Dom Pérignon
The house that makes vintage champagne exclusively, and only in years that are good enough. Where that rule comes from, what plénitude means and which glass goes with it.
Named after the monk who shaped the method
In 1668, Dom Pierre Pérignon took over as cellar master at the abbey of Hautvillers, south of Reims, and remained in the role for forty-seven years. He saw it as his personal mission to make the best wine in the world. His discoveries - gentle pressing in stages so that white wine can be made from dark grapes, and blending different crus and grape varieties - became the rules of the méthode champenoise. He lived from 1638 to 1715; the champagne as we know it comes from him.
The house that bears his name follows one strict rule: there is only vintage champagne, and only from years exceptional enough. So a new Dom Pérignon does not come onto the market every year, and no two vintages taste the same. In the cellar, the wine also makes leaps in quality, which the house calls plénitudes. The first is reached only after about eight years: that is when power and refinement are in balance. The cuvée always revolves around the tension between chardonnay and pinot noir.
In brief
Five bottles, five vintages
Because there is only vintage champagne, each bottle differs from the previous one. The vintage on the shelf therefore changes too.
Blanc Vintage 2017
The entry point to the house, and vintage champagne right away. For 2017, the blend consists of half chardonnay and half pinot noir.
Blanc P2 2008
White flowers, citrus and stone fruit with anise and crushed mint, followed by spicy, woody and roasted notes.
Rosé Vintage 2009
Coppery red with the finest possible bubbles. Dark spices and cocoa quickly give way to roasted fig and apricot.
Rosé 2010
Full, silky, and elegant, with red fruit, floral notes, and a powerful, persistent finish.
Blanc Vintage magnum
The same champagne in a one-and-a-half-liter magnum, vintage 2013. Good for ten to fifteen glasses.
On our champagne page, we explain what vintage champagne is and how brut, extra brut, and demi-sec differ from one another.
White flowers, citrus, and toasted notes
Flowers & citrus
A complex, bright nose of white flowers, citrus, and stone fruit, enhanced by anise and crushed mint. Behind that emerge spicy, woody, and toasted notes.
Lean and pure
Lean, minimalist, and pure, but with warmth. The characteristic acidity is remarkably well integrated, as intended after years of aging.
Smoky and long
Persistent and aromatic, with a gray, smoky note. This is when you realize that this wine was not made for quick drinking.
Flavor profile of the Blanc Vintage. The rosés are fuller and fruitier; the P2 is somewhat toastier due to its longer aging.
How to drink Dom Pérignon
These bottles ask for little: chill to 8 to 10 degrees, open with a steady hand, and use a glass that gives the nose room.
Neat, in a tulip glass
Turn the bottle, not the cork, pour along the side of a tilted glass, and fill it to about two-thirds. A tulip glass works better here than a narrow flute: the aromas are precisely the most interesting thing about this champagne.
Glass: tulip glass →With food
The house suggests pairing it with acidic fruits and plants: citrus, green tomatoes, sorrel, or rhubarb. Caviar and lobster are mentioned with the Blanc Vintage, and shellfish with the P2.
More about champagne →Not in a cocktail
For a Kir Royal, Mimosa, or French 75, choose a simpler sparkling wine. It bubbles just as nicely, and the liqueur or juice will overpower precisely what you are paying for here anyway.
To the cocktails →Champagne cocktails
Dom Pérignon is best enjoyed neat. If you do want a champagne cocktail, use a regular brut or even prosecco: it bubbles just as nicely in the glass.
Kir Royal
Pour the crème de cassis into the bottom and top up with a dry sparkling wine.
Champagne Cocktail
A sugar cube with bitters at the bottom, then slowly topped up.
French 75
Gin, lemon, and syrup shaken together, topped up with champagne.
Mimosa
Orange juice and bubbles in equal parts, with a splash of Cointreau.The right glass for Dom Pérignon
A spacious tulip bowl lets the nose express itself best; a flute is especially handy when you want to toast. These are the glasses we recommend ourselves.
Everything you still wanted to know about Dom Pérignon
Is your question not listed? Check out our cocktail recipes or get in touch.
To the cocktail recipes →