2012 Dom Perignon

The 2012 vintage has a great reputation but it surmounted all sorts of challenges: frost in winter and spring, torrential rains, hailstorms and cold spells while the vines were flowering, plus intense heatwaves during the summer – but at least these last left the grapes healthy. Harvest stretched from 10 to 26 September. As usual, they are tight-lipped about the exact composition of the blend. Classic lemon-zest and tension nose that I associate with Dom Pérignon, but with extra weight and depth. And quite marked phenolics on the end which suggest this will have a remarkably long life. And, as Vincent Chaperon readily admitted, will definitely show up as a P2 star. Clean and neat and with light smokiness on the finish. Dom P always plays the reduction card. Hugely impressive persistence. Still a baby.

Wonderful elegance and balance to this Dom Pérignon with cooked apple, lemon and hints of white pepper and salt. It’s medium-bodied with really fine bubbles and balance. Spicy at the end. So wonderfully fresh, linear and long. Racy and elegant. A DP that invites to drink right now. All about finesse. Tension, too, with precise phenolics and bright acidity on the back palate. Subtle energy. Drinkable now, but will develop beautifully in the bottle.

I had the privilege of tasting the new Dom Pérignon with Vincent Chaperon six months before the official launch. Of course, it is then important to point out that the edges of the champagne will have become a little rounder and softer when you take on yet another classic Dom Pérignon. What I encounter is nothing less than an architectural masterpiece where I am glad that Richard Geoffroy and Vincent were not tempted to create a more accessible delicious nightclub wine but dared to make a wine that will require additional storage in one´s own cellar if you want to enjoy the maximum of its merits. Such a decision is never easy as most of the wonderful bottles of Dom Pérignon are unfortunately drunk by party goers who are more interested in image than in the true greatness of the wine. The winemakers have worked with the vintage's contrasts and extremes and let nerve and excitement have full freedom. Today, the wine is a bit unredeemed and compact like a nervous explosive sprinter waiting for the starting shot in the starting block. The dosage is moderate to add clarity and sharpness to the contrasting flavors. The mousse is nervous and energetic and shows very clearly its role as an aroma carrier of spices and chalky minerals when they crack against the palate and pass the rear nasal passage and give the taste a tickling depth via its inner scent signals. Some of the contrast stems from the high acidity of the cold weather and is somewhat reminiscent of 1996 where the phenolic maturity was not particularly high and provided space for the roasted and mineral-driven secondary aromas. At the same time, there is a roundness without direct creaminess. To create this contrasting symphony, the winemakers used an even higher proportion of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Aÿ and Chouilly than usual, as these vineyards were particularly successful this year. An extremely interesting wine that will be drunk far too early, as I predict that the quality peak will appear after 2030. If you drink up all your bottles too early, you can take comfort in the fact that the wine will be even better and deeper with all the features retained under the Plénitude 2 label.