Dom Perignon Brut Vintage 2013

Dom Pérignon Brut Vintage 2013 is a prestige cuvée Champagne from the 2013 harvest, bottled at 12.5% ABV in a standard 750ml format. This release earned 98 points from James Suckling, who called it "driven and serious," alongside 96 points from Decanter and 95+ from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate — making it one of the most critically lauded Dom Pérignon releases in recent memory.

Quick Facts: ABV: 12.5%  |  Origin: Champagne, France  |  Vintage: 2013  |  Producer: Dom Pérignon (Moët & Chandon)

Production & Heritage

Dom Pérignon operates under Moët & Chandon, part of the LVMH group, and draws fruit from 17 Grands Crus sites plus the Premier Cru of Hautvillers — the village where the Benedictine monk Dom Pierre Pérignon pioneered Champagne-making techniques in the late 17th century. The 2013 vintage is a blend of 51% Pinot Noir and 49% Chardonnay, produced entirely via the traditional Méthode Champenoise with secondary fermentation in bottle. Critically, this cuvée was disgorged in October 2022, allowing nearly a decade of extended lees aging that contributes its signature complexity. Dom Pérignon maintains an absolute commitment to vintage production, meaning no wine is released in years when harvest quality falls below the house's exacting standards.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with chalk and buttery pastry before revealing layers of apricot stone, citrus oil, and toasted almond. Extended time in glass introduces a subtle smokiness and delicate spice.

Taste: The entry is sleek and narrowly sculpted, with ripe melon and mandarin orange arriving on the mid-palate alongside lemon syrup and candied ginger. The wine builds toward a medium-to-full body with vivid acidity and chiseled precision, holding a tightly wound structure that Robert Parker's Wine Advocate described as "perfectly balanced."

Finish: Long and mineral-driven, with a sharp chalky underpinning that lingers alongside notes of grapefruit peel and light bitterness. The texture remains silky throughout, tapering off with a gentle lift.

How to Drink Dom Pérignon 2013

This vintage is best served chilled to around 50–54°F in a tulip-shaped glass that focuses its layered aromatics. Drinking it neat allows the complexity built over nearly a decade of lees aging to express itself fully. For a Champagne Cocktail, the wine's chalky backbone and citrus notes hold up beautifully against a sugar cube and Angostura bitters. A French 75 benefits from the 2013's vivid acidity and mandarin character, which sharpen the gin-and-lemon base. In a Bellini variation, the apricot and melon notes in the wine amplify fresh white peach purée rather than competing with it.

Best For

• Celebrating a milestone anniversary or major life event
• Gifting a serious wine collector who values critic-acclaimed vintages
• Anchoring a multi-course tasting dinner with shellfish or aged cheese
• Adding a verified 98-point Champagne to a cellar collection

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Dom Pérignon 2013 taste like? Dom Pérignon 2013 delivers sleek citrus and melon flavors underpinned by chalk minerality, toasted brioche, and candied ginger. It is less overtly hedonistic than some recent vintages, favoring precision and structural elegance.

How does Dom Pérignon 2013 compare to Krug Grande Cuvée? Both are prestige Champagnes frequently mentioned as the two most iconic houses in the region, but they differ in philosophy: Dom Pérignon is always a single-vintage wine, while Krug Grande Cuvée is a multi-vintage blend designed for consistency across releases. The 2013 Dom Pérignon tends toward sleek minerality, whereas Krug Grande Cuvée typically emphasizes richness and breadth.

Is Dom Pérignon 2013 good for sipping neat? Absolutely — its decade of lees aging before disgorgement in October 2022 has produced a layered, complex wine that rewards slow, attentive tasting without any additions.

Where is Dom Pérignon 2013 made? Dom Pérignon is produced in the Champagne region of northern France, drawing fruit from 17 Grands Crus vineyards as well as the Premier Cru of Hautvillers. The estate operates under Moët & Chandon, part of the LVMH luxury group.

What foods pair well with Dom Pérignon 2013? Fresh oysters complement the chalky minerality. Seared scallops with citrus butter echo the wine's mandarin and lemon notes. Aged Comté cheese mirrors its toasted, nutty undertones. Lobster thermidor matches its medium-to-full body, and sushi-grade tuna aligns with its sleek acidity and clean finish.

What sizes does Dom Pérignon 2013 come in? The standard release is a 750ml bottle, though Dom Pérignon vintages are also typically available in magnum (1.5L) format, which can further enhance aging potential.

Is Dom Pérignon 2013 worth the price? Dom Pérignon 2013 positions firmly in the ultra-premium Champagne tier, and with 98 points from James Suckling, 96 from Decanter, and 95+ from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, its critical consensus strongly supports its standing among the finest prestige cuvées available.

Why Dom Pérignon 2013?

The 2013 vintage stands apart for its combination of restraint and intensity — a hallmark of a cooler, later-ripening growing season that forced the fruit to develop slowly and build concentration over time. Extended aging on the lees until disgorgement in October 2022 adds a depth of autolytic character — toasted pastry, almond, smoke — that younger releases simply cannot match. Its near-unanimous critical acclaim across five major publications, headlined by James Suckling's 98-point score, confirms this as one of the most compelling Dom Pérignon releases in the modern era. For collectors and serious drinkers alike, the 2013 represents Dom Pérignon's philosophy at its most disciplined: no wine unless the vintage merits it, and no release until the wine is ready.