Is Dom Pérignon Worth It? We Tried The Most Expensive Champagne!

Whether Dom Pérignon is worth it depends on your personal preference and budget. It is a high-quality Champagne known for its prestige and taste, with a price tag between $150 to $380! Consider your occasion and taste preferences to determine if the experience justifies the cost.

We’ve all heard of it, however, very few of us have tasted it. Dom Perignon is one of the most well-known Champagnes worldwide. It’s a luxury drink that’s not something you purchase regularly.

When Dom Perignon is served with caviar, smoked salmon, lobster tail, and gold leaf truffles, it will leave you feeling like the most affluent person on earth!

We believe that you need to know your personal preferences about champagne wines. Find out how Dom Perignon tastes and decide whether you’ll appreciate it, then decide whether it’s worth it.

Is Dom Perignon Worth It?

To summarize, Dom Perignon is extremely sought-after and expensive for many reasons:

• The Champagne is created from one vintage.
• They range from 8 to 10 years old (at the very minimum) however, they can be bottled for up to 40 years.
• Dom Perignon isn’t always produced (only when there is a good harvest).
• They produce only a small quantity of bottles per vintage.
• It is only made only by LVMH (Moet Louis Vuitton Hennessy) located in France.

Dom Perignon is a specific kind of vintage Champagne named in honor of the famous Benedictine monk, Dom Perignon.

Why Is Dom Perignon So Expensive?

This champagne is the only one that can be produced and labeled “Dom Perignon.”

The blend typically consists of equal portions of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Sometimes, it is an 80:40 ratio, with one being greater. The 1970 vintage was comprised of 35% Chardonnay.

Let’s examine some of the most important reasons why this champagne is so sought-after and, perhaps, why it’s priced so highly.

1. Dom Perignon Is A Vintage Champagne

First vintages of Dom Perignon were released in 1921. However, it was only made available for sale in 1936.

Between 1921 and 2012, 44 white Dom Perignon vintages were released. Between 1959 and 2022, the only rose Dom Perignon champagnes were released.

What does “vintage” mean?

When someone refers to a champagne bottle or wine as a “vintage”, it implies that every grape in the bottle came out of the same year’s harvest. 

For instance, the 2006 vintage Dom Perignon is made with grapes that were all  harvested in that year.

While it may not appear important, it’s a crucial aspect that makes the champagne so expensive.

Most alcohol-based drinks are made with grapes from different vintages. These are often referred to as “blends” or they aren’t identified by the date of their release.

It’s much cheaper to make wine by using various grapes than to make wine from one vintage. 

2. Dom Perignon Doesn’t Produce A Vintage Every Year

Another reason that this Champagne is distinctive is they don’t create Dom Perignon from 'weak' years. A year is weak when the overall standard of harvesting is perceived as low.

Dom Perignon is sometimes not produced for two or more consecutive years. The first occasions that five vintages were made within a single year were in 2002 and 2006. Keep in mind, that’s 100 years of making the wine!

Therefore, what they do produce and what appears on the market is the highest quality you can get.

3. Dom Perignon Is An Aged Champagne

The earliest date Dom Perignon is only released after maturing for about 8-10 years. This release is known in the form of “the First Plenitude (P1).”

Therefore, if the year was 2000, the champagne is likely to be released for sale only after 2008.

Old wines aren’t always good and it’s all down to your personal taste. Don’t assume, “this is an old expensive wine, so it must be good.”

4. Some Bottles Are Much Older (Dom Perignon Second And Third Plenitude)

If you thought 8-10 years was a long time for Champagne to mature, then you'll amazed with the Dom Perignon Second Plenitude Champagne bottles. 

Only the top 17 vintages are picked to be aged. Certain of them will be released at 8-10 years after slow maturation (P1).

However, the rest of the champagne matures for another decade and theis known as the 2nd Plenitude (P2).. This is is released after the champagne has been aged for about 15 years.

You can even get P3 (Third Plenitude) which is aged for up to 40 years. However, these are rare and very expensive.

The older the wine, the more expensive it is and many choose to age their own wine in their home cellars.

