I’m wondering if there are recommendations in the weekly-drinker category (< $100) that are similar in style to Dom Perignon and in the vicinity of that quality. I’m a late starter in this Champagne voyage and I’m afraid I won’t be the same after a recent 08 Dom Perignon. It was simply about 1000x better than anything else I’ve been trying. No way I could afford to drink that weekly but if I could get a similar impression from something half as good I think I’d be pleased. Gracias!
Some of it is just about getting in early. Buying 08 DP now you’re going to pay quite a premium. I have cases of 08 DP I bought for $120 upon release. Although with the upcoming releases I fear we’ll never see that level of pricing again even first tranche.
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grand vintage is terrific and roughly half the price. i think it’s one of the most underrated wines in champagne, mostly because the market doesn’t understand it and the label is offputting.
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08 DP was cheap and glorious on release. Prices have only gone up and the bottle has shown too tight ever since.
Nothing directly reminds me of DP under the $100 range, but the grower Champagne crowd might think different 
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I am not a huge fan of Dom Perignon and so won’t suggest a wine that necessary tastes like it. But, a Champagne I really like in the price range you are describing is Delamotte. Get either the 2008 or the 2012. I bought my 2008s a few years ago so I don’t know what has happened to pricing, but I bought some 2012 within the last few months.
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Steve,
You may have already browsed this thread for suggestions. If not, you’ll find some great options at all price ranges.
Thinking about DP clones; you probably want to look for a wine that’s roughly 50:50 Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. One that’s ripe but bright, a little smoky. I think they age on the lees for 7+ years, allow malolactic fermentation and use steel tanks. As mentioned above, the Delamotte Brut has some similarities; about 50% Chard and 50% Pinot Noir and Meunier, + malolactic, stainless tank aging. Another that’s made similarly is NV Billecart-Salmon Champagne Brut Réserve, although I haven’t tried it in years. Its dosage is a little higher, and the 40% Pinot Meunier will lead to some dissimilarity.
However, I don’t recall opening a bottle and thinking “this reminds me of Dom Perignon”.
Cheers,
Warren
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Haven’t had the 2008, but agree the 2012 is fantastic. Bought a case immediately after tasting at La Paulee. Looks like up a little bit on the original $70 price point, but still great value.
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are you guys both talking about the bdb?
I am at least
I agree on the 2012 Delamotte BdB. It’s a great wine, but it’s not going to be very similar to the 2008 DP, which is what the OP was seeking.
Cheers,
Warren
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Yaacov,
I don’t know Moët Grand Vintage so I don’t understand it. What’s its composition? What’s it similar to? What kind of dosage, etc?
Thanks!
I’ve had the 04 and 02 Grand vintage and was not particularly impressed. It is in fact about half the price of Dom, which makes it a good $30 more than the wines with which I would group it, and in fact in the $35-45 price range I think you can do much better. The wine is a blend of chardonnay, noir and meunier. It is good, a pleasant drink, but not a ~$75 bottle for me. In or about that neighborhood give me Dom Ruinart BdB (a little less) or the Philipponnat Cuvee 1522 or Delmotte (a little more).
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I also had the 2008 at a Paulee, at least the first time. They poured the 2012 at the Paulee for the 2017 Burgs in 2020, but the 2008 at the Paulee for the 2016 burgs in 2019. Ask me in a number of years and I might be able to tell you which I prefer.
me too.
That is why I started my comments by saying that it won’t necessarily taste like the DP.
Love Ruinart BdB. Have a bottle of the 1522 but have not opened it yet.
Yaacov may have asked for clarification to avoid confusion with the NV Delamotte Brut which is a bit cheaper.
-Al
DP is so distinctive. The flinty/smoky reduction always stands out to me, along with a purity of fruit that I rarely find in less expensive Champagnes, and a level of autolysis that takes a long time (thus large investment) to achieve. I really don’t think there is a more affordable substitute. And yes, shopping around and buying soon after initial release is the way to get good pricing.
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Though they are obviously different wines, if we were to plot Champagne house styles on two axes, oxidative-to-reductive on the x axis and ripeness on the y axis (which are arguably two of the most important factors that shape a style), Delamotte is not a world away from Dom Pérignon: a bit less ripe, and a bit less reductive; but if the one appeals to you the chances are the other might, too.
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found this: pretty good tasting and comparison: Moët & Chandon / Dom Pérignon: Vintage vs Prestige Cuvée 2009-1995
i think grand vintage can be terrific (especially the rose) but seeing some other recs here, for context, i think ruinart’s nv bdb is usually quite bad (so take my preferred style with a grain of salt; i think dom perignon is one of the greatest wines made without qualification). magnums of ruinart nv bdb tend to show much better, but i find the wine generally too sweet (i have no idea what the dosage is). i tend to really like dom ruinart however.
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