We received a bottle of Dom Perignon Vintage 1998 for a wedding present last week. Can anyone tell me the best temperature to store it at and the best temp to serve it at? We plan on keeping it for a year and opening it on our first anniversary. Is that recommended? We also received a nice wine cellar as a wedding present, so we do have a nice place to store it. I beleive the cellar is made by Cuisinart.

Thanks!

Keep the wine in your cellar at 55°.

Put the bottle on ice at least 30 minutes prior to serving. Start tasting once the wine is cold, and certainly allow the wine to warm a bit in the glass as you enjoy it. You'll find the flavors more accessable as the wine warms. Once it gets a little too warm, pour some more champagne in.

Congratulations on your wedding!

PH

Thanks. That's what I'll do then. I was afraid that I shouldn't store it for a whole year chilled. Don't know why. Just never had a bottle of anything that nice!

Any wine you're planning on holding should go in your chiller. The only reason I can think of to keep a wine at room temperature is to artificially accelerate it's development in the bottle. Oh, and just a suggestion? Drink the 1998 now! Buy a bottle of the 1996 or 1999 for your first anniversary. Why wait?

PH

Presuming fahrenheit is meant, there's nothing to add to PurpleHaze's recommandations but more congratulations on your wedding.

Good point Rik! No knowing goosehunter75's location, the clarification is appropriate. Although if the goosehunter couldn't figure out that 55 C might be a tad warm for storing wine, I don't like his chances for survival until next year, much less the wine's!!

PH

This message has been edited. Last edited by: PurpleHaze,

Thanks for the help everyone! And yes I did understand that we were talking 55 Fahrenheit! I'd love to get a bottle of 96 and 99, but after the wedding I better watch my expenses for awhile! Although, this will be the first bottle of Dom Perignon we have ever had and we're not really knowledgable on the different vintages.

The 1998 is a very nice wine, and I'm sure it'll enhance your anniversary celebration. If you find you like the 1998, the the 1996 will represent a step up in what could be a very expensive if enjoyable spiral......

PH

May I add that there's a lot of terribly good champagne at much more reasonable prices than those of Dom P. that will give you as much or even more pleasure.

quote:

Originally posted by Rik:
May I add that there's a lot of terribly good champagne at much more reasonable prices than those of Dom P. that will give you as much or even more pleasure.

Generally, yes. However, the 1996 Dom that could have been picked up for about $90 on release was a steal.

If I knew how good it was then, I would have bought cases.

what champagnes would you recommend?

If you'd like to get started without breaking the bank, here are a few you might like:

Piper Heidsieck NV (NV designates a non-vintage wine. Usually much less expensive than vintage wines and fairly consistent from year to year.)

Billecart Salmon Brut NV (their Rose is lovely, but getting up their in price.)

Nicolas Feuillatte NV (both Brut and Rose)

Moet et Chandon White Star (from the makers of your Dom Perignon. This NV blend has been redone recently, and although I've not tasted it since the redo, palates who I respect say it's quite nice.)

I'm sure the gang will chime in with other suggestions.

Champagne is one of my great pleasures in life. I hope you have half as much fun with it as I do!

PH

I like my champagnes on the "sweeter" side

Charles Heidsieck makes a really nice NV brut.

Louis Roederer NV (makers of Cristal) is also very nice.

Moet et Chandon make a Nectar Imperial Rose. which I believe is a Demi sec and defintiely much sweeter then your typical champagne, but it's a hit with the ladies

To be honest, I am not crazy about Moet & Chandon White Star, i prefer:

NV Veuve Clicquot Champagne, it has a very user friendly taste to it. If you want to spoil yourself they have a Special Cuvee called "La Grande Dame", the 1996 vintage is great.


Bollinger is also a very nice house as well.


Dare I say Vintage Krug...(very expensive)

I recently tasted the "reformulated" White Star and concur with the Cabbie. Not to my tastes.

PH