Weather in 2006: With similar weather characteristics to the now legendary 2002, the 2006 vintage was generally very warm and dry. Vines grew in fits and starts with a heat wave during July followed by a cool and damp August. The ultimate factor was the summery September weather, which helped the grapes develop much more ripeness than usual. As a result, the harvest was the longest ever: four weeks beginning on September 11.
Technical information:
Vineyards: 100% Grand & Premier Cru
Grape varieties: 55% Pinot Noir, 45% Chardonnay
Storage in the second fermentation: 16 years
Disgorged: September 2021
Dosage: 4.5 g/l
Alcohol: 12.5%
Drinking fashion now until 2038
Tasting notes: Dom Pérignon P2 from 2006 is magnificent. Rich and soaring in its intensity, P2 is absolutely stunning. What comes through the most is this year's style more than the style of the P2 series. Mandarin, apricot, mint, white pepper, passion fruit and spice all pour out of the glass. The maturity of the year is evident, but all the elements are so masterfully balanced. The balance between exotic and freshness is just amazing. Taste of Antonio Galloni
The Plénitude concept (formerly: Oenothèque) has been under development at Dom Pérignon for many years. After studying the natural aging process that vintage champagne seems to go through, the winemaking team found that instead of improving steadily and linearly (as is the case with many wines), it develops and matures through three defined stages in his life.
The first release (P1) comes about 8 years after harvest and is the style that most consumers are familiar with. The second phase (P2) takes about 15 years, during which the cuvée takes a deep leap to a new level of quality, where it will plateau for many years in terms of improvement. Finally, the third Plénitude (P3) will see the champagne age another 20-30 years until it reaches its ultimate peak. Originally, these mature vintages were made available under limited release called "Oenothèque", but were re-branded in 2014 as "Plénitude".