1990 Dom Perignon Brut 1.5Lt

The magnum is the format Champagne lovers argue for above all others, and this is the wine that makes the case. Aging under cork proceeds more slowly in 1.5 liters, where twice the wine breathes through the same closure, so a magnum of mature vintage Champagne keeps a freshness and drive its standard-format siblings surrendered years earlier. For a 1990 Dom Pérignon, that difference is the whole story.

1990 closed a celebrated trio of Champagne harvests and is widely ranked among the region's great modern vintages, a sun-blessed season that gave both ripeness and razor balance. Dom Pérignon, Moët & Chandon's prestige cuvée drawn from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir across the house's finest crus, turned that raw material into one of the most acclaimed releases in its history, a wine whose reputation has only consolidated with time.

Thirty-five years from harvest, a well-cellared magnum should be in a commanding mature phase rather than a fading one: deep gold with a fine, quieter mousse, and layered aromas of grilled brioche, candied citrus peel, smoke, chestnut honey, and the truffle-edged depth unique to old Champagne. Large formats buffer age unusually well, though at this stage every example carries its own storage history, and some evolution in the mousse is to be expected.

Serve at 10-12C in white-wine glasses rather than flutes, and give it a meal worthy of the occasion: roast poultry, aged Parmesan, or the wine alone before a table of eight. A magnum of 1990 exists to mark the nights that matter.

• Size: 1.5Lt magnum
• ABV: ABV varies
• Vintage: 1990
• Origin: Champagne, France
• Winery: Dom Pérignon (Moët & Chandon)
• Grape/Blend: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
• Condition: Mature large-format Champagne; magnum aging favors preservation
• Tasting Notes: Deep gold, fine bead; brioche, candied citrus, smoke, chestnut honey
• Drink Window: In its mature prime; drink now or hold selectively