Tasting Notes:

94 points Jasper Morris

A ripe Dom Perignon that was easy to love in its youth, with its exotic-yellow fruit and low acidity. Many feared for its longevity, yet those fears have proved unfounded. After navigating an awkward phase (when the bouquet became redolent of caramel toffee), the wine has shed weight and returned to fruit. Now, a generous, mouth-filling Champagne, showing oily viscosity from mature Chardonnay. I’d drink up soon, but still very good indeed.

93 points International Wine Cellar

Green-tinted gold. Tightly wound lime and pink grapefruit aromas open slowly to reveal a gently smoky mineral and floral character, with a light kiss of green cardamom adding interest. Very fresh on the palate, with youthful citrus and green apple flavors giving way to slightly riper blood orange and pear. Finishes firm and dry, with serious grip. This only hints at its potential, and I’d advise anyone drinking it for what’s in the bottle rather than on the label to stash it away for at least another five years, minimum. (JR) 93+

93 points Vinous

These four vintages of Dom Pérignon provide a fascinating snapshot of how the house has performed in recent years. The 1999 Dom Pérignon is a little flabbier than the 2000. Smoke, toastiness, tar and ripe fruit emerge from the glass in a generous, expansive style. The 1999 offers more body than the 2000 but the aromas and flavors are less well-articulated. This is a relatively simple Dom Pérignon, yet the wine possesses outstanding balance and plenty of harmony. According to Chef de Caves Richard Geoffroy the warm vintage also resulted in relatively high yields, and the low-acid style is most reminiscent of the 1976. (AG)

Cult Wines International Notes:

Dom Pérignon takes its name from the Benedictine monk who became cellar master at the Abbey of Hautvillers in 1668 and spent more than forty years refining the methods that underpin Champagne production. The house has made only vintage wine since its first release from the 1921 harvest, declaring a vintage solely in years it judges worthy, and the blend sits close to an even split of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Each release is held on its lees far longer than the appellation requires, and the house’s reputation rests on that patience as much as on its vineyard sources.

1999 was a warm vintage in Champagne, producing a large crop after a slightly rainy end to the season — a year reviewers have likened in character to 2009. The wine that resulted is the generous, expansive side of Dom Pérignon rather than the taut one: exotic yellow fruit, lime, pink grapefruit, green apple, blood orange, pear, fig and quince over smoke, toast, tar, brioche, cocoa, coconut and a light kiss of green cardamom, with a smoky mineral thread running beneath. Ripe and low in acidity, it passed through an awkward adolescent phase before shedding weight and returning to fruit, and now shows the oily viscosity of mature Chardonnay across a mouth-filling, firmly dry finish. At twenty-seven years it is fully mature and drinking in its window.

Bottle Size:

750 mL

Storage History:

Always stored properly in a climate-controlled cellar.

Condition:

Outstanding fill level, wine color & clarity.

The bottle shown is the exact bottle being sold.