Some wines arrive as a sensory experience. Dom Pérignon × Takashi Murakami 2015 arrives as a cultural moment. This limited-edition collaboration merges one of Champagne's most storied houses with Japan's most recognisable contemporary artist — and the result is unlike anything else in the cellar. But beyond the eye-catching packaging lies a world-class vintage Champagne that deserves to be celebrated for its quality just as much as its artistry.
At Winemore in Chadstone, Melbourne, we stock this extraordinary release for collectors and enthusiasts alike. Here's everything you need to know about the 2015 vintage, the Murakami collaboration, and why this bottle belongs in your collection — or on your table.
Who Is Takashi Murakami?
Takashi Murakami is one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed artists of his generation. Born in Tokyo in 1962, Murakami is best known for his "Superflat" aesthetic — a visual language that draws on manga, anime, traditional Japanese painting, and Western pop art. His signature motifs — smiling flowers, skulls, psychedelic gradients — have appeared on Louis Vuitton bags, Kanye West album covers, and the walls of major international galleries from New York to Paris.
Murakami's partnership with Dom Pérignon is not his first foray into luxury collaboration, but it may be his most fitting. Both artist and maison share an obsession with craft, pleasure, and the relentless pursuit of perfection. The 2015 collaboration features Murakami's iconic multicoloured flower motif wrapping the bottle and its outer packaging in a riot of joyful, collectible art. It is, in every sense, a bottle designed to be noticed.
About the Dom Pérignon 2015 Vintage
Dom Pérignon is only ever produced in the finest vintages — no non-vintage release exists under this label. When 2015 was declared, it was already generating significant excitement. The season in Champagne was warm and dry, with a summer that provided outstanding physiological ripeness while preserving the natural acidity that great Champagne demands.
The harvest was early by Champagne standards — grapes were picked in ideal condition with concentrated flavour and freshness intact. Chef de Cave Vincent Chaperon, who succeeded the legendary Richard Geoffroy in 2018, has described 2015 as a vintage of "solar radiance" — opulent yet disciplined, generous yet precise. It is a vintage that rewards those who open it now but will equally reward patience.
Blend Composition
Like all Dom Pérignon, the 2015 is a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir sourced from across Champagne's finest Grand Cru villages. The exact percentages are never disclosed — part of the mystique that surrounds this house — but tasters consistently note the Chardonnay's contribution to the wine's bright citrus backbone and the Pinot Noir's role in delivering body and red fruit complexity. The interplay between these two varieties is what makes Dom Pérignon, vintage after vintage, a wine of such compelling duality.
Dosage and Style
Dom Pérignon is produced as a Brut style with a low dosage (typically 6–7 g/L), allowing the wine's natural character to shine without sweetness masking its precision. This makes it one of the most food-versatile prestige Champagnes on the market — refined enough for delicate raw seafood, rich enough to stand alongside complex cream-based dishes.
Tasting Notes: Dom Pérignon 2015
On the nose, the 2015 opens with an immediate sense of warmth and luminosity. White peach, ripe citrus zest, fresh brioche, and a waft of toasted almonds lead the way. There is an underlying minerality — chalky and flinty, distinctly Champenois — that grounds the wine's natural opulence without restraining it.
The palate is full and generous without being heavy. Flavours of white nectarine, preserved lemon, hazelnut cream, and a subtle floral note (orange blossom, acacia) unfold across a silky, medium-weight frame. The bead is fine and extraordinarily persistent, and the finish carries a saline, almost oyster-shell quality that lingers with grace.
Compared to the leaner, more austere 2012 vintage, the 2015 is more immediately approachable — yet it has the structure and concentration to age magnificently for another 20-plus years. Collectors purchasing multiple bottles would do well to open the first now and cellar the rest, watching this wine evolve through what Dom Pérignon calls its "Plenitudes."
Food Pairing: What to Serve with Dom Pérignon 2015
Dom Pérignon's richness and complexity mean it can hold its own against a wider range of food than most Champagnes. Here are our recommended pairings:
- Fresh Sydney Rock Oysters — The wine's saline minerality echoes the oyster's brine, creating a seamless pairing that is as classic as it gets.
- Butter-poached lobster or Moreton Bay bug tails — The richness of shellfish requires a wine with real structure; the 2015 delivers it in spades.