5. Dom Perignon Doesn’t Produce A Lot Of Champagne

Every vintage produces around five million bottle. Certain vintages only release 2 million bottles.

This might seem like lot of Champagne, however, take a look at the following facts:

• Moet & Chandon (the largest producer of Champagne) produces 30 million bottles each year.
• Champagne (real Champagne originated in France) produces between 300 and 325 million bottles each year.
• There are 623 million bottles of authentic Prosecco DOC produced each year.

What Can You Expect To Pay For A Bottle Of Dom Perignon?

The factors that impact the price of your bottle are the vintage, the quantity (how much time it has been spent in the cellar) as well as what it cost to get to where you live (shipping and import charges and so on. ).

Below are some (average) prices for Dom Perignon bottles of different vintages:

Vintage	Age In 2022	Average Price (USA)
Dom Perignon 1985	37 years old (P3)	$371
Dom Perignon 1990	32 years old (P3)	$360
Dom Perignon 1993	29 years old (P3)	$319
Dom Perignon 1995	27 years old (P3)	$280
Dom Perignon 1997	25 years old (P3)	$249
Dom Perignon 2000	22 years old (P3)	$206
Dom Perignon 2004	18 years old (P2)	$173
Dom Perignon 2006	16 years old (P2)	$164
Dom Perignon 2009	13 years old (P2)	$160
Dom Perignon 2012	10 years old (P1)	$158
Dom Perignon 2014	8 years old (P1)	$156

Is Dom Perignon Worth The Price?

Many will not agree, but we think you should experience it at least once in your lifetime (if you are able to) even if it’s just one glass of Dom Perignon.

Regarding flavor (more about this later) It is possible that you won't enjoy it. Just because something is costly does not mean it will taste great. Some of our most loved wines are among the least expensive wines in the aisle. It’s just our personal preference.

What Does Dom Perignon Taste Like?

So, the taste of Dom Perignon differs from season to season. Expect similar notes, however, they do change up the ratios each year they create it.

This is one reason why they don’t create Dom Perignon every year--when the grapes are not up to standard, they’ll skip the entire year.

However, knowing what to anticipate and being aware of what lights up your taste buds will help you save money.

1. The Nose (Aroma)

The bouquet from Dom Perignon is rich and similar to coffee. There are some undertones of cream and vanilla, with subtle hints of spices.

As the Champagne matures, it develops a subtle almond aroma and a more prominent aroma of toast.

2. The Palate (Taste)

It’s well-known the fact that Dom Perignon has very strong mineral flavor. It’s on the acidic spectrum with the addition of spicy notes that last after drinking it.

It is dry sparkling wine that has a “rounded palate.” 

Dom Perignon Vs Champagne

Dom Perignon is a sparkling wine only made within the Champagne AOC ( Appellation of Origin Controlee) AOC region in France.

The expression “Dom Perignon” refers to the name of the cuvee (blend and method of production) and also the name of the brand. Moët & Chandon  also make this kind of Champagne.

Dom Perignon shares many similar features with other types of Champagne. This includes the kinds of grapes they’re produced from, the way the wine is made, the maturation process and the way it is packaged.

Is Dom Perignon Better Than Moët?

Dom Perignon and Moët are produced by the same Champagne house, Moët & Chandon, but they are different products.

Dom Perignon is vintage champagne produced only in exceptional years and aged longer, resulting in a more complex flavor profile. Moet is non-vintage champagne produced annually.

The choice between the two ultimately depends on personal preference, wallet,  and occasion.

Dom Perignon Vs Prosecco

Prosecco is also a sparkling wine.

But, you can only refer to a sparkling wine as “Champagne” if it is made within the Champagne region of France (a protected appellation regional) and Dom Perignon can only be produced through Dom Perignon.

Prosecco is a sparkling wine produced by the Prosecco DOC ( Denominazione di Origine Controllata) region in Italy making use of Glera grapes.

Prosecco is cheaper than Dom Perignon because it’s made in larger quantities and only ages for around 3 to 5 years.

Frequently Asked Questions