Dom Perignon Champagne

Discover Dom Perignon champagne

Absolute prestige champagne, produced only in years when nature permits. Born within the walls of a 17th-century Benedictine abbey, Dom Pérignon is today the world's most recognized prestige cuvée, synonymous with rarity, excellence and patience. Each bottle is a work of art in its own right, the expression of a single, unrepeatable year.

The House of Dom Pérignon

Pierre Pérignon, known as Dom Pérignon, born around 1638 in Sainte-Menehould, was a Benedictine monk who, according to legend, contributed to the development of the Champagne method. In 1668, he joined the Abbey of Saint-Pierre d'Hautvillers where, until his death in 1715, he held the position of procurator, giving him control over the abbey's vineyards and wine presses. His most definite contribution to Champagne was to systematize the blending of grapes from different varieties before pressing, a decisive innovation that still underpins the philosophy of the great houses today. In 1823, Pierre-Gabriel Chandon acquired the Abbey of Saint-Pierre d'Hautvillers and rebuilt the vineyard. The first cuvée, made from a 1921 wine, went on sale in 1935. The first beneficiaries were 150 customers of Simon Bros & Co, Moët's British importer, for whom 300 bottles were delivered, including 100 ordered by billionaire James Buchanan Duke for himself. Since then, Dom Pérignon has been distributed by Moët & Chandon, owned by the LVMH Group.

Terroir and style of Dom Pérignon champagne

Dom Pérignon Champagne is based on two emblematic grape varieties Pinot Noir and the Chardonnay blended to combine structure and aromatic freshness. The grapes come exclusively from vineyards classified as Grands Crus as well as the Premier Cru of Hautvillers Abbey, spread over prestigious terroirs such as the Montagne de Reims, Côte des Blancs and Vallée de la Marne, covering some 600 hectares.

Dom Pérignon is a vintage champagne produced only in exceptional years, from grapes harvested in the same year. In all, only forty or so vintages have been produced since 1921. The Vintage cuvées are aged on lees for at least eight years, a patient process that preserves the freshness of the fruit while allowing highly complex aromas to develop.

Dom Pérignon cuvées

• Vintage: The vintage Dom Pérignon cuvée is emblematic of the House. It is produced from a single vintage, marketed only in the best years and released after a long ageing period, often around 9 years.
• Vintage Rosé: The rosé version, also vintage, rarer and generally sought-after for its complexity and structure.
• Plénitude 2 (P2): Aged for 12 to 15 years in the cellar, P2 reveals an extra dimension of richness and intensity, with brioche and toasty aromas and vibrant freshness. It's the same bottle as the classic Vintage, but brought to a second peak of maturity that only time makes possible.
• Dom Pérignon champagnes in limited editions: The house regularly collaborates with artists to offer bottles with exclusive designs, highly sought-after editions, such as those made with Lady Gaga, Jeff Koons, Iris Van Herpen, Jean-Michel Basquiat... These collaborations extend the vision of Dom Pérignon as a total work of art, at the crossroads of wine and culture.

Did you know?

In 1961, a bottle of Dom Pérignon was served at an official dinner between Charles de Gaulle and John Fitzgerald Kennedy. Before that, the brand had already appeared in literature: in his novel Moonraker, published in 1955, Ian Fleming had a waiter serve a bottle of Dom Pérignon to James Bond, proof that the legend of champagne precedes even that of the secret agent.