A magnum of Dom Pérignon 2008 in the Luminous dress, with a lit shield label on the dark glass. 2008 is a much-discussed Dom Pérignon vintage, and the larger bottle suits a wine with this much acidity and staying power.
About This Champagne
2008 was a late, slow year under overcast skies, and the young wines came out with very high acidity. Dom Pérignon gave the vintage almost nine years on its lees plus more than a year resting after disgorgement, holding it back until 2009 had already reached the market. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir sit in an exact 50/50 balance. A special Legacy Edition label marked the handover from Richard Geoffroy to Vincent Chaperon, and the Luminous version carries the same wine with a lit label for evening service.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Grapefruit, lemon zest and white blossom, with gunflint, toast and chalk.
- Palate: Crisp and precise, pear and citrus over a creamy lees texture, the acidity running straight through the middle.
- Finish: Long, dry and mineral, closing on lemon peel and light toast.
Serving & Food
Chill to about 8°C. A tulip glass keeps the bubbles lively while giving the aromas space to build. It is open and enjoyable today, with plenty of life ahead. Pair with salmon and hamachi sashimi, salt-baked prawns or a simple lemon and thyme roast chicken.
How to Enjoy
Gifting a much-admired vintage in a bottle that stands out at night-time gatherings.
Product Details
Producer: Dom Pérignon
Origin: Champagne, France
Style: Vintage Champagne
Vintage: 2008
Grape Variety: 50% Chardonnay, 50% Pinot Noir
Presentation: Luminous bottle
Volume: 1.5L (magnum)
About the Maison
Dom Pérignon began life as the prestige cuvée of Moët & Chandon and remains part of the same group, yet it has long had its own cellar team and identity. The link still runs both ways: the Dom Pérignon cellar master carries final responsibility for Moët's wines too. Fermentation now relies on the house's own yeast, selected between 2005 and 2010 from some 250 strains gathered in its vineyards.
Each year the cellar master decides whether the harvest is worth a vintage. Runs of consecutive declarations do happen, as in 2002 to 2006, and so do gaps.