'P2 is very new – people from all over the world are looking to it because it goes beyond. It goes further than any other champagne, and in every direction: it originates from one of the best vineyards, spent a long time in maturation, and still remains very true to the essence of champagne,' shares Dom Pérignon's winemaker Vincent Chaperon at the Singapore launch of Dom Pérignon Plénitude Deuxième P2 2000. The first plénitude of the vintage was launched back in 2008, hitting all the right notes of a classic Dom Pérignon vintage. This year, the champagne house is back with its second expression, which promises to be bolder and more complex.
'A plénitude is a moment in a wine's life where it speaks louder and deeper, and it's our objective as winemakers to catch these moments. Two years ago, we noticed the 2000 vintage entering a new stage, reaching a peak in intensity and energy,' explains Chaperon, who has spent his life producing and tasting wine. The winemaker grew up on his grandmother's estate in Pomerol, part of the right bank of Bordeaux, and has been in love with wines since.
Chaperon has been with Dom Pérignon since 2005 and keeps stock of all of the brand's vintages, which originate from 1921. 'If a champagne house wants to be great it has to be singular. And Dom Pérignon's aesthetic idea is very well defined – everything is about harmony. So while there may be many vintages and plénitudes, at the end of the day there is one Dom Pérignon,' says Chaperon. This means that you can still expect the same aromatic signature of minerality, fine bubbles and a silky caress on your palette regardless of which bottle you choose to pop open.
But that doesn't mean that all the champagnes taste the same. The Plénitude Deuxième P2 2000 is a more magnified version of the original release, with a richer and creamier mouthfeel, and notes of fresh fruit, orange peel and honey. 'The holy grail is to bring together opposing directions – richness, elegance, freshness, maturity, structure and texture – it’s like building polarities in order to enhance the tension and vibration of the wine. And I think we've done that with.'
Find out more about Dom Pérignon Plénitude Deuxième P2 2000 here.