New Year’s Eve is here, and some of you may be asking the eternal question: is this $150 bottle of Dom Pérignon worth the splurge, or am I better off with a cheap $10 bottle of California prosecco?
Lucky for you, the Gentleman’s Gazette has the answers. Men’s fashion and lifestyle expert Sven Raphael Schneider explains the differences between an expensive bottle of Dom Pérignon ($150) and a cheaper (yet still fancy) model at a third of the price, like Moët et Chandon. Though both of these French champagne houses make excellent New Year’s poppers, the main difference is that Dom Pérignon is a millésime, which means that each year’s crop of grapes is exclusively used for one year’s production of champagne. For example, 2002 was considered an excellent year for Dom Pérignon, whereas 2017’s grapes might not produce quite the same experience. On the other hand, Moët et Chandon champagne, which is not a millésime, is made from up to 200 different kinds of champagne, mixed together to create a perfect, distinct flavor that matches that of every other bottle of Moët on the market.
The final verdict? “I’m willing to bet that most people won’t be able to pick out a Dom Perignon in a blind test,” says Schneider. But, he continues, an excellent bottle of French champagne is always worth it if it’s what you truly desire.
Want to know the ABCs of Champagne? Check out the article here.
