The short answer
No declared release of a Dom Perignon 1987 vintage appears in any record we can point to. The house of Moet & Chandon declares only years it judges worth a vintage, and skipped years are a normal part of the production cycle. The 1987 year does not appear in the public vintage archive of Dom Perignon, and our price database tracks no commercial release for it. Glass of Bubbly's guide to 1980s vintages calls 1987 a less than perfect harvest whose cooler, damp summer left a poor impression of its vintage potential. Collectors seeking bottles from this period can look to adjacent releases instead. The house declared vintages in 1985, which holds a critic average of 96.5 in this site's dataset, and in 1988, which holds a critic average of 93.5. If a bottle bearing 1987 on the label is offered, ask the seller for provenance and have it authenticated before paying.
Why no Dom Perignon 1987 vintage appears on record
No declared release of a Dom Perignon 1987 vintage appears in any record we can point to. The house operates under the principle that Dom Perignon is a vintage champagne crafted only from harvests that meet specific quality standards. When a growing season does not meet those benchmarks, the house skips the vintage, which is a normal occurrence in Champagne production.
The year 1987 does not appear in the public vintage archive of Dom Perignon, and our price database tracks no release for it. Rather than bottling a prestige cuvee every year, Moet & Chandon only declares vintages deemed capable of long ageing. In undeclared years, harvested grapes are typically blended into non-vintage cuvees across the region.
Prospective buyers searching for mature bottles from this era should note the absence of any documented 1987 declaration for standard Dom Perignon or Dom Perignon Rose. If you encounter an offer for this vintage, careful verification of provenance is essential.
Champagne weather conditions during the 1987 harvest
The 1987 growing season proved challenging across the Champagne region. Glass of Bubbly's guide to the decade calls it a less than perfect harvest, with a poor general impression of its vintage potential after a cooler and damp summer, and advises that the vintage is now past its best.
Summer brought overcast skies and limited sunshine.
Harvest took place late under cool conditions, with fruit struggling to reach high sugar concentrations. Because Dom Perignon requires optimal balance to support decades of maturation, undeclared years naturally occur under such conditions.
Better alternatives from the late 1980s
Collectors looking for late-1980s mature champagne have notable alternatives on either side of the 1987 season. A prominent option is Dom Perignon 1985, widely recognised as one of the finest champagnes of the decade. The 1985 release carries a critic average of 96.5 in our dataset, with a drinking window spanning 2024 to 2040.
The subsequent declared vintage was Dom Perignon 1988. The 1988 carries a critic average of 93.5. Decanter's Champagne vintage guide rates 1988 five out of five and calls its wines classically structured and concentrated, with sufficient acidity for long ageing.
Looking further back into the decade, Dom Perignon produced consecutive releases in 1982 and 1983. The 1982 vintage holds a critic average of 95.5, and the 1983 release one of 95.0. Moving into the next decade, Dom Perignon 1990 holds a critic average of 96.8, with merchants asking £363 a bottle. These declared years remain documented choices for collectors.
Authentication guidance on the secondary market
Because 1987 marks an important year for anniversaries and birthdays, bottles claiming this date occasionally surface on secondary markets. However, because no declared release appears in any public archive or price record, prospective buyers must exercise caution.
If a bottle with this year on the label is offered, ask the seller for provenance and have it authenticated before paying. Reliable fine wine merchants examine physical attributes such as label paper, foil capsules, and glass markings against verified reference specimens.
If you require a prestige wine for a 1987 commemoration, you might consider regions that enjoyed favourable harvests that year, such as parts of Bordeaux or Tuscany. For Dom Perignon itself, focusing on verified vintage years ensures documented provenance.
Common questions
Was there any Dom Perignon made in 1987?
No declared release of Dom Perignon from 1987 appears in the house's public vintage archive, and our database tracks no commercial release for that year.
Why did Moet & Chandon skip the 1987 vintage?
The house declares only years it judges worth a vintage, and skipped years are normal. Challenging weather throughout 1987 led producers across Champagne to use the harvest for non-vintage blends instead.
What is the closest vintage to 1987 available?
The closest documented releases are Dom Perignon 1985 and Dom Perignon 1988. In our dataset the 1985 holds a critic average of 96.5 and the 1988 one of 93.5.
What should buyers do if offered a 1987 bottle?
If a bottle with 1987 on the label is offered, ask the seller for provenance and have it authenticated before paying, because no declared release is on record.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Dom Perignon (wine), released vintages, checked 2026-09-29
- Decanter champagne vintage guide, checked 2026-08-20
- Glass of Bubbly, Champagne vintage years of the 1980s, 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.