The producer
Dom Pérignon champagne owes its name to Pierre Pérignon, the famous monk and cellar master of Abbey de Hautvillers in 1668, who was also known as Dom Pérignon. Legend says that Pierre Pérignon discovered what is known today as the Champagne method. As a point of interest, he taught this method to Benedictine monk, Thierry Ruinart, in 1669, which allowed Ruinart to become the first Champagne house in 1729. Since 1st January 2019, Vincent Chaperon has succeeded Richard Geoffroy as Dom Pérignon’s Cellar Master.
The vintage
Dom Pérignon's Rosé Vintage Coffret Gold 2000 stems from a singular vintage. The year 2000 was hot, with below average temperatures in July and a humid climate. The bunches of Chardonnay grapes harvested were supple, ample and complex. The Pinot Noir grapes appeared structured and long in the mouth.
The blend
This Rosé Vintage Coffret Gold 2000 by Dom Pérignon comprises a secret blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
The tasting
Colour
The colour is deep with a beautiful amber hue.
Nose
The first nose is very floral and gives way to notes of cherry and candied lemon with cocoa and a touch of smoke, all of which form a beautiful aromatic complexity.
Palate
The palate is structured and classic with a feeling of balance and a beautiful aromatic persistence. This champagne is surprisingly fresh and brightly fruity with a slightly bitter feel. This superb champagne is presented in an extremely luxurious packaging, with a setting of petals dipped in a bath of rose gold, using traditional and masterful French techniques. It is a true rarity, comprising only 50 units.
The 2000 Dom Perignon Rose is a flashy, ripe Champagne that screams Pinot to a degree I have never encountered in another vintage of this wine. A dark, intense color leads to a Chambolle-like nose followed by endless red berries, flowers and spices, all backed up with plenty of muscle, richness and density. The wine continues to blossom on the palate, with utterly beguiling detail, clarity and polish, all qualities that resonate on the rich, expansive finish. The 2000 Dom Perignon Rose is 45% Chardonnay and 55% Pinot Noir, of which 25% is still Pinot. Geoffroy says his goal was to make a statement with the 2000 Dom Perignon Rose; he has done that?and so much more. In fact, the 2000 seems to signal a stylistic shift towards a more important, serious style of rose. This superb wine is not to be missed, but readers should note this is no easygoing rose, rather it is a Champagne that demands serious attention. The 2000 will test the limits of what readers expect from a Dom Perignon Rose, but the wine is simply marvelous. I loved it. This bottle was disgorged in 2008. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2025.