Dom Pérignon 2002 Investment

History

Dom Pérignon is the prestige cuvée of Moët & Chandon, but the production, style and sheer class of the wines are so distinguishable, the two brands are best considered autonomous. Dom Pérignon is produced on premises in Épernay and is based on a core of grand cru villages, including the oldest vines of the premier cru of Hautvillers, the historical and spiritual home of Dom Pérignon.

Richard Geoffrey, Chef de Cave, speaks of three ages of peak maturity in Dom Pérignon's life; the first after 7-8 years (the standard release - currently the 2004 vintage), the second at 12-20 years and a third at 35-40 years. Dom Pérignon makes these mature vintages available through extremely limited 'Oenothèque' releases, representing just 1-2% of only the most age-worthy vintages. Oenothèques are an attestation to the battery life of energy and youth contained within the lees in a bottle of champagne, capable of sustaining a bottle for a lifetime.

Since Moët & Chandon first produced its prestige cuvée in 1921, Dom Pérignon has enjoyed extraordinary brand recognition and worldwide distribution. 'The Dom' is a wine of tension, power and long-aging endurance and has been the vision of the talented Richard Geoffrey for over two and a half decades.

Recent Vintages

Of the recent vintages, 1996 and 2002 have the highest scores. Jancis Robinson awarded the 1996 Oenothèque 19.5/20, commenting, "wonderfully racy ... beautiful balance ... extraordinary persistence ... Bravo!" The 2002 however, she gave 20/20, an accolade she has afforded just 4 other champagnes, adding, "LVMH at its very best?"

Antonio Galloni of vinousmedia.com actually shows evidence of Champagne appreciation in his reviews. After awarding Dom Pérignon 2002 an already commendable 96/100 upon its release in 2010, he then rescored it his highest ever score, an incredible 98/100, when tasting it again in May 2014: "a fabulous showing from a Champagne that is well on its way to becoming a modern-day legend." This demonstrates clearly how vintage Champagne improves over time and is encouraging for the future of other Dom Pérignon vintages.

Market Value

Only the second, but already tipped to be the vintage, of the 21st Century, near perfect weather conditions produced this 'modern day legend.' As shown below, since September 2010, Dom Pérignon 2002's market price has risen from £867 to £1,080 per 12 × 75cl, an increase of 24.6%.

Dom Pérignon also experiences an excellent vintage premium, increasing extensively in value with age; thus, this is a wine to secure for investment. The 2002 vintage in particular has an astonishing price-over-points ratio (a loose measure of value, calculated by dividing the price of a wine by its 20-point score), suggesting it is greatly undervalued.

Dom Perignon POP scores by vintage
Vintage	Av case price	WA Score	POP
1996	£1,700	96	106.3
1998	£1,410	92	117.5
1999	£980	93	75.4
2000	£1,100	94	78.6
2002	£1,080	96	67.5
2003	£900	94	64.3
2004	£920	95	61.3

As the house has very little remaining, and the market continues to consume this fantastic Champagne, Dom Pérignon 2002 is becoming increasingly scarce in the market. As supply decreases, buying pressure increases, pushing prices towards those of the 1998 and 1996 vintages. Dom Pérignon has such prolific worldwide distribution and exceptional brand recognition, it's consumer market is massive. It is therefore beneficial to buy Dom Pérignon in the first few years of release; and as 2002 has the potential to be their greatest ever vintage, it's a must have for any cellar.

"From my presentations all around the world I can easily tell that our 2002 vintage has generated high expectations. I feel more excitement than apprehension at this point, especially given the feedback I received! The 2002 Dom Pérignon is already very approachable and inviting, more open than previous vintages at the same stage thanks to the ripeness of the fruit. Many tasters praised its richness which they felt was rather Burgundian in character." - Richard Geoffrey, Chef de Cave

TFB In Bond Price: £1,800.00 per 6x75cl case

Data as at 27th February 2015

Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com - 20/20 - “Extraordinarily firm, confident, intense nose. Definitely the savoury side of Dom. Nothing remotely sweet or fat - though it's as intense as a Montrachet. Wonderful quality of mousse - surely slightly less bubbly than it has been? More like a Montrachet with a bit of carbon dioxide laced into it than a typical champagne. Broad and long with a hint of orange peel. Great persistence. This already delivers but has such backbone and great acidity and light grip (only noticeable at the very end of the tasting experience) that it surely has a long life ahead of it. Really reaches every hidden cell of the palate. A very assured performance. LVMH at its very best?”

Antonio Galloni, VinousMedia.com - 98/100 - “Honey, almonds, butter, tropical fruit and brioche are some of the notes that emerge in the 2002 Dom Pérignon. Here the flavors are bold, rich and exotic, as they have always been, while the textural feel is one of pure exuberance. The 2002 remains dense, honeyed and totally voluptuous on the palate, with more than enough density to drink well for decades. The style will always remain opulent to the core.”

Wine Valuation & Selling

Customers who purchase from The Finest Bubble and cellar with us will have access to independent valuation data from Liv-ex for Champagne held in their reserves through an online personal account. When you come to sell your Champagne, The Finest Bubble may make an offer to buy depending on market conditions, however you are not tied to selling through us. If you need us to assist in selling the champagne we can do this for a 4% charge. There are no costs for providing this valuation information.

Financial Risk

We have presented information that shows the historical case for Dom Pérignon as an investment and any forward looking statements are forecasts and not guarantees. Since the value of any investment can go down as well as up we recommend you consult with an accredited financial expert before making investment decisions.

Our Help

We are able to help you with our opinion on what champagnes and which vintages we believe offer the right qualities to consider cellaring for 5-10 years and help with up to the minute market data showing valuations, trends and transaction quantity for every champagne. We are not able to offer financial advice or advice on investments.

Contact Us

To discuss this further please contact Nick or Chris 020 7359 1608 or email us via the contact page.

Last Updated: 27th February 2015