Team Spirit

The transition from one year to the next is always a great time for reflection. I usually prefer to look forward, to think of all the challenges that lie ahead. Every once in a while, though, I also enjoy looking back to appreciate the work done. I’ve been thinking about 2015 recently and as usual it was an eventful year.

I could mention the enthusiasm about the 2015 harvest; my developing friendship with Ferran Adria; my recent trips to China, always more intense; the events surrounding Dom Pérignon Rosé, especially in New York; or the incredible way Dom Pérignon P2 has been received around the world. However one achievement clearly stands out: releasing five vintages in a row, from 2002 to 2006, was maybe my proudest moment in 25 years at the head of Dom Pérignon.

In the past we had managed to release three vintages in a row: five of them is truly a premiere for Dom Pérignon — a statement. To reach this level of sustained excellence requires strong contributions from everybody involved, both in the vineyards and in the cellar. Nothing happens in a vacuum; nothing happens alone. These five vintages represent dedication, perseverance and above all teamwork.

Validation from outside, be it critics, journalists, chefs or Dom Pérignon lovers around the world, is of course welcome and necessary. In this case, it even goes beyond this feedback. Deep inside, I realize that the confidence of my team has increased. At the end of this cycle, I can be satisfied with the way they responded to the challenges brought by these five vintages. The whole team at Dom Pérignon has collectively grown: I am thankful for that and reassured in knowing that they can draw on this experience in the future.

Richard Geoffroy, Dom Pérignon’s Chef de cave