Dom Perignon

[tomstevenson]

Hi Neil (pville)

I received your email (Innkeeper did right).

It might surprise some of my e-chums on Wine Board, but I'm going to recommend the 1993 DP over the 1990. In terms of current drinking, I've consistently rated the 1993 (96 points) over the 1990 (90-91 points), primarily because the 1990 was disgorged much too early.

If both vintages were to be disgorged in, say, another 10 years, the scores might be very different indeed.

However, the main reason I am recommending the 1993 is because the question of storage of the 1990 DP since it was released. I suspect that many of the lower-priced 1990s will have been picked up from private purchases, the provenance of which will at best be uncertain. Most of the more expensive offerings will probably be from retailers who have stored the 1990 since they received it direct from their own suppliers and possibly from a later rather than earlier release. But even if you are told that a specific bottle has been in the same retailer's hands since it was shipped, can you be sure that it has been kept in the dark (preferably in its case) in a storeroom with a constant temperature of 12 degrees Celsius (54F) or less? If it's been on a shelf under shop lighting, it's not going to be very nice at all.

So go for the 1993 (or if your wedding is not within the next 12 months, consider waiting for the 1995 to be released), but there is still the question of storing your second bottle. Do you have good storage? If not, do you know anyone who does? If not, do not bother. A bottle of Champagne stored for one year at room temperature will have 70-times the amount of mercaptans (unpleasant smelling volatile sulfur compounds) than the same bottle stored at a constant 12 degrees or less.

If you do have access to good storage, then the 1993 should keep well until at least 2011 (that's a conservative estimate - under IDEAL conditions most vintages of DP last 30-40 years). If you can afford it, I would recommend that you buy a magnum for your second bottle, as this will age slower and last longer. You can also share it with more friends.

If you do not have access to to good storage, then in another 8-10 years the 1993 should be re-released, freshly disgorged as part of the recently launched DP Oenotheque. Some 10-15 years after that another tranche of freshly disgorged 1993 will be released.

Hope this answers all your questions.

All the best for a long and happy marriage.
Tom