Puzzling Plenitudes of Pleasure: Oenothèque is Retired

What's behind Dom Pérignon putting out to pasture the Oenothèque designation on its Champagnes that spend extended time (years to decades) sitting on the lees before release? No one buying it has any idea about what's going on inside the bottle. They just want their Dom! (Can't blame 'em. Less talking, more drinking!)

This realization that there are ignoramuses when it comes to the distinct process in which Champagne, and all top sparking wine, is made is not lost on Winemaker Vincent Chaperon. He claims that 95% of people have no idea about Méthode Champenoise, telling The Drinks Business, “We are talking to consumers all over the world and nobody understands about the maturation on the lees for Champagne; they don’t understand that it matures in the bottle – the maturation of Champagne remains a mystery for the consumer.”

So what is replacing Oenothèque? Plenitudes. Look for P2 and P3 to grace the bottles of these Champagnes that spend many extra years on the lees. I have to say, it's much less intimidating to try and say P2 and P3 than Oenothèque, which I would dread trying to spell, let alone say out loud in front of an audience.

Check out photos of the debut of Dom Pérignon P2 1998...on a glacier in Iceland!!!