The Plénitude (originally Oenothèque) concept has been years in development at Dom Pérignon. After studying the natural course of ageing that vintage champagne seems to undertake, the winemaking team found that, rather than improving steadily and linearly (as is the case with many wines), it develops and matures through three defined stages in its life.

The first release (P1) comes approximately 8 years after the harvest and is the style that most consumers are familiar with. The second stage (P2) takes roughly 15 years, during which time the cuvée takes a profound leap to a new quality level where it will plateau for many years in terms of improvement. Finally, the third plénitude (P3) will see the champagne ageing another 20-30 years until it reaches its ultimate peak. Initially these mature vintages were made available under limited release called “Oenothèque” but were re-branded in 2014 as “Plénitude”. Read more about the Plénitude concept here.

Weather: The 1995 harvest was a large crop and shared similar characteristics with the renowned 1998. Following four consecutive years of tough growing conditions, 1995 came as a huge relief to the region - the first universally declared vintage since 1990. The summer was mainly hot, with some showers a few weeks before the harvest. Originally released after eight years on the lees, Dom Pérignon Rosé 1995 had very expressive black fruit flavour. Now after over sixteen years on the lees, Dom Perignon Rosé P2 1995 is softer and creamier than the first release.

Wine Competition Trophies:
The Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships 2016 - World Champion Library Vintage

Technical Information:
Vineyards: 100% Grand & Premier Cru
Grape Varieties: 70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay | inc. 20% Red Wine
Ageing: 16 years on the lees
Dosage: 6.5 g/l
Drink: Now to 2029

Tasting Note: On the nose, this is fruity and complex with hints of red berries leading to a palate of cranberry, mint and a hint of cinnamon spice. The flavours linger long after the finish and the added time on the lees has created a superb rosé that is balanced beautifully and still youthful even at twenty years of age - a hallmark of P2. The extra lees ageing seems to have enhanced the red berry fruit flavour, with further layers of complexity coming from the yeasty character. All in all, this is a powerhouse rosé that is still tasting so young.

Dom Pérignon Rosé Plénitude 2 - P2 1995 is presented in a high-quality metalled Dom Pérignon gift box (as shown in the pictures on the left). This is an exceptionally rare champagne and The Finest Bubble are one of just a handful of retailers lucky enough to secure stock of this late-release cuvée.

Dom Pérignon is the prestige cuvée of prestige cuvées. Uniquely only available as a vintage champagne produced in exceptional years from just two grape varieties, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Dom Pérignon is an iconic wine with an unrivalled heritage. Often considered one of the founding fathers of Champagne itself, the Benedictine Monk Dom Pierre Pérignon spent forty-seven years working in the historic Abbey of Hautvillers pursuing his ambition to create the "best wine in the world".

Today, that legacy lives on. Produced in amazing volumes yet retaining its sheer class, Moët & Chandon's prestige cuvée is so distinguishable, the two brands are best considered autonomous. Based on a core of Grand Cru villages and the oldest vines of the Premier Cru of Hautvillers, 'The Dom' is a wine of tension, power and long-ageing endurance and has been the vision of talented Chef de Cave, Vincent Chaperon, for over two and a half decades. Geoffroy's unique winemaking philosophy is to allow the personality of each vintage to express itself and compliment it with the famous House style, rather than simply re-creating an identical blend each year.

Cellar Master: Vincent Chaperon
Winery Location: Épernay | Champagne, France
Champagne Region: Côte des Blancs
Annual Production (bottles): Undisclosed