A Champagne house that needs no introduction, here is the magnificent 1998 vintage. Almonds and grapefruit with hints of lightly toasted brioche on the nose and a silky citrus zest palate. The 1998 vintage was characterised by record-high temperatures in August followed by exceptional rainfall in the first two weeks of September, delaying the harvest. The wait was rewarded with the miraculously fine weather that followed, giving healthy fully ripe grapes.

The sensation is one of entering a wave: a satiny texture curls and unfurls on the palate, embracing and caressing it. An instant of weightlessness… matter vanishes, the finish vibrates, the taste buds are aroused by a controlled ardor. The persistence is remarkable, with just the slightest undertone of tartness (citrus zest and buds).

The initial notes of fresh almonds and grapefruit gradually lead into cashew nuts and spices complemented by lightly toasted brioche.

The year was marked by two unusual and opposing occurrences: the spectacular burning of the grapes caused by record high temperatures in August followed by exceptional rainfall in the first two weeks of September. The harvest was delayed and the wait was rewarded with the miraculously fine weather that followed. The grapes were healthy and at peak maturity.

About Dom Perignon
When Father Pierre Perignon took over as cellar master at the Benedictine Abbey of Hautvillers in 1668, his avowed goal was "to make the best wine in the world". For a young monk just 30 years old, it took a visionary spirit and exceptional audacity to pursue such lofty ambitions. An exact contemporary of Louis XIV, Dom Perignon transformed the history of wine, just as the Sun King revolutionized the very notion of "art de vivre". Wine was the medium for their meeting, as the excellence of "Father Perignon's wine" earned it a place at the king's table.

More than three centuries later, the House of Dom Perignon perpetuates the visionary approach of its founder, widely considered the spiritual father of Champagne. Released only as a vintage, Dom Perignon is cellar aged for at least seven years prior to release. This time is critical for harmonising the flavours and ensuring that the wine’s balance remains elegant, sensual and ethereal. Dom Perignon can also be enjoyed many years later with rare OEnotheque vintages, released by the Chef de Cave at times when the intensity and complexity of the wine has reached optimum levels. Each new vintage is a unique creative act, reinventing the extraordinary style of a wine that only the Chef de Cave may declare a "vintage year".

"The grapes are never the same from one year to the next. If a harvest does not meet Dom Perignon's unyielding standards, there will be no vintage champagne that year. This isn't a value judgment - it's an aesthetic vision" says Dom Perignon Chef de Cave Richard Geoffroy.

The unique personality of Dom Perignon is born of this creative commitment. It is this tension between the distinctive qualities of a year and the timeless spirit that defines Dom Perignon, an unparalleled sensation that imparts weightlessness, airy richness and suppleness from first impression to the long-lasting finish.

Dom Perignon: the best wine in the world.

"This is a wine that thrives on tension between its structure, opulence, elegance and poise. It is certainly ripe and opulent, but it is so well balanced and layered with acidity, and flavors of almonds, orange peel and kiwi fruits. It will certainly age."
95 Points - Wine Enthusiast