One of the biggest things to come out of New York fashion week was news of an exciting collaboration between vintage champagne house Dom Pérignon and world famous Dutch designer Iris Van Herpen. Metamorphosis is an exclusive, limited edition bottle that “combines Iris van Herpen’s forward-thinking aesthetic with the Dom Pérignon champagne’s playful expression, limitless innovation and taste for reinvention.”
The idea behind Metamorphosis is the closure of one period and the birth of another, and the symbolism of evolution, transformation, and renaissance that are characteristic of the Dom Pérignon vintage. To further emphasize the theme of metamorphosis, Van Herpen has expertly crafted a Cocoonase for the wine that is made of high-quality resin through 3D printing and is hand painted. Available on demand, the first delivery will be made in April 2015.
Van Herpen’s inspiration for the art piece was, as might be gleaned from the name of the art, “the butterfly which softens her cocoon shell before she goes into her next stage of metamorphosis.” Van Herpen explains that her Cocoonase functions in a similar manner as that of a butterfly’s cocoon, protecting the champagne and thereby assisting in the process of metamorphosis: “This piece of art houses Dom Pérignon Vintage 2004, symbolically nestled inside of the cocoon structure, and its fine ribs and lines represent a one-way passage out. Cocoonase acts as a shield that protects the Dom Pérignon bottle as it prepares for its metamorphosis.” The artist has also designed a limited edition of bottles and gift boxes for Dom Pérignon Vintage 2004 that reinforces these themes.
The wine itself has a unique expression and taste, with aromas of almond and powdered cocoa developing gradually into white fruit with hints of dried flowers. According to the label, classic toasted notes give a rounded finish and denote a fully realized maturity. As a wine which promises additional Plénitudes to come, The Dom Pérignon Vintage 2004 is a wine which expresses the excitement and promise of reinvention. The Dom Pérignon house has a reputation for excellence and innovation that the Vintage 2004 and its theme of metamorphosis is representative of, and thus the wine can be considered an emblem of the house as a whole.
