Maison Dom Pérignon

In 1668, Dom Pierre Pérignon, a Benedictine monk, was appointed procurator of the Abbey of Hautvillers.

In an era when empirical methods were followed for everything, Dom Pierre Pérignon developed revolutionary techniques for viticulture and winemaking based on precise rules.
Father Pérignon modernized the abbey, restored the vineyard and set about making "the best wine in the world".

"Father Pérignon's wine" became one of the most coveted in France. It was served at Versailles and enjoyed by none other than Louis XIV.

His vision, very accurate, revolutionized winemaking with standards that are still part of today's champagnes.
The legacy of Dom Pierre Pérignon continues to inspire Dom Pérignon's creative vision.

It was at the Abbey of Hautvillers where it all began. Legend has it that a dove guided Saint Nivard, who was walking in the hills around the year 650, to the abbey. After finally resting beneath a beech tree, Saint Nivard, guided by the bird's mysterious flight, in which he recognized God's divine will, decided to found the Abbey of Hautvillers on that spot. From 1668 onwards, Dom Pierre Pérignon brought fame to the abbey by creating an extraordinary wine. The Abbey of Hautvillers is situated in one of the most beautiful locations in the Champagne region, overlooking the valley and surrounded by an amphitheater of vineyard-covered hills. The serene and austere beauty of the abbey and its spiritual legacy continue to inspire Dom Pérignon's creative vision even today.

Dom Pérignon's ambition is to bear witness to each year, whatever the challenges. Dom Pierre Pérignon dares to take risks, to embrace the possibility of not declaring the vintage. Dom Pérignon's creative legacy lies in this reinvention of its work with each vintage. Dom Pérignon Vintage is the culmination of the winemaking and creative processes. It embodies the vision. Dom Pérignon Vintage is fully expressed in its three dimensions: The year: the character of the seasons; The Plénitudes: evolution through successive windows of expression during the long maturation process on the lees; The color: white or rosé. These three dimensions are inseparable, and no two combinations are alike. Each has its own space and time. As such, Dom Pérignon can only be the sum total of all past and future vintages.

The head of the winery, Vincent Chaperon, considers Dom Pérignon's vision—harmony as a source of emotion—to be its true raison d'être. This vision gives meaning to his creative ambition and guides him in his assigned missions: to draw inspiration from the Maison's origins as well as from current experiences abroad; to surprise and delight each year with the creation of new vintages that balance the limitations of the year with the uniqueness of Dom Pérignon; to perpetuate the Maison's aesthetic ideal; and to enrich Dom Pérignon's Patrimoine de Création (Creative Heritage) with increasingly inspiring experiences surrounding its vintages.

Vincent Chaperon arrived in the Champagne region to explore, joining Moët & Chandon in 1999. Inspired by these vineyards in more northerly climates, he gradually developed a strong attachment to the region, putting down roots in this new terroir. He decided to stay and deepen his knowledge of the vineyards and local winemaking techniques, forging a personal aesthetic for Champagne. In 2005, Vincent Chaperon joined Dom Pérignon. His meeting with Richard Geoffroy proved pivotal, marking the beginning of a thirteen-year apprenticeship during which they engaged in a continuous dialogue with each other and with nature, cultivating a mutual understanding rooted in trust. The passing of the torch took place on January 1, 2019, when Vincent Chaperon became Cellar Master of Dom Pérignon.