Dom Pérignon : Vintage 2012

What a magnificent bouquet for this Dom Pérignon 2012! Pastry, a hint of smoke and classic brioche notes provide a compelling counterpart to eager yet elegant aromas of citrus (lime, tangerine and kumquat) joined by those of fresh fruit, herbs, liquorice and menthol. There is even a refreshing note of ivy. The palate is tense, vibrant and very fresh despite its impressive density, which meets its match with an unending finish. This 2012 embodies the very essence of Dom Pérignon with such a concentrated degree of intensity, along with a capacity for ageing that it is surely destined for a second life in a P2 edition.

Once again, the 2012 Dom Pérignon is stellar. It's a potent, tightly-wound Champagne. That should serve it well in the future, but today, the 2012 is not terribly expressive. Time in the glass brings out striking aromatic top notes and plenty of energy to match. Low yields, down 30-40%, produced a wild, dynamic Champagne endowed with tremendous character. It's an exceptional Champagne from a year marked by frost, hail, mildew, oidium and botrytis. Pretty much everything, in other words.

Bright straw colour with a green hue and vivid fine bubbles. Fine toast with roasted nuts, nougat, lemongrass, lime, ripe peach, yellow plum and fresh brioche. The palate is distinct and mouthwatering with an invigorating acidity, mild creaminess, warm and ripe with generous stone fruit flavours, a slight nuttiness, pistachio and almond with an intense, fresh and persistent finish. Still youthful but a tremendous potential.

The estate’s appealing toasty reduction is still there. The style feels a bit tight, with a noble austerity. The wine remains constricted by a dense, tight-knit structure and lacks some mid-palate richness. We’ll be banking on time to let this wine loosen up. The wine has closed down compared to last year.