2003 Dom Pérignon

The 2003 Dom Pérignon is maturing very gracefully in bottle, wafting from the glass with aromas of smoke, bread dough, waxy lemon rind and confit citrus. On the palate, the wine is ample, vinous and full-bodied but retains excellent definition, and it's structured around chewy dry extract from mature skins, which compensates for its comparative lack of acidity. It will be interesting to follow its evolution over the coming decade.

Richard Geoffroy is particularly fond and defensive of this because so few people managed a fine wine in this heatwave vintage and he describes it as ‘a triumph of winemaking! Most exhilarating and satisfying. And it really created a team spirit that has continued to this day’. Yield was only 20 hl/ha. He admits it was released too early. ‘Wait for P2 2003!’ he assures us. Much less expressive nose than the 2004 so I suggested people tasted it beforehand so that it would not be overwhelmed by the 2004. Great tension. There was some suggestion of a dry spice – a hint of a cinnamon stick. Great balance. It just falls away a little on the end. (JR)

Racy and lacy and confident. Bit of bite and not as long as some but perfectly creditable. Quite sweet and not the longest but very far from a failed Dom. (JR)