A Photo Essay Capturing Richard Geoffroy’s (le chef de cave de Dom Pérignon) Natural Character

Written and Photographed by Liz Palmer

This photo essay is a collection of images of my interview with Richard Geoffrey, Chef de Cave, Dom Pérignon, capturing his expressions and movements.

Outside on the grounds of the Abbey

I met Richard Geoffroy at the Abbey of Hautvillers, the celestial home of Champagne, where in the 17th century the Benedictine monk Dom Pierre Pérignon conducted research and experiments on the wines of Champagne.


Richard Geoffroy has been the head winemaker for over 20 years of Moët & Chandon’s Cuvée Dom Pérignon, and shows no signs of slowing down. He greets me with a warm smile, quite personable and relaxed.

Tasting

The scientist at work: focused, attention to detail and perfection – wines often mirror their maker. I was absolutely thrilled to taste with one of the world’s premier Champagne artists. I paced myself in elegant moderation.

Richard Geoffroy’s comments:

“A seamless, silky texture is what I’m looking for – I am not looking for weight or power.”

“Dom Pérignon must be vibrant and long.”

“Dom Pérignon is all about pleasure and joy!” Richard Geoffroy

“Perfectly Balanced!” Liz Palmer

@Champagnehouses

London’s Cadogan Hotel Launches “Champagne Bath Menu” just in time for Valentine’s Day

While most couples celebrate with a glass or two of Champagne on Valentine’s Day, The Cadogan has unveiled such indulgence of bubbly on a somewhat larger scale, by bathing in it!

“The Champagne Bath Menu” offers four imaginatively indulgent creations and is available from Valentine’s Day onward. You will have one of the most extravagant unforgettable experiences, in true celebrity style.

Did you know that it takes approximately 120 bottles of Champagne to fill one of Cadogan’s baths? Yes, it does! Not only will a personal butler will fill your bath with Champagne, your Champagne bathing experience is also accompanied by chocolate-covered strawberries, and a bottle of vintage Champagne.


Champagne Bath Menu
~ Per Bath ~

Louis de Custine Brut – £4,000
Perrier Jouet Grand Brut – £6,000
Perrier Jouet ‘Blason’ Rose – £8,000
Dom Perignon Vintage – £25,000
~

The Cadogan
75 Sloane Street
Knightsbridge
London
SW1X 9SG

Reservations:
020 7235 7141
www.cadogan.com

Japan Airlines (JAL) Launches New First Class Wine List Champagnes include: Salon and Dom Perignon

JAL has been renowned for serving up some of its home nation’s best sake, but now the Tokyo Narita-based airline is taking inflight drinking to a whole new level thanks to a new wine list that includes Champagne Salon.

JAL will be the only airline serving Champagne Salon Vintage 1999 in First Class, which will be on the wine list alongside Champagne Dom Perignon’s Vintage 2003, and 17 other fine wines that span the globe from New Zealand’s Martinborough to California.

Fellow expat countryman and winemaker Kenzo Tsujimoto’s Kenzo Estate Rindo, from California, will also be available in First Class on selected flights.

It’s not just First Class passengers that get the best wines, commencing February Executive Class will also find a new list that includes nine new wines and Champagne Joseph Perrier Cuvee Royale Brut.

IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS INDIA WILL REACH ONE OF THE TOP TEN LARGEST CONSUMERS OF CHAMPAGNE ….says Daniel Lalonde of LVMH

Daniel Lalonde, Chief Executive of LVMH is in India for the first time. Being interviewed at the top floor of Delhi’s recently opened Leela Palace Hotel, he states: “India is acquiring a taste for Champagne. Not only is it the 27th largest consumer of Champagne in the world,” he says. “But I believe that in the next few years India can easily reach the top 10.”

India is doing its bit. A few kilometers south, at the F Bar nightclub, where Lalonde’s company has established a Dom Perignon lounge to promote its luxury Champagne. Indians flush with money frequently a few times a week and spend upwards of Rs35,000 a bottle on bubbly.

Liz Palmer
@champagnehouses

‘Champagne – Happy Birthday!!’ [August 4, 1693: Dom Pérignon ‘Drinks the Stars’]

August 4 is said to be the day Dom Pérignon invented Champagne back in 1693. In fact this bubbly trivia stirs up quite a bit of discussion regarding the fact that naturally occurring bubbles were seen as a problem at the time to whether or not his famous quote of ‘drinking with the stars’ is fictional or factual – No matter really.

What stands out the most is that Champagne has almost an omnipresence in our culture!

Liz Palmer