Dom Perignon Oenotheque 1996

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Dom Perignon Oenotheque 1996 Champagne

Dom Perignon Oenotheque 1996 champagne is a prestige cuvee made from grand cru and premier cru grapes. It differs from Dom Perignon's standard brut champagne in that it has been aged for fifteen years. Dom Perignon Oenotheque 1996 has been rated.

Dom Perignon Oenotheque 1996

Type

Sweetness Level:

Brut

Vintage:

1996

Category:

Basic

Prestige Cuvée:

Yes

Ratings (on a scale of 100)

Price

Champagne 411

Retail Price

Wine Enthusiast

12/01/10

(750 ml bottle) $360

Wine Spectator

Tasting Notes
Appearance: na
Aroma/bouquet: na
Palate: na
Additional comments: Champagne 411 has not reviewed this release.
When to drink: na

Oenotheque 1996 Details

Label: Dom Perignon Oenotheque 1996 Champagne
House/Winery: Moet & Chandon
Wine Category: Sparkling Wine
Region & Country: Champagne, France
Type (Style): Vintage
Sweetness Level: Brut
Dosage: 6 grams per liter
Prestige cuvée: Yes
Vineyards: 100% Grand Cru and/or Premier Cru
Grapes: 50% chardonnay, 50% pinot noir
Alcohol: 12.5%

Go to Champagne Details for a description of the above types, characteristics, and grapes.

Dom Perignon Oenotheque 1996
Production
Moet & Chandon's Dom Perignon uses the méthode champenoise for their champagne production. There is an emphasis on balance between the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and true to this emphasis, the 1996 Oenotheque is composed of 50% Pinot Noir and 50% Chardonnay. They do not use Pinot Meunier in the blend. The primary objective is to include individual component wines that are representative of a vineyard's terroir at the highest level. Dom Perignon only makes vintage champagne. The dosage for this second release of the Dom Perignon Oenotheque 1996 was approximately 6 grams per liter. Dom Perignon selects only the finest age worthy vintages to be matured extensively and uses a cork rather than a crown cap during the bottle fermentation and lees aging. Standard Dom Perignon is aged with a crown cap closure. The dosage for the original release at 7 to 8 years aging was approximately 10 grams per lite.

Dom Perignon subscribes to the belief that there are 3 periods in which their exceptional champagnes achieve peak, the first being with the standard release at about 7 years, the second release is after extended aging on the lees and in the cellar at approximately 12 to 15 years and a third is more than 30 years. Winemakers at Dom Perignon taste a sample of every bottle at disgorgement to verify the quality of these special wines. This Oenotheque was aged approximately 12 years on lees (disgorged in 2008) with cork closure with additional cellar aging of about 3 years prior to the second release of the 1996 vintage. Bottles are aged upside down in order for the lees to minimize any potential oxygenation.

Dom Perignon has access to all 17 grand crus in champagne for their wine. The core of the blend is typically from the 8 famous grand crus of Ay, Verzenay, Bouzy, Cramant, Chouilly, Avize, Le Mesnil and Mailly along with the historic premier cru from Hautvillers.

Recent Moet & Chandon Brut Champagne Labels

Non-Vintage Brut

Vintage Brut

Grand Vintage | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2000 |

Vintage Prestige Cuvee Brut

Dom Perignon | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2000 |