Dom Perignon 2008 (Tasting Notes, Price, Easiest Way To Buy)

by Anthony Zhang

What makes the stunning Dom Perignon 2008 such a sought-after vintage?

Dom Perignon only produces vintage Champagnes, and each vintage Champagne is a unique creation that expresses the year’s character.

The 2008 vintage from this luxury Champagne house is nothing short of legendary, with average critics’ scores over twice higher than the exalted 1988. This vintage also marked the start of a new era at Dom Perignon as Chef de Cave Richard Geoffroy stepped down and Vincent Chaperon took over.

Why is this vintage so exceptional? How can you get your hands on a bottle of this special cuvee for your cellar?

In this article, discover everything about the 2008 Dom Perignon vintage - from the harvest, the creators, to the taste and characteristics of the wine. We'll also look at some other exciting vintages from this Champagne house.

And if you want to add a bottle of this vintage to your investment portfolio, we’ll tell you how to!

Why Is The Dom Perignon 2008 Special?

The 2008 Dom Perignon was the first time that the Champagne house released a vintage out of sequence. The reason behind it is the winemakers felt it needed more time to develop.

This widely-acclaimed vintage was released as a special Legacy Edition in 2018 and featured the names of both Chef de Caves. This unique label and gift box symbolized the end of an era when Vincent Chaperon took over from Richard Geoffroy as Chef de Cave.

The wine is a blend of 50% Pinot Noir and 50% Chardonnay grape varietals, and it has finesse, precision, piercing length, and a knife-edge balance.

This iconic cuvee will age gracefully for many years to come in a cellar, and as it ages, it will develop even more elegant notes.

Dom Perignon 2008: The Mark Of A New Era

Richard Geoffrey was behind the creative ambitions of Dom Perignon for over 28 years. He shaped the Dom Perignon project in his style and was the driving force behind each vintage’s excellence.

Chaperon worked alongside Geoffrey for 13 years. During this time, he took part in 13 harvests and declared four vintages.

The 2008 Dom Perignon vintage was the best way for Geoffrey to end his career as Chef de Cave, and for Chaperon to start his.

The Miracle Harvest of 2008

2008 was a gloomy year with grey, overcast skies. When the harvest began, the weather conditions were finally perfect with blue skies and north-easterly winds. The Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes and other varietals ripened better than anyone hoped, and the vines were in excellent condition.

This resulted in grapes with bracing acidity and an aromatic purity that no one could have expected from the harvest.

Let’s take a look at the stunning characteristics of this spectacular Dom Perignon vintage.

Taste And Profile Of Dom Perignon 2008

The nose has a stunning opening bouquet that is complex and luminous. It has notes of white flowers, stone fruit, and fine citrus fruit. The overall aroma is enhanced by the freshness of the crushed mint and aniseed, and displays wood, spice, and toasty notes.

On the palate, there is a complete balance between the aromas and flavors. It is a slender and minimalistic wine with a pure, toned, athletic character.

The freshness of the fruit flavors of Anjou pear and citrus are pronounced, and the vintage’s characteristic acidity is well integrated. There are also notes of candied ginger, fresh pastry, and oyster shell along with the 2008's effervescence.

The smoky mineral gains momentum and leads you to a lingering finish.

When it comes to food pairing, the 2008 Dom Perignon enjoys the duality of freshness and warmth. Spicy foods enhance the 2008’s effervescence and densify the wine.

Now let’s see what makes the Dom Perignon 2008 such a sought-after investment wine.

Why Dom Perignon In A Sought-After Investment

Dom Perignon is a coveted luxury brand, and just a whisper of the 2008 Dom Perignon vintage name is enough to get wine collectors excited.

If you can find a bottle of the 2008 Dom Perignon at an attractive price in perfect condition, you would have an age-worthy and potentially profitable wine - a low-risk investment.

A quick look at the price trend shows an increase of 26% from $168 to $213 in under a year (Feb 2020 - Feb 2021.) A crate of Dom Perignon 2008 was released in January 2019 at $1560 and rose 16% ($1820) in just one day due to the interest of wine investors.

It would be a good idea to wait for the prices to double when the availability of the Dom Perignon 2008 vintage dwindles in the market.

Wine Critic Appreciation of Dom Perignon 2008

Wine critics like Janis Robinson and the Decanter magazine have lauded the aromatic purity and incredible freshness of the 2008 Dom Perignon.

Let’s see what some of these critics had to say about this vintage:

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate felt that this iconic cuvee is the finest release since the 1996 vintage, scored it 96 points, and wrote: “the 2008 Dom Perignon wafts from the glass with an incipiently complex bouquet of Meyer lemon, anjou pear, green apple, dried white flowers, fresh pastry, and oyster shell … Tasted three times, with consistent results.”
Critics from Wine Spectator fell in love with the vivid acidity, creamy mousse, and the array of flavors that included toasted brioche, candied ginger, pastry cream, and poached plum.
Antonio Galloni from Vinous enjoyed the notes of lemon peel, mint, and white flowers and awarded the Dom Perignon 2008 an astounding 98+ points in 2018.

He said, “2008 is going to need a number of years before it’s at its best … the 2008 is a Champagne that plays in three dimensions. Drink 2020-2058.”

James Suckling, who enjoyed the incredible freshness and notes of stone fruit, sweet spices, and fine citrus fruit, also scored this vintage Champagne 98 points in 2018 and said, “The best Dom since 2002. A vintage with very restrained, powerful style that has been released non-sequentially after the 2009. This really delivers. Drink now or hold.”
Jeb Dunnuck gave this fabulous cuvee an impressive 98 as well and dubbed the 2008 Dom Perignon as “a legendary Dom that surpasses all the great vintages.”

