Prestige champagne — the tete de cuvee bottles houses only make in their best years — is where champagne stops being a drink and becomes an occasion. Del Mesa Liquor, a family-owned store in San Diego, California, stocks the icons in depth: Cristal, Dom Perignon in three forms, and a California prestige cuvee for contrast, all in stock and available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor. With the holidays coming, these are also the bottles that anchor our gift sets season.
The icons
- Louis Roederer Cristal Brut 2008 1.5L — $1,999.99 (2 in stock). The legendary 2008 vintage — 60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay from seven grands crus, aged 8.5 years on its lees — in the magnum format that ages champagne best. A 100-point vintage in a 1.5L bottle.
- Dom Perignon Brut Champagne Limited Edition by Michael Riedel 2006 — $999.99 (5 in stock). The 2006 vintage — 51% Chardonnay, 49% Pinot Noir, eight years on its lees — in the German artist's limited-edition presentation box. Mature Dom Perignon, ready to drink tonight.
- Louis Roederer Cristal Brut Rose 2009 — $899.99 (2 in stock). Roederer's prestige rose from the sunny 2009 vintage: 55% Pinot Noir, 45% Chardonnay from grand cru vineyards in Ay, Avize and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, six years in the cellars before release.
- Dom Perignon P2 2004 — $649.99 (5 in stock). Dom Perignon at its second plenitude: the 2004 vintage after roughly fifteen years on its lees, about double the standard release — 62% Pinot Noir, 38% Chardonnay, all grand and premier cru fruit. Deeper, slower, more savoury.
The new arrival and the value seats
- Dom Perignon Brut Champagne Limited Edition by Damien Hirst 2018 — $329.99 (18 in stock). The 2018 vintage — from Dom Perignon's earliest-ever August harvest — dressed in Damien Hirst's Kaleidoscope artwork with a matching gift box. Our deepest-stocked prestige bottle this season, and the obvious holiday gift.
- Mumm Napa DVX Cuvee Champagne — $299.99 (2 in stock). Napa Valley's answer: Mumm Napa's tete de cuvee from Rutherford, California, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir made in the traditional method and named for founding winemaker Guy Devaux — berry, fig and cherry over biscuit and toast.
- Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial Limited Edition x Yoon Ahn — $99.99 (1 in stock). The AMBUSH designer's redesign of the Imperial bottle — the first artist collaboration in the maison's history — around the classic Moet Imperial Brut. One bottle left: a collector's piece at a party price.
Frequently asked questions
What is prestige champagne?
Prestige champagne (tete de cuvee) is each house's flagship bottling, made only from its best vineyards and, for vintage houses like Cristal and Dom Perignon, only in declared vintages. Every bottle above is a prestige cuvee.
What is the difference between Dom Perignon and Dom Perignon P2?
P2 is the same vintage held far longer on its lees before disgorgement — about fifteen years for the 2004 versus roughly half that for the standard release — which trades youthful fruit for depth, texture and savoury complexity.
Which champagne should I buy as a gift?
The Dom Perignon Hirst 2018 is the standout this season: a declared vintage in artist-designed packaging and gift box at $329.99. For a once-a-decade gesture, the Cristal 2008 magnum is the bottle. More ideas live in our gift sets collection.
Can I buy prestige champagne online and have it shipped?
Yes — these bottles are in stock and available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor for shipping where permitted; our FAQs cover delivery questions, and the full range sits in the champagne collection and the wider wine collection.
Champagne this good does not sit long through the holidays — browse the champagne collection or read more on the Del Mesa blog.