Posted on Aug 4, 2021
Producer profile: Dom Pérignon Champagne - Decanter
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August 4, 1693 is the date traditionally ascribed to Dom Pérignon's "invention" of Champagne. An excerpt from the article:
"Dom Pérignon is named after a 17th century Benedictine monk, Dom Pierre Pérignon (1638-1715), who is said to have invented sparkling wine during his tenure as cellarmaster at the Abbey of Hautvillers, near the town of Épernay.
In truth, his task at the abbey was the polar opposite to the myth – to find a way to prevent a second fermentation in the bottle because so much stock was being lost from exploding bottles.
Sparkling wine was already in production in France, made by bottling wine while it was still fermenting. This method, known as pétillant-naturel or simply ‘pét nat’, is still used today in parts of France and even in the USA.
It was an English scientist, Christopher Merret, who first recorded the method used in Champagne today – adding sugar to an already fermented wine to cause a second fermentation. He was able to achieve this thanks to the superior strength of English glass bottles, compared to the French equivalents.
What is believed, however, is that Dom Pierre Pérignon pioneered viticultural and winemaking methods that transformed the wines of Champagne – not only did he import the stronger bottles from England, but he also sought to improve the quality of the wine he made.
A document published three years after his death attributed several pioneering winemaking methods to the monk, including :
•Pruning to reduce yields but improve concentration
•Careful treatment of the grapes to avoid breaking the skins and exposing the juice to the air
•Multiple gentle pressings to minimise skin contact and extraction of tannins
Moët & Chandon bought the brand name for their prestige cuvée in 1937. Today, Dom Pérignon is part of the Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH) empire owned by France’s richest man, Bernard Arnault. It has been the Champagne of choice for numerous celebrities and royalty over the years. Memorably it was chosen for the wedding of Lady Diana Spencer and Prince Charles in 1981.
In 1959, Dom Pérignon added a Rosé Champagne to its range."
"Dom Pérignon is named after a 17th century Benedictine monk, Dom Pierre Pérignon (1638-1715), who is said to have invented sparkling wine during his tenure as cellarmaster at the Abbey of Hautvillers, near the town of Épernay.
In truth, his task at the abbey was the polar opposite to the myth – to find a way to prevent a second fermentation in the bottle because so much stock was being lost from exploding bottles.
Sparkling wine was already in production in France, made by bottling wine while it was still fermenting. This method, known as pétillant-naturel or simply ‘pét nat’, is still used today in parts of France and even in the USA.
It was an English scientist, Christopher Merret, who first recorded the method used in Champagne today – adding sugar to an already fermented wine to cause a second fermentation. He was able to achieve this thanks to the superior strength of English glass bottles, compared to the French equivalents.
What is believed, however, is that Dom Pierre Pérignon pioneered viticultural and winemaking methods that transformed the wines of Champagne – not only did he import the stronger bottles from England, but he also sought to improve the quality of the wine he made.
A document published three years after his death attributed several pioneering winemaking methods to the monk, including :
•Pruning to reduce yields but improve concentration
•Careful treatment of the grapes to avoid breaking the skins and exposing the juice to the air
•Multiple gentle pressings to minimise skin contact and extraction of tannins
Moët & Chandon bought the brand name for their prestige cuvée in 1937. Today, Dom Pérignon is part of the Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH) empire owned by France’s richest man, Bernard Arnault. It has been the Champagne of choice for numerous celebrities and royalty over the years. Memorably it was chosen for the wedding of Lady Diana Spencer and Prince Charles in 1981.
In 1959, Dom Pérignon added a Rosé Champagne to its range."
Producer profile: Dom Pérignon Champagne - Decanter
Posted from decanter.com
World History
Wine Making
Wine
Wine Tasting
Alcohol
Posted >1 y ago
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SGT (Join to see)
I have only had one bottle, on my wedding day. I think I'll get my wife a bottle for our 30th anniversary next year.
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Thank you my friend SGT (Join to see) for making us aware that on approximately August 4, 1693 17th century Benedictine monk, Dom Pierre Pérignon invented Champagne.
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