2015 Dom Perignon

There’s a certain mustiness on the nose here, and lots of greenness too – this is distinctive for unexpected reasons, and I’m not sure it is the finest example of Dom Pérignon. Could be a bottle-specific problem? (RH)

The 2015 Dom Perignon pours a bright straw/yellow color and is expressive and layered on the nose with a tropical profile in its notes of cantaloupe, peach, fresh pastry, smokey wet stones, and orange blossoms. Medium to full-bodied, it offers a rounded and ripe but very well-detailed feel, with a soft, chalky texture. This was a very successful vintage for Dom Perignon, producing wines that retain a great deal of clarity and detail in this warm vintage. Drink over the coming 20 years.

From the dry and hot year 2015, of course, the genius Vincent Chaperon manages to escape the vintage's excess clarity and shortcomings. With the world's largest quality vineyards in the mosaic, he and his team carefully balance and carefully consider every detail. Here, it is important to create balance and harmony with a higher percentage of mineral-driven and cooler locations as a cornerstone. The natural sweetness of the grapes also required a slightly lower dosage to preserve the clarity and evidence of each instrument's contribution to the well-tuned symphonic experience created. They should also be commended for not being tempted by the possibility of making a fully mature and generously matured wine from scratch, even though nightclubs and party-hungry consumers would surely have praised the wine even more if that was the case. No, here there is a nice restraint and mouth-watering mineral saltiness in the background throughout the taste journey. The aromas are intense with exquisite balance between roasted coffee and chocolate notes intertwined with lime and jasmine and both yellow and green showy juicy fruits. The natural fruit is impressive in its strength and purity, but I am probably most impressed by how clear the Dom Pérignon character is and how excited I am when I think about how nicely this vintage will also develop both in private cellars and in Épernay for to one day be presented in its most beautiful form under the P2 and P3 label. At the moment, I just have to recommend that you serve the champagne with a classic blini with sour cream and a spoonful of ultra black caviar. The saltiness of the caviar highlights the richness of detail in the champagne in an outstanding way.