Dom Pérignon Chef de Cave: transmission from Richard Geoffroy to Vincent Chaperon

During the launch of Dom Pérignon Vintage 2008 last June at the Abbaye de Hautvillers, Vincent Chaperon was officially presented as the successor to Richard Geoffroy, Dom Pérignon’s Chef de Cave since 1990. At the end of 2018, after 13 years of close collaboration, the guide, Richard Geoffroy, will pass the torch to his successor, Vincent Chaperon. The renowned champagne house celebrates 2019 by beginning a new chapter in its history.

For 28 years Richard Geoffroy has expressed the creative ambition of Dom Pérignon: reinvent itself with each vintage by revealing the unique character of the seasons. As the creative guide of the Maison, the Chef de Cave has declared 15 vintages, reflecting an unwavering commitment to pursuing Dom Pérignon’s aesthetic ideal and vision. This vision is embodied in the subtle balance that characterizes its champagnes – between maturity and vivacity, lightness and intensity – resulting in wines that age with suppleness and elegance.

Time is essential to the Dom Pérignon equation. The signature aromatic complexity of the Maison’s wines is the result of an emphasis on slow maturation. To preserve this centuries-old savoir-faire, the transmission from Richard Geoffroy to Vincent Chaperon has been anticipated well in advance and progressively carried out throughout 2018.

Since arriving to work alongside Richard Geoffroy in 2005, Vincent Chaperon has taken part in 13 harvests and collaborated on four vintages: 2005, 2006, 2009 and, the most recent to be declared, 2008. The culmination of the collaboration between the two Chefs de Cave, Dom Pérignon Vintage 2008 is the fruit of a rich dialogue between two passionate winemakers, blending the audacious intuition of Vincent Chaperon and Richard Geoffroy’s sophisticated and comprehensive knowledge.

Vincent Chaperon officially succeeds from Richard Geoffroy on January 1, 2019. He will take responsibility for the material legacy of the existing vintages, embody the vision and heritage of Dom Pérignon, and carry on the commitment to vintages that defines the raison d’être of Dom Pérignon champagne.