Personal advice
Dom Pérignon is regarded as the most popular prestige Champagne in the world. The palate is silky, without lacking minerality and freshness. The aroma profile of lemon, exotic fruits, vanilla and toasty notes reminiscent of toast is highly appealing. It develops during an exceptionally long lees ageing of eight to nine years.
This combination makes it irresistible even when young. With increasing bottle age, notes of nuts, nougat and roasted coffee emerge. It then gains further complexity, depth and harmony. This makes it an excellent choice for both a broad audience and discerning connoisseurs.
The style of Dom Pérignon has evolved several times over the decades:
With its integration into the LVMH Group, production expansion began. The 1990 vintage marked a peak with around five million bottles. Cultivated yeasts and controlled fermentation have ensured the typical Dom Pérignon style ever since – fruity, creamy and perfectly balanced.
The transition to a lighter, more elegant style already began in 1969 – the last vintage still fermented in oak. In the 1970s, Dom Pérignon became more stylish, accessible, finer and more harmonious. It has less power than Bollinger or Krug. The 1988 vintage is considered the last Dom Pérignon in the classic, less fruity style.
During this period, Dom Pérignon was made from old vines and the best Grand Cru plots. It is a structured, powerful Champagne comparable to the great wines of Krug or Bollinger. Bottles from this era are among the most sought-after in the world.
The first Dom Pérignon (1921 vintage) was originally a Moët & Chandon Vintage that had been aged longer on the lees. It was later transferred into the distinctive bottle. This created the first prestige Champagne in the world – a milestone in the history of Champagne.
The great vintagesOf the more than 45 vintages produced so far, particularly 1961, 1964 and 1966 are considered legendary. Bottles from private cellars available on the market are, however, often no longer in optimal condition. Caution is advised with many bottles offered at auctions. For lovers of mature wines, 1988, 1990 and 1996 are particularly recommended.
The 1988 shows mature, complex aromas, while the 1996 is known for its power, mineral energy and intense fruit.
Among the younger vintages, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2010 and 2012 stand out. For immediate enjoyment, 1996, 2004 and 2012 are particularly suitable, while 2008 still offers enormous ageing potential. 2013 is a fine, rather mineral vintage.
Dom Pérignon is always a vintage Champagne. Contrary to popular belief, it is produced in quite a few vintages, as the overwhelming selection of top plots almost always yields good grapes. In challenging years, it is produced in significantly smaller quantities.
Dom Pérignon is made from equal parts Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, with the Pinot Noir proportion reaching up to 60 % in some years. The grapes come exclusively from Grand and Premier Cru plots – including Aÿ, Bouzy, Mailly and Verzenay for Pinot Noir, and Avize, Cramant and Chouilly for Chardonnay.
The harvest is done by hand, and only the must from the first pressing is used. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks to preserve freshness. Since the early 1990s, Chef de Cave Richard Geoffroy has consistently carried out malolactic fermentation, contributing to the soft, creamy texture.
After the ageing of the base wines, there are hundreds of different wines to choose from, from which the assemblage of the cuvée is created. This requires more than an excellent taster with an outstanding memory. The character of the final cuvée only emerges from the addition of the right components.
After bottle fermentation, the wine matures for eight to nine years on the lees. The dosage is deliberately low at 4–6 g/l to maintain the tension between fruit and minerality.
In addition to the classic white Dom Pérignon, there has been the rare Dom Pérignon Rosé since 1959, made with about 10 % Pinot Noir red wine, shifting the ratio to around 60 % Pinot Noir and 40 % Chardonnay. Aromatically, it shows red fruits and fine spice. It was launched in 1971 at the 2500th anniversary celebration of the Persian Empire.
Previously, older, late-disgorged bottles were released as Dom Pérignon Œnothèque. Today, the house uses the Plénitude system, which describes the developmental stages of a Dom Pérignon:
P2 and P3 appear somewhat fresher for a few years due to the long lees ageing. After that, standard bottles are usually at their best.
In 1935, only 300 bottles of the 1926 vintage were shipped to England to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the English agent Simon Brothers. This demonstrates key elements of modern marketing: a very special presentation of bottle and label in 18th-century style and a very limited quantity. Only the best 150 customers received two bottles each. The name Dom Pérignon was not used, however. Demand was so high that Robert-Jean de Vogué first used the Dom Pérignon brand in 1936 – for the 1921 vintage. 2,000 bottles were produced from this excellent vintage. The Dom Pérignon brand belonged to Mercier, but with the marriage of Francine Durang-Mercier to Paul Chandon in 1927, it passed to Moët. This created the first prestige Champagne in the world.
The historical figure Dom Pérignon is certainly important for the development of viticulture in Champagne, but he neither invented nor produced Champagne. His aim was precisely to prevent bottle fermentation, as neither corks nor bottles of the time could withstand the pressure.