1995 Transformed: This is the Point of Oeno
The 1995 Dom Pérignon Oenothèque
A Monumental Metamorphosis
"This mind-bending, kaleidoscopic Champagne possesses all of the qualities of profoundness... and the potential to acquire even more depth in bottle over the coming years."
- Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate
This is a wine that has been very much talked about, but rarely seen here in the U.S.
When it was first released, we simply blew through our first two allocations almost immediately due to pre-orders. Keep in mind, a good part of the second tranche went to repeat customers for reloads - always a very, very good sign. But we are Dom Pérignon loyalists, and our strong relationship with the maison allows us today to bring in a third and final tranche.
The 1995 Dom Perignon, although delectable upon release, was overlooked with the heroic 1996 fast on its heels. But things have changed considerably in the last 15 years. The 95 "Oeno" spent its adolescence at home, an entire decade on its lees in the cellars of Dom Pérignon before being disgorged, tasted and released by genius chef de cave Richard Geoffroy.
This wine is 1995 Transformed. This is noble and elegant; it has developed into a deep, unbelievably complex, creamy, regal wine - dense yet agile and astonishingly fresh, even with the incredible richness of the underlying fruit. The texture has to be experienced to be believed.
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This is the beauty of the Oenothèque bottlings, their vintage's character indisputable and echoing with penetrating clarity... and yet there's this sublime sense of completeness, a seamless integration of distinct and unique parts that the sum becomes greater than. Peter Liem, in his Champagne Guide, describes it perfectly: "I like how this harnesses the rich, sappy fruit character of the vintage, encasing it in the discreet Dom Pérignon style."
Richard Geoffroy, with his intimate knowledge and understanding of the Dom Pérignon style and each wine's own personality, says this is the whole point of creating the Oenothèque version: "The same assemblage from the same vintage, yet two wines so distinct in terms of sheer intensity, mouthfeel, integration of characters and complexity." The extra time on the original cork gives the wine more complexity and maturity, of course, butthe later disgorgement also allows more freshness - essential in warm years like 95. Thank you, Richard, for always pushing the envelope.
The maison's traditional blending of only Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, almost always in nearly equal parts, shows off especially well in the Oenothèque form, and the 95 takes the wonderful, heady maturity of the vintage's Chardonnay, all toasty brioche, biscuits, and a sweep of crushed oyster shells, then sheathes it with silky dark cherries, toasted almonds and a remarkably fresh bouquet of vibrant blue, purple, red flowers.
Truly, this is - so far - the most clamored-for Oenothèque bottling in history. Overlooked and under-appreciated at first, due to its sparkly little sister the 1996, as time passes this 95 is getting the attention it deserves.
As we mentioned above, while the 96 DP Oenothèque will surely be the wine collector's ultimate trophy, the more classicist's vintage as it is, it will also be about 50% more in price than the 1995. Complete collections will lay the 95s right alongside the 96s. Make no mistake, these will be compared to each other for decades and decades to come. Future availability and pricing, however, will likely make updating collections at a later date nearly impossible.
As stated earlier, our history with this wine tells us today's offer will be a very quick sell-out. All orders are subject to confirmation. Please email us at offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463 with your maximum request.
Robert Schagrin
Managing Partner
Crush Wine & Spirits
Wine Advocate: The 1995 Dom Perignon OEenotheque is the second release of this wine, and was disgorged in 2005. This silky-textured Champagne reveals breathtaking finesse, elegance and clarity in its perfumed bouquet, with delicate notes of pears and roasted nuts that add further complexity. The finish goes on and on. This mind-bending, kaleidoscopic Champagne possesses all of the qualities of profoundness, most importantly the ability to develop beautifully in the glass and the potential to acquire even more depth in bottle over the coming years. 1995 was a hot vintage, but this wine remains remarkably fresh. Simply put, the 1995 OEenotheque is a stunner.
-Disgorged in 2005