The short answer
The most recent recorded sale of Dom Perignon 1982 in our data was £400 a bottle in November 2024.
Dom Perignon 1982 represents one of the most celebrated Champagne releases from the early 1980s. The vintage holds a critic average of 95.5 across 2 published reviews, while Essi Avellan MW rates the 1982 Champagne harvest five stars out of five in her vintage guide. The vintage has traded in 7 months of our recorded history, and drinkers have submitted 139 drinker ratings over decades of cellaring. Produced by Moet & Chandon under optimal summer ripening conditions, the 1982 cuvee achieved a rare balance between high yields and structural intensity. While high-yielding vintages often risk dilution, the 1982 harvest delivered both abundance and profound concentration. Decanter's Champagne vintage guide rates 1982 five out of five, calling it an exceptionally fine, rich vintage and one of the largest crops on record. Within the wider canon of mature Champagne, the bottle stands beside legendary releases such as the 1985 vintage, with a critic average of 96.5, and the 1983 vintage, with 95.0.
Critical evaluation and scoring profile for Dom Perignon 1982
Dom Perignon 1982 ranks among the benchmark prestige cuvees of the twentieth century. In our database, the vintage holds a critic average of 95.5 across 2 published reviews. Drinkers give it an average of 93.8 across 139 drinker ratings. Drinker notes highlight the cuvee's preserved freshness, tertiary complexity, and persistent mousse.
Essi Avellan MW rates the 1982 Champagne harvest five stars out of five, calling it near perfect, with an ideal growing season and one of the most generous yields in the history of Champagne. While high-yielding vintages often risk dilution, the 1982 harvest delivered both abundance and profound concentration. Moet & Chandon selected fruit across premier and grand cru parcels to assemble a cuvee capable of decades-long bottle maturation.
Comparing the release against adjacent years puts it in context. The subsequent 1983 vintage holds a critic average of 95.0, and the 1985 holds 96.5. Earlier, the 1978 vintage holds 90.0 and the 1976 holds 94.0.
Growing season conditions of the 1982 harvest
The 1982 viticultural year in Champagne was defined by near-flawless weather patterns from flowering through picking. Decanter's vintage guide records that a cold and frosty winter gave way to a coolish spring and ideal flowering conditions in June, and Avellan notes very little climatic trouble across the season.
Summer delivered consistent warmth and adequate sunshine without oppressive heatwaves. This steady progression preserved essential malic and tartaric acidity while ensuring full phenolic ripeness in the grapes. Avellan dates the start of picking to 17 September and notes that the weather stayed favourable until early October, while Decanter records that mid-September showers helped the ripe grapes achieve near-perfection.
The resulting wines displayed immediate charm combined with the structural architecture required for extended cellar ageing. While many producers produced generous quantities, Dom Perignon maintained strict selection standards, directing only the purest must into the final assemblage.
Market position and secondary trade activity
In secondary fine wine markets, mature vintages of prestige Champagne occupy a specialised niche. Dom Perignon 1982 has traded in 7 months of our recorded history, and last traded at £400 a bottle in November 2024. Private collectors seek fully matured library stock through international merchant channels and auction houses.
Acquiring original disgorgements of 1982 requires meticulous verification of provenance. Bottles stored continuously in temperature-controlled environments retain precision, whereas poorly handled stock risks accelerated oxidation and loss of effervescence.
Maturity status and tasting profile
Four decades after harvest, Dom Perignon 1982 operates in its peak tertiary maturity phase. Decanter's Champagne vintage guide rates 1982 five out of five, calling it an exceptionally fine, rich vintage and one of the largest crops on record.
Unlike younger releases such as the 2018 or the 2012 vintage, the 1982 vintage has completed its primary development. Well-stored bottles continue to offer drinking pleasure, but the wine should be consumed rather than laid down for prolonged future cellaring.
To experience the bottle at its best, serve at cellar temperature between 10 and 12 degrees Celsius. Avoid overly narrow flutes, opting instead for a wider white wine glass to permit the complex aromatic bouquet to open fully.
Common questions
What is the average critic score for Dom Perignon 1982?
Dom Perignon 1982 holds a critic average of 95.5 based on 2 published reviews from leading professional critics.
How did critics rate the 1982 Champagne harvest?
Essi Avellan MW rates 1982 five stars out of five, noting that all three varieties were successful and the Chardonnays particularly fine. Decanter's Champagne vintage guide also rates it five out of five, calling it an exceptionally fine, rich vintage.
Is Dom Perignon 1982 still good to drink?
Yes, well-stored bottles with solid provenance remain excellent to drink, offering rich tertiary notes of toast, dried fruit, and honey, though they should be enjoyed soon rather than cellared long term.
How does 1982 compare to other mature Dom Perignon vintages?
Dom Perignon 1982 holds a critic average of 95.5. In our dataset the 1983 holds 95.0, the 1976 94.0 and the 1985 96.5.
Sources
- Decanter Champagne vintage guide, checked 2026-09-29
- The Finest Bubble, Champagne Vintage Guide by Essi Avellan MW, checked 2026-09-30
By WineExperts. First published , last updated . Figures from our tracked merchant prices and recorded sales; text prepared with AI assistance and checked against the sources listed above.