Richard Geoffrey, born in 1954, approached retirement planning with the same discipline he showed in the cellar: a lifetime of attention to detail. For 28 years he led the Dom Pérignon cellar, the hum of the cave echoing the Benedictine origin story of champagne. Some say the tale belongs to believers and saints alike, yet the craft remains firmly grounded in precise technique and patient aging.
The Dom Pérignon brand conveys an uplifting sense of travel, luxury, and privilege. It conjures desire, trust, and status—distinct ideas that attract both those who can spare a small fortune for a bottle and those who savor the experience even when it means making meaningful compromises at home, like placing an unusual centerpiece on the table.
Geoffroy bowed out of the champagne world in 2018 and chose a different path: a life that balanced travel with new ventures, gathering investors to open a 20 million euro winery in Japan and pursuing a well-deserved retirement.
Still lifes of fish and shellfish were captured at Estimar. Pau Arenos
At a Barcelona tasting event hosted by Estimar, a wine expert presented Iwa 5 (135€). The host, Quim Vila, spoke of a life with champagne and a recent chapter in Japan, describing a synthesis of professional rigor and personal passion. The meal featured large, glistening oysters, anchovies slick with oil, and carefully crafted nigiri that paid homage to preservation and memory.
The writer found two themes especially compelling: a deep curiosity about dominoes and a Frenchman choosing to explore sake production in Japan.
It isn’t claimed that a French producer dominates sake, yet in the Pyrenees a different collaboration exists with Antoni Campins’s Silk project, and in the Delta, Kenshô bottles emerge from Meritxell Jardí and Humbert Conti. A newborn sake culture appears amid established regional identities.
François Chartier de Tanaka 1789, a Canadian based in Barcelona, along with British DJ Richie Hawtin, helps bring a sense of daring to the island market under Enter. Suntory remains a renowned whiskey name, yet Kyoto—where the essential water flows—provides a different influence from Scotland, underscoring bold, persuasive craft.
A brass blend, with a 35% grain composition, was presented in three temperatures: 15º, 0º, and 37º. The writer leaned toward cold, while Geoffroy preferred the hotter note, a small taste of contrast in the tasting room.
Nearby, the host also opted for lower temperatures and white-fruit notes. The experience was valued for its design—a man who gave memory to champagne, one who spent 28 years building a legacy with just 23 vintages to guarantee exceptional quality. The journey extended beyond politics of harvests, toward a lasting impression of Iwa 5.
The conversation touched on the idea of balance and lightness—the notion that elegance and clarity can accompany every discipline, including literature. Italian influences and a sense of effortless presence were cited as guiding principles.
Lightness was described as a counterforce to gravity, ceremony, and rigid expectations. It was framed as a partner to naturalness, with the idea that wine should neither overwhelm food nor be reduced by it. Ego, brilliance, and gastronomy all intersect in the moment.
Chef Rafa Zafra kept his ego in check, focusing on Estimar’s foundation where content and craft take center stage. A 1.6 kilogram scorpion fish cooked on charcoal and Bilbao sauce was presented with the head removed, a small act that underscored restraint and refinement.
In addition to Iwa 5, the tasting included a 2012 Dom Perignon, with the newest vintages described as limited releases on the horizon. The most recent chapter—set in 2018—was expected to mature over several years before reaching its peak.
Patience and lightness remained the core message, paired with a quiet, enduring desire for balance.