After 28 years at Dom Prignon, chef de cave Richard Geoffroy is handing over the cellar keys to his protg Vincent Chaperon.
EARLY ONE MORNING in the middle of June, a cavalcade of black Mercedes-Benz cars from Paris swept into the quiet village of Hautvillers, the birthplace of champagne, bringing with it over a hundred people from all over the world. Everyone, in single file, made their way down a winding path and gathered around a landing on a foothill. There, the mood was filled with anticipation, lightened by the gentle buzz of chatter and the occasional bursts of hushed laughter.
Everyone was there to witness history—the handing over of the mantle of Dom Pérignon’s chef de cave. “Richard Geoffroy is retiring” came the announcement a few months back. When a long, successful and fulfilling career comes to an end, there is undoubtedly cause for a standing ovation. In his time, Geoffroy was in charge of 28 harvests, and the release of 14 white vintages and 11 rosés for Dom Pérignon. He has coaxed more vintages out of the Dom Pérignon vineyard and grapes than anyone could have imagined.
But Geoffroy retirement begs the questions of succession. “Who will take over?” came the immediate response, not just from consumers who want to know the person that will act as gatekeeper and guardian for the next generation of Dom Pérignon champagne, but also from the rest of the champagne industry, for Dom Pérignon has long been used as a benchmark for the success of a vintage.
This story is from the October 2018 edition of T Singapore: The New York Times Style Magazine.
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This story is from the October 2018 edition of T Singapore: The New York Times Style Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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