Dom Pérignon unveils 2018 vintage at exclusive Bilbao celebration with Tilda Swinton

What happened

On 8 June 2026, Dom Pérignon gathered guests in Bilbao, Spain, for an exclusive celebration that served as the first opportunity to taste the house's unreleased 2018 vintage. The evening also featured a performance by Tilda Swinton, lending the occasion a distinctly cultural dimension alongside its vinous significance. The Bilbao event formed part of Dom Pérignon's annual series of prestige parties, which the house uses to mark the introduction of each new vintage to an invited audience of trade professionals and enthusiasts.

Why it matters

For the champagne trade, a Dom Pérignon vintage preview carries considerable weight. The house releases each vintage only when it judges the wine to have reached a particular stage of development, meaning the first tasting of any new year is a closely watched moment. The 2018 vintage has been anticipated by professionals and collectors alike, and Bilbao's gathering provided the earliest confirmed opportunity to assess it. Beyond the liquid itself, Dom Pérignon's annual celebrations reliably attract substantial industry and media attention, reinforcing the house's position at the intersection of fine wine and broader cultural life. The involvement of Tilda Swinton as a performer underlines the ambition of the format.

Context

Dom Pérignon has a long-standing practice of staging high-profile events to accompany the launch of each new vintage, typically drawing together figures from the worlds of gastronomy, art, and entertainment alongside wine trade professionals. These gatherings are held in different locations from year to year, and the choice of Bilbao — a city with a well-established reputation for cultural and culinary distinction — is consistent with the house's approach to selecting venues that carry their own prestige. The 2018 vintage presented in Bilbao has not yet been released to the wider market, making the event a genuine first look for those in attendance.