In November 19th, the Pinchiorri wine shop in Florence organized an exclusive evening with a wonderful oval table for 18 people.
They were present at the dinner-tasting, food and wine lovers and high-level bubbles, such as the Dom Pérignon champagne. For the evening the new chef de cave of the Dom Pérignon, Mr. Vincent Chaperon, came to Florence.
Impeccable service with waiters and sommeliers who never stopped to pour this gold-colored nectar into glasses. For the aperitif we were sent to the cellar (no one opposed it) where, in the new reception room we stopped to drink the Dom Pérignon, Vintage 2008, accompanied by several “mise en bonche”. It was pleasant to talk to Mr. Vincent Chaperon about the olfactory and gustatory aspects of this wonderful 2008. Later we were accompanied to the first floor in a room dedicated to us, where we took a seat at this large table, banned to party, surrounded by waiters and sommeliers who pampered us throughout the evening. My sommelier guardian angel was Davide D’alterio, who always made sure that my glasses were never empty, Giorgio Pinchiorri and Alessandro Tomberli, his right arm, were radiant with the happiness of having organized this wonderful evening also because all the diners were visually happy to be seated at this table.
The menu was perfect, the chef Riccardo Monco, with his team, created a menu that marries magnificently with the superlative champagnes of the evening. The Dom Pérignon, Vintage 2008 Legacy, Edition was served with “Chard ravioli, roasted but not boiled, with caviar and smoked herring foam.” What about the poached egg and made crunchy, first fruits of autumn, ham jelly and chicken mayonnaise “paired with the Dom Pérignon 2002, Plénitude 2? Magnificent dish and pairing.
Following the superlative Dom Pérignon, Vintage 1998, Plénitude 2, for me the best of all, well thought of with “risotto with roasted cauliflower cream, lemon scallops, roasted veal marrow”.
Then we switched to rosé and the first was Dom Pérignon, Rosé Vintage 2006, served with “boneless guinea fowl with olive glaze, bundle of savoy cabbage with mushrooms and sage with anchovy.” The second rosé was Dom Pérignon Rosé Vintage 1996. Plénitude 2 which was served with: “toasted bread with extra virgin olive oil with citrus fruits, almond ice cream and zabaione mousse”. A magnificent dish !.
Lastly, the sommeliers who served us blindfolded, a champagne whose identity we were not aware of, which were paired with a squid ink spaghetti with a curl of gold leaf, reappeared at the table. We all wondered about which champagne it was, I thought it was a Plénitude 3 and my friend Piero Benvenuti was off balance saying that according to him it was the Dom Pérignon Plénitude 3, vintage 1988.
Piero deserved the applause and a “good” from Mr. Vincent Chaperon and all the diners.
Now let’s analyze the Champagnes of the evening.
DOM PÉRIGNON Vintage 2008
(dégorgement beginning 2018)
The color is bright straw yellow with light golden reflections. The bubbles are fine and quite numerous.
To the sense of smell, one is struck by the copious scent of amber and mineral (silex). Followed by hints of iodine, blond leather, jute bale, Marseille soap, white flowers and cedar peel.
Captivating taste for its overflowing flavor, accompanied by the mineral and citrus notes of lemon.
Well balanced wine with fine perlage. The body is medium and freshness spreads throughout the mouth. Its persistence is long with a finish of yellow grapefruit, cedar and mineral smoking.
(98/100)
DOM PÉRIGNON Vintage 2008, Legacy Edition
(dégorgement mid 2017)
The dégorgement is about ten months earlier, compared to the previous 2008.
It has an intense straw yellow color with light gold flares. The bubbles are initially quite fine and then become fine and numerous.
The nose reveals aromas of flint stone (silex), amber, coccoin glue (coconut and almond milk), dry banana, smoked, intense graphite, star anise, with final whiffs of zabaione.
It is very savory on the palate and has a generous freshness that makes it well balanced. The body is medium but with a slightly lesser structure than in the first half of 2008. Its persistence is long with the final smoking of the mineral.
(97/100)
DOM PÉRIGNON Vintage 2002 Plénitude 2
(dégorgement late 2016)
Shiny golden yellow mantle with fine and quite numerous perlage.
