The consequences of climate change are being seen, felt, broadcasted, and debated so regularly now that it can be easy to shrug one’s shoulders and dismiss it altogether. But what if its adverse effects could, ironically, contribute towards the making of a superlative champagne?
Dom Pérignon Vintage 2015 is triumph in the face of extreme adversity. That year, the beginning of spring was frigid, followed by a heatwave and drought that lasted from the middle of May until mid-August. In fact, August 2015 was the warmest August on record since 1961. Thankfully, the second half of August brought with it rain, thus restarting the maturation of the grapes in the Champagne region. The harvest began on 7 September, lasting nearly three weeks, with pinot noir grapes that were powerful yet delicate, and chardonnay that was relatively more uneven due to the bewildering summer.
“Something we should all remember about Dom Pérignon is the fact that it is a vintage only. Few houses in Champagne can commit to that and can take the financial risk of saying, ‘If one year does not give us the great quality that we expect, then we will not release the vintage’,” said Patrick Madendjian, managing director of Moët Hennessy Diageo Singapore and Malaysia, at a private dinner in Potager Kuala Lumpur to commemorate the release of Dom Pérignon Vintage 2015 in Malaysia. “We were blessed in 2015 to have a fantastic year, following 2013, which some have said may be the last year resembling anything pre-global warming. But in the Champagne region, global warming has had a positive impact on wines because the heat makes the vines deliver more consistent quality, I’d say. So now, we are moving into a new world of Dom Pérignon with Vintage 2015.”
Its nose gradually opens, like a bouquet of freshly plucked spring flowers. One then feels the freshness of fruits and vegetables, soothing your senses before the sip ahead. Once on the palate, Vintage 2015 is tactile, stimulating and light, emanating citrus throughout. It is a concentrated burst of sunshine that will have you savouring every drink and every bite served beside it.
At Potager, Dom Pérignon Vintage 2015 was celebrated with an exclusive menu created by the restaurant’s head chef, De Wet Visser. Calamansi Glazed Poached Bostin Lobster and Sea Bream With Sweet Peas were the highlights that paired effervescently and effortlessly with the champagne. Also served that evening were the Maison’s other masterpieces: Vintage 2013, which kickstarted proceedings and accompanied the amuse bouche, and the Rosé 2009, which partnered the final act of the night (locally sourced Spanish mackerel, as well as three courses of dessert) and lubricated joyful conversations of a night and a vintage one will remember for years.
The Dom Pérignon Vintage 2015 will be released exclusively to Dom Pérignon Society and Dom Pérignon: Reunion establishments from this month onwards at DC by Darren Chin, Cilantro, Nadodi, Potager, Beta KL, Molina, Eat and Cook, Hide KL, and Sushi Taka.
