Ch. 3 - Ethics & Social Responsibility

         As with any company focused on the sale of alcohol, the issue of morals and ethics in regards to selling the product to minors will always be at the for-front of discussion. Not only is it unlawful to market and sell alcohol to people under the age of 21, but it is also unethical and immoral by many peoples standards. Dom Perignon is no exception to these laws or ethical codes, however, their luxury image and subsequent luxury price tag has allowed the company to reach a postconventional morality that many of their competitors may have more difficulty achieving. Dom Perignon has a very specific image and method of wine production that they have rarely deviated from in the centuries that they have been manufacturing wine. Because of this, Dom Perignon is never trying to sell, advertise of promote a brand new product. This means that they do not run the risk of developing a new product that is potentially sweeter, cheaper, or more appealing to minors. Additionally, minors looking to buy or drink alcohol are very rarely going to purchase or obtain a $200+ bottle of champagne, leaving the ethical worry of underage drinking to alcohol manufacturers whose products are significantly less expensive. That being said, Dom Perignon does attempt to protect themselves from organizations like CAMY (Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth) by insisting that any visitors to their website confirm that they are 21 or over before being allowed to browse the site, proving that they are indeed attempting to cover their bases in regards to social responsibility.    
         Dom Perignons online manifesto greatly details their methods of wine production and boasts many claims about the "perfection" of their wine. In addition to every bottle being a vintage wine, Dom Perignon insists that they "require the best grapes in Champagne". These are very lofty claims that the consumer can only assume to be factual. Centuries of wine making and a notably iconic image can put the consumer at ease that what the company claims is in fact true. However, if it were discovered that one of their wines was not vintage or that the grapes came from somewhere other than Champagne, this would be considered immoral and unethical on the part of Dom Perignon. Luckily for them, no such claims have ever been made against the purity of their wine.