Dom Pérignon only declares a vintage when the year deserves it. 2015, emphatically, deserved it.

It was a warm, generous growing season — the kind that gives Champagne winemakers something they don't always get: ripeness without reservation. The result is a Dom Pérignon that's bolder, broader-shouldered, and more immediately generous than recent vintages. If the 2013 was a lean, chiselled marathon runner — all precision and controlled austerity — the 2015 is more like a boxer in a velvet suit. Power, yes. But grace with it.

The nose opens with stone fruit — apricot, white nectarine — layered over roasted almond and a flicker of candied citrus peel. There's warmth here before you even take a sip, something almost honeyed. On the palate, it's rich and textured: toasted brioche, dried fig, a seam of salinity that keeps everything taut, and a finish that drifts into smoke and crushed chalk. It lingers. The kind of champagne that stays with you long after the glass is empty — which, admittedly, won't be long.

This is Dom Pérignon at its most approachable on release, but don't mistake generosity for simplicity. There's serious architecture underneath. The 2015 will reward patience handsomely — five to ten years of careful cellaring will reveal layers that aren't yet fully showing. Twenty years isn't unreasonable if you have the restraint. Most of us don't.

How to Serve

This isn't a champagne to rush. Give it 20–30 minutes in a decanter or a wide-bowled glass before you drink it — the aromatics will unfold dramatically. Serve at 10–12°C, warmer than your average fizz. A flute would be a disservice; use a white wine glass or a tulip at minimum.

Food Pairings

The 2015's richness calls for food with equal weight. Truffle dishes — a simple truffle pasta, a risotto, or shaved over scrambled eggs if you're feeling extravagant — are magnificent. Grilled lobster with drawn butter. Aged Comté or Parmigiano-Reggiano. A roast chicken with all the trimmings. This is champagne that doesn't just accompany a meal — it anchors it.