Wine Advisor
Dom Perignon, P2 Plenitude Brut 1999
View analysis
Description
Dom Pérignon is always a vintage wine and can only be produced from the grapes of a single year. For each vintage, a limited number of bottles are set aside in the cellars, predestined for longer maturation. With this extra time, the inner activity in the bottle increases. The yeast transfers its energy to the wine… a mysterious transfer of life. After close to 15 years, expansion of energy reaches its peak and Dom Pérignon rises to an apex of essential, radiant vitality in its state of Plénitude. Elevated to new heights, it unfurls across every dimension – wider, deeper, longer, more intense – gifted further with an almost infinitely extended longevity. Thus, Dom Pérignon is patiently elevated to a new summit of expression. We call it Plénitude 2.
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 1999 Dom Pérignon P2 is one of the most intriguing Champagnes I have tasted from Dom Pérignon in recent years. In fact, it was not included in a small vertical I tasted at the estate in March, but rather this is a bottle I tasted with friends in London. According to Chef de Caves Richard Geoffroy, the 1999 was a very small release and was only shipped to a few countries. What I admire most about the 1999 is its laser-like focus and intensity. In that sense, the 1999 is a bit atypical from other recent P2 releases, as it emphasizes a range of citrus and floral-driven bright notes more than the toasty quality these Champagnes tend to show after extended time on the lees. Regardless, I loved it.
About the Producer
Dom Pérignon has always stuck to its founder's vision: always excellent yet always improving. Each vintage is made through delicate assemblage and adjustment, resulting in the mysterious blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes. It isn’t specifically what Dom Perignon created in his forty seven years as the cellar master at the Abbey of Hautvillers, it is the innovations and enhancements that he discovered. At this time in history, sparkling was thought of as faulty wine and was quite dangerous as refermenting in bottle caused explosions. Dom Perignon resolved to sparkling wine tastier and safer. He pioneered the mixing of base wines from specific vineyards to enhance the style. So he hand-picked the fruit to ferment by blind tasting the grapes to assess them strictly on their flavour and the way they might style once blended with alternative grapes he had access too. This was a serious departure from the quality wine creating techniques of the day. He additionally pioneered the pressing of red grapes and straightaway fermenting the juice to create white wines from red grapes. With regards to safety, he introduced the utilization of thicker glass bottles able to withstand the pressures of sparkling wines and used Spanish corks rather than wood to seal the bottles. These corks were traditionally tied to the bottlenecks with Hemp string, a forerunner of today's wire metal cages. Many celebrities enjoy success with Dom Pérignon. In 1995, rapper Little Shawn, protégé of Diddy at that time, dedicated a whole song to the champagne brand. The music video also featured a cameo appearance of late rap star Notorious B.I.G. drinking Dom Pérignon. To put it short: A bottle of 'Dom P' stands for success!