- Aged Comté or Gruyère — Nutty, complex hard cheeses align beautifully with the toasty, hazelnut-driven notes in this wine.
- Crispy-skin barramundi with lemon beurre blanc — Delicate fish with a citrus-butter sauce mirrors the wine's flavour profile with elegant precision.
- Premium sashimi or sea urchin (uni) — If you want to lean into the Murakami aesthetic with a nod to Japanese cuisine, uni with a glass of 2015 Dom Pérignon is an unforgettable experience.
- On its own — This Champagne is magnificent without food. Pour it into the finest tulip glass you own, sit somewhere quiet, and pay close attention.
Collecting vs Drinking: Should You Hold or Open?
Dom Pérignon ages in a way that few other Champagnes can match. The house describes this evolution in terms of "Plenitudes" — distinct phases where the wine reveals an entirely different face. The first Plenitude, accessible now, offers brilliant, vibrant fruit and precision at its youthful peak. The second Plenitude (typically 15–20 years after harvest) brings greater depth, complexity, and an almost meditative quality. The third, for the most patient collectors, offers a tertiary richness that is extraordinary.
For the Murakami edition specifically, the collectible dimension is significant. Limited-edition Dom Pérignon artist collaborations — Keith Haring, Jeff Koons, Lady Gaga, Lenny Kravitz — have commanded substantial premiums at international wine auctions. The 2015 Murakami edition is already appearing at auction globally and is likely to appreciate as stocks dwindle.
Our advice: if you are buying two bottles, drink one now and store the other horizontally in a temperature-controlled environment (12–14°C). If buying one, the decision is entirely yours — and whichever path you choose, you will not regret it.
How to Store and Serve Dom Pérignon
Proper storage preserves everything that makes this wine exceptional:
- Temperature: 10–14°C, consistent — avoid temperature fluctuations
- Humidity: 70–85% to keep the cork supple and prevent premature oxidation
- Light: Store away from direct light, especially ultraviolet
- Position: Horizontal, or at a slight downward angle
- Serving temperature: Chill to 8–10°C before opening — not ice cold
When opening, remove the foil and cage, then twist the bottle (not the cork) slowly with one hand while gently easing the cork with the other. A whisper — not a pop — is the mark of the experienced pourer.
Explore More from Winemore's Wine Journal
If this article has sparked your interest in fine wine and the stories behind exceptional bottles, explore more from the Winemore Wine Journal:
- Australian Shiraz vs French Syrah: Same Grape, Completely Different Personality
- Beyond Chablis: Discover the True Depth of White Burgundy
- Burgundy: Where Should You Start?
Frequently Asked Questions
How is the Dom Pérignon × Takashi Murakami 2015 different from regular Dom Pérignon 2015?
The wine inside is identical — the same 2015 vintage Dom Pérignon Brut Champagne. What differs is the packaging: the Murakami edition features the artist's signature multicoloured flower motif on both the bottle and outer gift box, making it a highly collectible limited-edition release with significant secondary market interest.
Is Dom Pérignon 2015 a good vintage?
Yes — 2015 is considered an outstanding vintage for Champagne. A warm, dry growing season produced concentrated, ripe fruit while preserving the acidity that great Champagne demands. Critics and collectors regard it as immediately approachable but equally capable of long-term evolution over 20-plus years.
Can I cellar Dom Pérignon 2015 for 10–20 years?
Absolutely. Dom Pérignon is among the most age-worthy Champagnes produced anywhere in the world. The 2015 vintage's structure and concentration suggest it will evolve beautifully across multiple decades. Store at 12–14°C in a dark, vibration-free environment with consistent humidity.
Is the Murakami edition a good wine investment?
Limited-edition Dom Pérignon artist collaborations have historically performed well at auction globally. The combination of an acclaimed vintage and blue-chip artist provenance makes the Murakami edition one of the more compelling fine wine collectibles of recent years. That said, all wine investment carries risk, and the best return is always drinking it at peak condition.
What glassware should I use for Dom Pérignon?
A tulip-shaped Champagne glass — not a coupe or narrow flute — allows the wine's aromas to develop fully while concentrating the bead. High-quality crystal from Riedel, Zalto, or Spiegelau makes a genuine difference with a wine of this calibre.
Written by the Winemore team — Melbourne specialists in fine and rare wine, based in Chadstone.