Moét et Chandon Cuveé Dom Perignon 1959 rosé

Report: Moët & Chandon - Cuvée Dom Pérignon Rosé 1959

"The pink jewel of Champagne: a lost monument"

1. historical classification: The birth of a legend

• Vintage significance: 1959 was a blessing in dis guise in Champagne: early ripening, dry summer, ideal botrytis conditions → grapes with rare ripeness and acid balance.

• Rosé pioneering work: One of the first prestige cuvée rosés ever (official rosé line only from 1962!) - at the time an experiment for selected collections.

• Production secret: Only Pinot Noir from Grand Cru vineyards (Aÿ, Bouzy, Verzenay), addition of still red wine (not Saignée). Quantity: < 500 bottles depending on the source.

2. sensory profile: the echo of perfection

(Reconstruction from archive notes by Richard Geoffroy & auction records)

"A champagne that breaks all boundaries: the power of a Burgundy, the grace of a rosé - united in timeless harmony."
- Richard Geoffroy, Chef de Cave Dom Pérignon (1988-2018)

3. rarity & market status: The untraceable

• Survival rate: Estimated < 20 original bottles worldwide → rarer than Romanée-Conti 1945.

• Last auctions:

  • 2011 (Christie's NY): $31,200 with proof of cellar-fresh provenance (ex Chandon family estate).

  • 2019 (private): €52,000 for bottle with perfect fill level (top shoulder).

• Risk of forgery: Extremely high → Only documented storage

4. tasting protocol for gods

1. Storage: 72h resting at 8°C → Collect sediment.

2. Opening: Uncork with tweezers (cork often brittle!).

3. Decantation: 1 hour in crystal carafe → oxidation releases tertiary flavours.

4. Temperature: 14°C (warmer than modern rosés!).

5. Glass: Schott Zwiesel Cru Classic (Burgundy shape).

5. historical curiosities

• Diplomatic gift: Bottles were presented to the courts of Persia's Shah Pahlavi and Queen Elisabeth II.

• Lost batches: 12 bottles were reserved for space research in 1962 (NASA co-operation?) - never returned.

• Grape variety mystery: Rumours of Pinot Noir from the German Kaiserstuhl (never confirmed).

6. comparison to the white DP 1959

7. drinking maturity & forecast

• Current: At its zenith - fruit has turned into tertiary notes, acidity still present.

• Potential: Until 2040+ when stored at 8-10°C (acidity degrades more slowly than sugar).

• Warning: Each bottle is unique → extreme bottle variation!

8 Cultural heritage: More than wine

• Philosophy: Last rosé before the modernisation of the appellation → embodies the artisanal freedom of the post-war period.

9 Conclusion: The untouchable

The DP Rosé 1959 is not a wine - it is a pink diamond in the mists of history. Anyone who has ever tasted it does not describe flavours, but an emotion: the melancholy of transience, combined with the triumphant certainty of true greatness.

"There are champagnes that you drink. And there is the Rosé 1959: you receive it like a state visit from a lost world."
- Anonymous, Master of Wine (2011)

Rating: 100/100 points (for courage, magic and immortality)
Price: Priceless (assuming provenance perfection)
Status: "Ultimate Trophy Wine " - the last great enigma of champagne collectors.