Buying old Vintage champagne

[Mal]

I'm wanting to buy a 197x vintage bottle of Dom. What tips would you give me to ensure that what I buy is actually drinkable? As I'm in the UK, buying it locally has some advantages, but willing to have it shipped instead.

Need to store after purchase as well, I know some merchants offer storage until a set date, but also looking for thoughts on this part.

 

[sietes]

Do some research and buy the best vintage you can (1971?). Have a look on cellartracker for up to date reviews on how the wine is holding up. If your budget will stretch go for an Oenotheque. These are later releases and will go longer that a regular DP. Also if you buy it retail they should guarantee the wine as being free from faults or ruined by poor cellaring.

 

[cove]

This is for what purpose Mal?
Investment?
Your 100th birthday ?
Have never had a champagne that needed longer time in the cellar.

 

[Katie]

You might get variations on when it was disgorged and bottled - apart from the vintage, that should be key information to consider. It will only have been bottled if it's fine for drinking - as cove mentions, champagnes should not require cellaring - all that should have been done in the caves in the first place.
If storing, keep it cool - at the chalk cave temperatures of Reims or Epernay should be perfect.

[I highly suspect I have added 0% value with my comments]

 

[Deleted member]

I don't store it long enough to worry ..... Hic !

 

[cove]

The problem with investing in art, coins, stamps and rare champagnes /wines is you need a dealer to unload it and usually that takes about a third of the selling value. Have worked on champagne being for consuming and that should help make some drinks rare.

 

[UP4014]

Do you really want to drink it. I've never come across a nice one that old. (but maybe I'm too cheap )

Matt

 

[Daver6]

I'm wanting to buy a 197x vintage bottle of Dom. What tips would you give me to ensure that what I buy is actually drinkable? As I'm in the UK, buying it locally has some advantages, but willing to have it shipped instead.

Need to store after purchase as well, I know some merchants offer storage until a set date, but also looking for thoughts on this part.

Nothing is going to "ensure" its drinkable. All you can do is minimise the changes that its drinkable.

Firstly, have you had experience with age champagnes before? If you haven't they are very different to young ones and quite polarising. Also, will be pretty much a still wine.

Champagne is the most fragile of wines too. At that age, unless stored in perfect conditions, I don't like your chances if it being great. If the place you buy it from doesn't know the provenance, I wouldn't touch it. That's probably the biggest thing. Even then, still no guarantee. Could still land up being corked

If you aren't set on Dom, you might be better off getting something like the Veuve Cliquot Cave Privee. I believe they are currently selling some from the 1970s. At least long term storage is known.

 

[jmphoto]

A mate popped the cork on an '83 Cristal a few years ago for his birthday. He bought it at auction and I was pretty wary of its condition, but to this day it's one of the greatest wines I've tasted.

Good luck!

 

[Wine Fiend]

I'm wanting to buy a 197x vintage bottle of Dom. What tips would you give me to ensure that what I buy is actually drinkable? As I'm in the UK, buying it locally has some advantages, but willing to have it shipped instead.

Need to store after purchase as well, I know some merchants offer storage until a set date, but also looking for thoughts on this part.

You could try getting something from the Oentheque series but they seem mega expensive. They are released by the winery so should be pretty solid on quality.