P2 2008

The wine in this vintage

Cool and late but rescued by a dry September, 2008 is considered one of the longest-lived vintages of modern Champagne and perfect for extended ageing. Long contact with the lees has rounded the vintage’s famous acidity without blunting its tension: citrus, white flowers, toasted bread, almond and a subtle smokiness merge on a vibrant, deep palate with remarkable length. Jancis Robinson rated it 19/20 and Decanter 98 points. In this Plénitude release the vintage reveals its full depth, with an aromatic complexity no earlier release could offer. Already splendid, it still has many years of evolution ahead.

The producer · Dom Perignon

Dom Pérignon takes its name from Pierre Pérignon, the Benedictine cellar master of the Abbey of Hautvillers in the late seventeenth century, whom tradition regards as the spiritual father of Champagne for his pioneering approach to blending. The house, closely tied to Moët & Chandon and now part of LVMH, released its first vintage, the 1921, in 1936, effectively inventing the prestige cuvée. Dom Pérignon is made only as a vintage wine, and only in years judged worthy, from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir drawn from the finest crus of the region, with Hautvillers as its symbolic home. The style pursues a constant tension between the two grapes, between power and precision, with a mineral, toasty signature that unfolds slowly over years. Alongside the Vintage, the house releases a Rosé and the Plénitudes, later releases of the same vintage after far longer ageing on the lees, which show how the wine transforms with time. Few names embody the very idea of great Champagne so completely.

Critics' scores

• 98 Decanter
• 19/20 Jancis Robinson

Technical details

Producer

Dom Perignon

Region

Champagne

Country

Francia

Type

Bollicine

Vintage

2008

When to drink

Hold, still evolving

Critics' average

98/100

Sizes

75 cl, Magnum 150 cl, Case of 6 × 75 cl

eWibe code

0420208