10 Fun Facts About Dom Perignon

Dom Perignon isn’t just any champagne; it is the hallmark of quality, class, excellence, and luxury. Dom Perignon’s fame doesn’t only come from the quality grapes that make up the smooth wine, the brand’s iconic bottle shape and antique label design also testify to the elegance of the renowned French sparkling wine.

But, how well do you know the classic Dom Perignon champagne?

Not too much? Well, here are some handy facts about Dom Perignon you should know.

IT’S NAMED AFTER A MONK.

Dom Pierre Perignon was a 17th-century Benedictine monk and the cellar master at a monastery in the Abbey of Hautvillers in the Champagne region in France. Dom Perignon believed that hard work brought a monk closer to God, which motivated him to create “the best wine in the world.”

DOM PERIGNON IS PRODUCED BY MOET & CHANDON.

Moet & Chandon created Dom Perignon in 1921 as its top cuvee and released its first vintage in 1936.

DOM PERIGNON IS A CHAMPAGNE NAME, NOT A CHAMPAGNE HOUSE.

Dom Perignon is Moet & Chandon’s prestige cuvee, or tete de cuvee. The Moet & Chandon Champagne House is also co-owner of the luxury goods company Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH).

DOM PERIGNON HAD A DIFFERENT RECIPE UNTIL THE 1940s.

Dom Perignon was originally produced from aged, vintage Moet & Chandon until the brand switched to a distinctly unique production for Dom Perignon in the 1940s.

DOM PERIGNON DIDN’T INVENT THE CHAMPAGNE METHOD.

Hats off to that old guy. Of course, he pioneered many winemaking techniques in the 1670s, such as blending different grape varieties to create a balanced blend and exotic champagne. However, adding sugar to wine to initiate a second fermentation had been in use for about six years before he even became a cellar master at Hautvillers.

DOM PERIGNON IS A BLEND OF PINOT NOIR AND CHARDONNAY.

Many champagnes are made of 3 different grapes: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay. However, Dom Perignon only includes two key grapes — Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. While the percentages vary from vintage to vintage (between 50/50 and 60/40), every offering is unique, depending on the season’s flavour profiles.

DOM PERIGNON IS A VINTAGE-ONLY CHAMPAGNE.

Dom Perignon does not produce a non-vintage wine. Each bottling of Dom Perignon contains grapes exclusively handpicked from a single year, giving each vintage its unique taste and distinct characteristics.

DOM PERIGNON IS AGED FOR A MINIMUM OF 7 YEARS. SOME FOR MUCH LONGER.

Dom Perignon releases each of its vintages 3 times (or plenitudes). The first release (vintage, P1, or Plenitude 1) is typically aged around 9 years, the second (Plenitude 2, or P2) around 18 years, and the third (P3) around 25 years. This time-aging on lees gives the wine its complexity and richness.

SOME YEARS HAVE NO DOM PERIGNON AT ALL.

Dom Perignon’s Chef de Cave will only make and release the wine in vintages that will age gracefully for over 20 years. No vintage is offered in years when the growing conditions are not favorable for high-quality production.

IT IS PRODUCED EN MASSE.

The best part about Dom Perignon Champagne wine is its availability. It is produced in large quantities, an estimated 5 million bottles a year.

These are some of the important facts about Dom Perignon we think you should know. We hope you enjoyed it!