nevertheless reasonable to assume that Dom Pérignon, a passionate oenologist with a keen eye for observation and research, may have studied fermentation processes and perhaps even experimented with his wines. However, it is uncertain whether he ventured into the production and marketing of sparkling wines, a then-nascent technique. The unpredictability of the harvests, which significantly influenced the quantity and quality of the wine, would have made such ventures even more complex. Even 120 years after his death, Champagne production indeed remained unpredictable, which explained its rarity and high price.
Finally, it was only in 1821 that Dom Pérignon was retrospectively considered the “inventor” of sparkling Champagne wines.
Did the English invent sparkling Champagne?
The idea that the English could have played a role in the invention of sparkling champagne might surprise some French people. Yet, historical evidence suggests that the traditional method of sparkling wine production was indeed known to the English during Dom Pérignon’s lifetime.
Documents dating to 1660 indeed reveal that English wine merchants were buying casks of still wine in Champagne, to which they added sugar to induce fermentation before bottling. But, even more intriguing, industrial bottling techniques were developed in England around 1625! However, the precise method used by the English to hermetically seal their bottles remains uncertain.
Therefore, the debate on the origins of sparkling champagne remains open. Champagne lovers, it’s up to you to decide who invented sparkling champagne! As for me, I’m leaning towards Dom Pérignon! Let’s keep it French!
Dom Pérignon Champagne
Dom Pérignon Champagne is a prestigious Champagne produced by Moët & Chandon. The vineyards extend across part of the historic Hautvillers Abbey (partly acquired from Maison Mercier), where Dom Pérignon worked and perfected his wine-making techniques.
Dom Pérignon Champagne is renowned for its exceptional quality, complexity, and ageing potential. Generally produced in limited quantities, it is often associated with special occasions and celebrations, due to its prestige and reputation for excellence in the world of Champagne.
The fact that this vintage champagne was first produced in 1921, but only released commercially in 1936, highlights the meticulousness of its production process and specific ageing requirements. The selective production, carried out exclusively during the best years with the finest grapes from the best vineyards harvested in the same year, testifies to the commitment to quality and excellence that characterise this prestigious champagne.
How to get to the village of Hautvillers in Champagne?
Department of Marne – Abbaye de Hautvillers
By train – SNCF:
– CDG airport T2 (TGV station) to Epernay
– Paris Gare de l’Est to Epernay
– Then Epernay to Hautvillers: By Coach #160 or Taxi
By car:
– Paris to Hautvillers 142kms – A4 motorway – Take exit 21-Dormans towards Dormans/Épernay/Fismes – Take D23E5, D23, D1, D3 and D1
– CDG airport to Hautvillers 150kms: A3 in Roissy-en-France – Follow A104 and A4 to D980 in Villers-Agron-Aiguizy. Take exit 21-Dormans as above
Photos via Wikimedia Commons photos: Header by Bruno Rijsman CC BY-SA 2.0 – Statue by Palauenc05 CC BY-SA 4.0 – Vintage 1999 bottle by PlatinumSunlight Public Domain – Grave stone by E-monceaux CC BY-SA 3.0
