Dom Pérignon is a world-famous brand of champagne. The name is instantly recognizable and evokes images of indulgence and luxury. This highly-prestigious brand of champagne is iconic for its rich and unique flavor.
As Dom Pérignon is a vintage champagne, it lasts a lot longer than non-vintage types and usually lasts 7 to 10 years after the time of purchase if stored correctly. However, if you leave it longer than this, the quality can start to deteriorate over time.
If you have a bottle of Dom Pérignon sitting in your cupboard, you might be wondering how long you can leave it and whether or not it expires. If this is the case, here’s everything you need to know about the shelf-life or Dom Pérignon and how to store it.
What is Dom Pérignon?
Dom Pérignon is produced in France by Moët & Chandon. It was originally created by a Benedictine monk, also named Dom Pérignon, who developed new techniques of blending grapes to improve the quality of wine in the 18th century.
Dom Pérignon is a vintage champagne. This means that all the grapes that are used to make it are harvested in the same year, rather than combining grapes from other years, which results in more bottles being produced, although they may be poorer quality.
The first Dom Pérignon was produced in 1921 and sold in 1934. After this, there have been a total of 43 Dom Pérignon vintages made, with the current vintage being the 2008 version.
Although there is no set number of bottles sold from each vintage, it’s estimated to be at least 5 million bottles in total. Each vintage is usually released three times: nine, eighteen, and twenty-five years after the initial release. The age of the champagne changes the richness and flavor.
How is it made?
Dom Pérignon Champagne is produced using red and white grapes, with the exact percentages varying depending on the year. The grapes are pressed using sulfite to kill any natural yeast, then the juice is fermented before being blended the red and white grape juices together.
After this process is complete, it is left to age for at least seven years before being bottled. Another six months later, it is sold. However, as a vintage champagne, this doesn’t happen every year – only on the years with the highest quality grapes at harvest.
What’s the average shelf life?
The shelf life of an unopened bottle of vintage champagne like Dom Pérignon is roughly 7 to 10 years after purchase – sometimes even longer! But, if you’re not sure, you can check the bottle to see if there’s a recommended time frame given.
Vintage champagnes are renowned for their superior quality. Unlike non-vintage products, which blend grapes from several harvests and expire after a few years, Dom Pérignon champagne is made from one high-quality year only. This means they can be stored for a bit longer.
Like other champagnes, Dom Pérignon matures over time, resulting in changes to the taste, color, and consistency. The extent of these changes depends on various factors, such as the temperature, storage conditions, the shape and size of the bottle, and the champagne itself.
How do you store Dom Pérignon?
If you’re storing Dom Pérignon at home, there are ways to make it last longer. A key factor in doing this is the temperature it is stored at. Being stored at higher temperatures can significantly affect the quality and speed up the aging process.
To make your champagne age more slowly, try and keep it in a cool cupboard or cellar – ideally between 45 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit. In addition to this, try and keep the temperature as consistent as possible and avoid sudden, rapid changes as much as possible.
Other ways you can prolong the shelf life of your Dom Pérignon are avoiding exposing the bottle to sunlight, laying the bottle on its side, and not storing it in low humidity areas, as this can dry out the cork and cause damage to the champagne.
If you want to serve your drinks chilled, we recommend transferring it to a fridge a few hours before serving. Plus, if you have any leftover champagne in the bottle, you can put this back in the fridge afterward as long as it’s consumed within a few days and the bottle is tightly sealed.
How do you know that it has expired?
Champagne that’s expired won’t be unsafe to drink. However, the quality can seriously deteriorate over time and make it unpleasant to drink – so it’s important to know how long it will usually last, as well as how to tell that it’s gone off.
One indicator that the Dom Pérignon has gone “bad” is that, over time, it will lose its fizz. Other signs it’s gone off are the smell, appearance, and flavor. For example, it may appear cloudy, or, if it is corked, it may taste unpleasant. If in doubt, it’s always best to trust your instincts.
Even though vintage bottles of champagne typically last longer, they won’t keep their quality forever. So, if yours has been sitting in the cupboard for a while, pour some into a glass and smell or taste it first to make sure it’s still good to drink.