1966 Dom Pérignon "Oenothèque" Brut Champagne (1.5L)

At their best, Dom Pérignon Œnothèques - especially those of the 1960s and 1970s - exist in a realm of timelessness, almost as if the passage of time had been suspended and captured in the bottle. The wines aren't young, of course, but they aren't old, either. Instead, the finest Œnothèques live in a space that is all their own. That is certainly the case the with the 1966, which is just superb on this night. Hints of apricot, marzipan and dried flowers shows the graceful signs of age, and yet the 1996 retains a good deal of freshness to match its silky, mid-weight personality. The 1966 is all about understatement and class. (AG)