The short answer
The most recent recorded sale of Dom Perignon 1988 in our data was £308 a bottle in November 2019.
Dom Perignon 1988 stands as an austere, structured release from a harvest defined across the Champagne region by high natural acidity and extended hang time. Essi Avellan MW and Decanter's Champagne vintage guide both rate the 1988 harvest five out of five, and Dom Perignon 1988 holds a critic average of 93.5 across 6 published reviews, alongside 122 drinker ratings. The cuvee presents a distinct structural contrast to riper neighbouring years such as 1982, with a critic average of 95.5, and 1985, with 96.5. Produced by Moet & Chandon, the 1988 blend balances Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with a pronounced mineral spine that required decades in bottle to soften and integrate. The vintage has traded in 3 months of our recorded history, and collectors value the cuvee for its tension and structural longevity rather than immediate fruit generosity, making it an essential reference for classic cool-climate Champagne.
The 1988 growing season in Champagne
The release of Dom Perignon 1988 came from one of the most distinctive viticultural campaigns in modern Champagne history. Decanter's Champagne vintage guide rates 1988 five out of five: a mild spring, a cloudy July and some heavy rain in mid-September, yet classically structured, concentrated wines with sufficient acidity for long ageing.
Essi Avellan MW, who rates the year five stars out of five, records an average of 9.6 g/l acidity at harvest, a balance she characterises as taut, giving Moet & Chandon the raw materials for a cuvee built on linear precision. Unlike the immediate generosity seen in warmer years, the 1988 dom perignon champagne required extended time on the lees to harmonise its firm acid backbone.
Critical scores for Dom Perignon 1988
Professional appraisal of the cuvee reflects its austere profile. Dom Perignon 1988 holds a critic average of 93.5 across 6 published reviews. Adjacent classic vintages from the decade include the 1982, with 95.5, the 1983, with 95.0, and the 1985, with 96.5.
Decanter's champagne vintage guide rates 1988 a keep vintage, describing classically structured, concentrated wines with sufficient acidity for long ageing. Drinkers in our dataset give it an average of 93.6 across 122 drinker ratings. The wine shows persistent tension, chalky minerality, and secondary savoury depth that emerged only after twenty years of bottle maturation.
Profile and market standing
The cuvee dom perignon 1988 represents a collector staple within mature prestige Champagne categories. The 1988 has traded in 3 months of our recorded history, and last traded at £308 a bottle in November 2019. Private cellars seek late-disgorged or original-release bottles with documented provenance. Buyers searching for dom perignon 1988 price points encounter a tight secondary supply compared to more abundant recent declarations.
Mature vintages like 1988 occupy a specific niche in the secondary market. The 1988 remains prized by purists specifically for its classic proportions and lack of overt sweetness. For reference, the 1990 holds a critic average of 96.8 with merchants asking £363 a bottle, and the 1996 holds 96.3 with merchants asking £355 a bottle (including duty and VAT where stated).
Drinking window and maturation trajectory
Dom Perignon 1988 has moved firmly into its peak maturity window. The 1988 cuvee is at full tertiary complexity today. For comparison, the 1985 carries a drinking window of 2024 to 2040. Bottles kept in pristine, temperature-controlled cellars continue to hold their structure due to the vintage's formidable acidity.
Collectors opening original disgorgements should anticipate aromas of toasted brioche, dried citrus peel, and crushed stone. Drinkers seeking pristine fruit freshness may prefer modern releases like 2015 or 2008, but the 1988 remains an uncompromising example of historic cool-climate winemaking.
Common questions
What is the average critic score for Dom Perignon 1988?
Dom Perignon 1988 holds a critic average of 93.5 across 6 published reviews. Our dataset also holds 122 drinker ratings.
Is Dom Perignon 1988 still good to drink?
Yes. Dom Perignon 1988 is currently at peak maturity. Because the 1988 harvest had exceptionally high natural acidity, well-stored bottles retain clarity, effervescence, and structure.
How did critics rate the 1988 Champagne harvest?
Essi Avellan MW rates 1988 five stars out of five, describing a late, rainy season with a good yield and perfect acidity. Decanter's Champagne vintage guide also rates it five out of five.
How does 1988 compare to other 1980s Dom Perignon vintages?
Dom Perignon 1988 holds a critic average of 93.5. The 1982 holds 95.5, the 1983 95.0 and the 1985 96.5. Decanter's vintage guide describes the 1988s as classic wines characterised by their backbone and slight austerity.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Dom Perignon (wine), released vintages, checked 2026-09-29
- Decanter Champagne Vintage Guide, checked 2026-08-20
- 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.