Dom Pérignon's 1999 vintage in its second Plénitude, held back on its lees far longer than the original release. It was a small P2 release, presented here in its gift box.
About This Champagne
The 1999 season started badly, with May hailstorms damaging vines, then warmed through July and August before heavy rain in mid-September. By then the grapes had ripened well, and the first release came out in 2008. For P2 the wine stayed on its lees for many more years. The blend is 51% Chardonnay and 49% Pinot Noir. Geoffroy described the 1999 P2 as a very small release, and critics note it leans towards citrus and flowers more than the toastiness typical of long lees age.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Ripe pear, gooseberry, white flowers and fresh-cut grass over gentle toast.
- Palate: Soft and delicate, with ripe fruit, a touch of cocoa and saline, toasty notes carried by a fine bead.
- Finish: Focused and lasting, with citrus and a light mineral bite.
Serving & Food
Serve slightly warmer than young Champagne, around 10 to 11°C, in a white Burgundy glass. Ready now; expect it to keep into the early 2030s. Seared scallops, black truffle risotto or a mature Comté all suit it.
How to Enjoy
A mature-Champagne lover's birthday, or a gift for a 1999 anniversary.
Product Details
Producer: Dom Pérignon
Cuvée: P2 / Plénitude 2
Vintage: 1999
Origin: Champagne, France
Style: Prestige vintage Champagne
Grape Variety: 51% Chardonnay, 49% Pinot Noir
Volume: 750mL
Presentation: Gift box
About the Maison
Richard Geoffroy, cellar master from 1990 to 2018, came to believe that Dom Pérignon does not improve along a straight line. Instead it reaches plateaus, which he called Plénitudes. The first arrives around eight or nine years after harvest, when the wine is first sold. The second comes at roughly fifteen years or more, and the third after twenty-five years and beyond.
These late releases were once sold as Oenothèque; in 2014 the house renamed them P2 and P3. Bottles set aside for the later stages rest on their lees under cork, then receive a lighter dosage when they are finally disgorged.