Alcohol: 12.5%
Grapes: 54% Chardonnay, 46% Pinot Noir
Localization: Champagne, France
Tasting Notes:The delicate nose unfolds in swaths of color. The green of eucalyptus, mint and vetiver, the yellow-orange of mirabelle plums, apricot and orange blossom, the brown of pepper, cardamom and licorice sticks, and finally silvery saline and toasty hues.
The mouthfeel is elegant, expressing luxuriant simplicity and precision. The attack is enveloping and ethereal. The refined and silky foundation becomes more pronounced at the heart. The finish is dominated by a salinity that leaves a deep sensation of consistency.
98 Points - James Suckling: A driven and serious DP with aromas of chalk, biscuits, apricot stones and lemons. Some spice and dried flowers, too. So sleek and sophisticated. Elegant. Yet, it’s long and powerful, with a sharp minerality. Tight and precise. Reminds me of bottles from the 1980s, such as 1988. It really takes off. Disgorged October 2021. Drinkable on release in January 2023, but better in a couple of years. A DP for the cellar.
Food pairing: Dom Pérignon Vintage pairs best with crispy foods that are high in fat content or are heavily-seasoned. The citrus flavors in the wine make these dishes feel lighter on the palate and the ample bubbles match these foods’ crunchy textures. Avoid savory foods that are acidic or bitter, like vinegarette dressing or dark leafy greens.
The Domain: Dom Pérignon is a celebrated Champagne brand owned by Moët & Chandon. Its origins can be traced back to the Abbey of Saint Pierre d'Hautvillers in northern France – the so-called birthplace of Champagne.
The 17th-Century Benedictine monk Dom Pierre Pérignon is credited with its invention after taking up the position as the abbey's cellarer and procurator in 1668. Pierre Pérignon spent the remaining 47 years of his life striving to create the "best wine in the world", with his wine even gracing the tables of the court of King Louis XIV, the Sun King.
To this day the Abbey of Saint Pierre d'Hautvillers houses the "Le Traité de la culture des vignes de Champagne", or the "Treatise on the culture of the vines of Champagne", a manuscript that was penned by Dom Pierre – Pérignon's pupil and successor.
The Dom Pérignon brand name was first registered by Eugène Mercier, the founder of Mercier Champagne. He subsequently sold the brand to the Moët & Chandon Champagne house, who used the Dom Pérignon name for its prestige cuvée, first released in 1937.
Dom Pérignon is vintage champagne only.
Each vintage is a creation, singular and unique, that expresses both the character of the year, and the character of Dom Pérignon.
After at least eight years of elaboration in the cellars, the wine embodies the perfect balance of Dom Pérignon, the Plénitude of harmony.
