Dom Pérignon 1995 in a 6-litre Methuselah is a mature vintage of Moët & Chandon's prestige cuvée in a very rare large format. The 1995 vintage brought relief after a run of difficult years, and the wine is known for its soft, silky texture.
About This Champagne
1995 ended a run of four difficult vintages and was widely declared across Champagne. Spring frost and a warm but damp summer caused some trouble, but late-season weather rescued the crop, and Chardonnay did especially well. Dom Pérignon started picking Chardonnay on 18 September and Pinot Noir on 25 September. Richard Geoffroy described it as a soft, sensual, classic Dom Pérignon with an unusually marked vanilla note. A 6-litre bottle ages far more slowly than a standard one, so it should still have plenty of life.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Brioche and honey, fresh almond and roasted nuts, with white flowers and the house's smoky edge.
- Palate: Silky and rounded, with ripe white fruit and peach, vanilla and a mineral core.
- Finish: Long and gentle, with toast and a fresh, lightly smoky close.
Serving & Food
Allow a full day in a cold room to bring it to 10 to 12°C, and use a cradle or two pairs of hands to pour. White wine glasses show its mature, toasty side. Pan-seared foie gras, grilled lobster or a board of aged hard cheeses.
How to Enjoy
A landmark birthday or a company dinner for twenty or so, and a rare mature large format for a Champagne cellar.
Product Details
Producer: Dom Pérignon (Moët & Chandon)
Region/Appellation: Champagne, France
Vintage: 1995
Grape variety: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
Format/size: 6L Methuselah
Style: Prestige vintage Champagne
Volume: 6L
Origin: France
About the Maison
Dom Pérignon is the prestige cuvée of Moët & Chandon in Épernay, named after the Benedictine monk who ran the cellars at the abbey of Hautvillers in the late 17th century. The first vintage was 1921, released in 1936. It is only ever made as a vintage wine, from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and the chef de cave can decline to declare a year if the fruit falls short.
Fruit comes from grand cru villages plus the premier cru of Hautvillers. The house works in a reductive way, protecting the wine from oxygen, which is where its familiar gentle smoky, toasty note comes from. Richard Geoffroy led the cellars from 1990 until 2018, and Vincent Chaperon has been chef de cave since 2019.