Better with age: The Dom Pérignon P2 2000 arrives in Singapore

The world was already introduced to the Dom Pérignon 2000 vintage some nine years ago, but the house’s latest launch of the P2 2000 is something else entirely. Released from the same vintage, its second P2 expression spent an additional nine years ageing on the lees, marking it as an expression that shows how maturation can transmute a champagne.

“We like to say that the P2 is essentially more Dom Pérignon. It’s a champagne bottled from the second plénitude, where the wine has matured further, entering into a stage where there is a lot of ion intensity, and minerality. With time, the flavours change. It’s a bit like alchemy,” said oenologist Vincent Chaperon.

Plénitudes, as Chaperon explained, are stages that a champagne goes through when kept on the lees. There are three plénitudes in total, but the number is never exactly precise, as each stage is both a dynamic and organic process.

The P2 2000 promises to be creamier and has more iodine. It has a lower dosage than its predecessor, with 4 grams of sugar per litre. We were one of the first in Asia to try the this champagne at a recent tasting, hosted by Chaperon.

What the 2000 flaunted, the P2 2000 amplified. On the nose, hints of coffee, nuts, and cream surface. Drinking it is an incredibly tactile experience, with the champagne coating the tongue like mousse. You get hints of salt, cheese, and a slight smokiness that evolves into a lingering citrusy aftertaste. It’s definitely a dry champagne, leaving a comfortable chalkiness on the tongue.

“In all our vintages, Dom Pérignon aims to create harmony out of disparate elements,” said Chaperon.

We recommend enjoying the P2 2000 on a special occasion. Aside from champagne’s celebratory association, this is just an expression that demands to be savoured — and remembered.