1985 Dom Perignon Oenotheque (Disgorged 1999)

Drunk from a pristinely preserved original disgorgement, the 1985 Dom Pérignon is inviting and exuberant, bursting with aromas of apples, pears, buttered toast, orange oil, tarte tatin and smoke. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, ample and pillowy, with a generous core of fruit, ripe but racy acids and a refined mousse. This bottle ranked a step behind a sublime magnum of this cuvée's P3 rendition that I enjoyed earlier in the year, but it was nonetheless an exquisite Champagne. In both cases, the 1985 is in its prime, so now is a great time to open bottles.