Rich and varied nose made of intense aromas of amber and flint (silex) followed by blond leather, grilled bread, slightly wilted white flowers, white pepper, iodine, cotton starch, graphite, mineral smoking, Marseille soap, helichrysum, to end with whispers of peanut butter.
On the palate you can enjoy a fine, caressing bubble. The body is medium and the wine is sapid and mineral. The body is medium and delicate. The freshness is rich. Flavors of mineral and slight eggnog. The lips are intensely sapid. Its persistence is long.
(98/100)
DOM PÉRIGNON, Vintage 1998
(dégorgement mid 2012)
Bright golden yellow color and the bubbles are fine and quite numerous.
The olfactory casket opens to intense and pleasant aromas of pastry, vanilla, blond leather and eggnog. Follow the olfactory trail aromas of amber, graphite, peanut butter, flint (silex), white of the moldy orange (wood?), To end with slight references to cyclamen.
The bubbles are delicate and spread throughout the oral cavity. Wine with important structure and freshness. The lips are sapid and the wine is perfectly balanced.
Its persistence is long with a mineral salt finish and orange peel.
Exciting champagne for its completeness, harmony, power and elegance.
(100/100)
DOM PÉRIGNON Rosé, Vintage 1996, Plénitude 2
(dégorgement late 2015)
Antique pink color. The bubbles are very fine and quite numerous.
Aromas of wet earth, dried rose, toasted peanut, juniper berry, laurel, sage, iodine, iron starch spray, warm cloth, blond leather, light green vegetable, raspberry, coconut and almond milk (coccoin glue), to finish with salty notes.
The body is medium. Well balanced wine, sapid and mineral. Lively and pleasant bubbles.
The freshness is generous and perfectly dominates the alcohol. On the palate it is rich, fantastic, young, with flavors that spread throughout the mouth of pink grapefruit, bitter and raspberry. Its persistence is long with a pink grapefruit finish.
Exciting!
(100- / 100)
DOM PÉRIGNON Rosé Vintage 2006
(dégorgement mid 2015)
Intense antique rose with orange reflections.
The bubbles are fine and quite numerous.
Intriguing nose with aromas of dried rose, graphite, juniper berry, antique blond leather, mineral, flint, iodine, coconut and almond milk (coccoin glue), starch (iron starch), macerated raspberry, slightly green notes, finish with tomato conserve.
Mineral, salt, rose and tangerine flavor.
The bubbles are fine.
Medium-bodied wine, well balanced with pleasant freshness.
Its persistence is long with a raspberry and tangerine finish.
(95/100)
DOM PÉRIGNON, Vintage 1988, Plénitude 3
(dégorgement late 2016)
Bright golden yellow color with very fine and quite numerous bubbles
Intense and varied nose made of smells of flint (silex), green, pine resin, fair-skinned blond leather, jute, freshly made popcorn, juniper berry, helichrysum, warm cloth, boiled chestnut with wild fennel , and finally nettle references.
On the palate it shows a higher than average structure and a perfect balance, thanks to the generous freshness and minerality that does not make the alcohol feel. Taste of juniper berry that is perceived even during its long persistence.
Will this 1988 be more long-lived than 1998?
At present it is (99/100)
in a few years you can reach (100/100)
At the end of the evening I was really happy, satisfied for this wonderful event, evening at the highest levels of food and wine. All the staff of the Enoteca Pinchiorri has worked with the maximum attention and pleasure to carry out this work, towards the diners. What to say more?
SUMMARY
DOM PÉRIGNON, Vintage, 2008, 98/100
DOM PÉRIGNON, Vintage, 2008, Legacy Edition, 97/100
DOM PÉRIGNON, Vintage 2002, Plénitude 2, 98/100
DOM PÉRIGNON, Vintage 1998, Plénitude 2, 100/100
DOM PÉRIGNON, Rosé, Vintage 2006, 95/100
DOM PÉRIGNON, Rosé Vintage 1996, Plénitude 2, 100- / 100
DOM PÉRIGNON, Vintage 1988, Plénitude 3, 99-100/100