Let’s look at the history behind this luxurious Champagne brand.

A Brief History Of Dom Perignon

Dom Perignon was a Benedictine monk who worked at Hautvillers Abbey, near Epernay.

Perignon worked at the Abbey for 47 years, and he was given the task to stop secondary fermentation of wine, keep the fizz out of them, and stop bottles from exploding.

Instead, he adjusted the viticulture and winemaking techniques that ended up reshaping how wines from the Champagne region were produced. Here’s what he initiated:

Importing stronger wine bottles from England to stop them from exploding
Extensive pruning to reduce yields and improve the grape concentration
Delicate treatment of the fruit to avoid their skins breaking and air exposure to maintain the freshness of the fruit
Gentle pressing of the fruit to minimize skin contact and the extraction of tannins

Moet & Chandon purchased the brand name in 1937. The Dom Perignon Champagne House has released over 42 vintages, and the frequency of these releases is increasing. The last year that Dom Perignon did not declare a vintage was in 2007.

Today Dom Perignon is one of the most prestigious Champagnes from LVMH and is the flagship cuvee from Moet & Chandon.

Most of the released vintages under Moet & Chandon Dom Perignon have been superb, and some vintages receive unanimous approval from wine enthusiasts and critics.

Let’s take a look at some other vintages that you shouldn’t miss out.

Other Fantastic Vintages from Dom Perignon (Including Prices, Tasting Notes)

These are just some of the finest Dom Perignon Champagnes for you to experience.

1. 2003 Dom Perignon Rose Creator Edition Jeff Koon with Balloon Venus

2003-Dom-Perignon-Rose-Creator-Edition-Jeff-Koon-with-Balloon-Venus.jpg

This graceful Champagne has an expressive nose of dried flowers and citrus fruit, with subtle hints of smoky mineral. This gorgeous Rose Champagne has a unique chalky structure that gives it a perfect balance, vivid acidity, and incredible purity on the palate.

Price of a 2003 Dom Perignon Rose Creator Edition Jeff Koon with Balloon Venus, Champagne, France: $76,043

2. 1988 Dom Perignon P3 Plenitude Brut Rose

This stunning Dom Perignon vintage has mature and complex aromas with an umami quality. The wine is super-clean and has a silky texture on the palate. This iconic cuvee has a refreshing acidity, and is a great bottle to pair with food and has an exquisitely long finish.

Price of a 1988 Dom Perignon P3 Plenitude Brut Rose, Champagne, France: $3,850

3. 1995 Dom Perignon White Gold Brut

A bottle of the 1995 Dom Perignon Brut opens with aromas of fresh peach, cashew, vanilla, white pepper, candied lemon peel, and dried herbs.

It has concentrated flavors and a creamy texture with fresh peach, sweet spices, and roasted hazelnuts notes on the palate.

Price of a 1995 Dom Perignon White Gold Brut, Champagne, France: $3,414

4. 1990 Dom Perignon P3 Plenitude Brut

This sparkling cuvee bursts open with a nose of ripe fruit, white flowers, spruce smoke, honeycomb, and toasted brioche. This full-bodied wine has a satiny texture on the palate, terrific concentration, vivid acidity, and has a long-defined finish.

Price of a 1990 Dom Perignon P3 Plenitude Brut, Champagne, France: $3,232

5. 1998 Dom Perignon by Karl Lagerfeld

When you open its bottle designed by German fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld, this sparkling wine delights with gorgeous aromas of honeysuckle, fruit, toasted almonds, and subtle hints of iodine! On the palate, this graceful Champagne has fine acidity and a smoky finish that is full of energy.

Price of a 1998 Dom Perignon by Karl Lagerfeld, Champagne, France: $2,001

6. 1996 Dom Perignon Coffret Irodori

This elegant Dom Perignon vintage is a young wine with a toasty aroma and flavors of almonds and white stone fruit. It has a long lingering finish, excellent acidity levels, and an outstanding balance.

Price of a 1996 Dom Perignon Coffret Irodori, Champagne, France: $1,481

7. 1995 Dom Perignon Reserve de L'Abbaye

This sparkling wine has a subtle aroma with notes of acacia honey, minerals, mushrooms, and white flowers. On the palate, it has above-average acidity (this vintage's characteristic acidity) and offers a rare combination of finesse and richness.

Price of a 1995 Dom Perignon Reserve de L'Abbaye, Champagne, France: $2,130

8. 1995 Dom Perignon P2 Plenitude Brut Rose

The complex nose of this Dom Perignon Champagne has notes of sweet tobacco, dried cherry, crushed flowers, and cedar. This wine’s acidity balances the fruit flavors on the palate.

Price of a 1995 Dom Perignon P2 Plenitude Brut Rose, Champagne, France: $1,361

It is easy to see that Champagnes from Dom Perignon are exceptional and will continue to impress the wine investment world for many more years to come.

But how will you make sure you get the right vintage for the best price?

Here’s how:

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Get Your Hands On A Dom Perignon 2008 For Your Collection

The Dom Perignon 2008 is an iconic cuvee that will not only add a bit of sparkle to your collection but will potentially outshine expectations in the future.

While there are still some bottles of the finest Dom Perignon available in the market today, getting your hands on an investment quality bottle could be an arduous journey if you don’t partner with an expert like Vinovest.

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