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Dom Perignon 2012

Tasting Notes

The 2012 Dom Pérignon is a dense, powerful wine. I am almost shocked by its vinous intensity and raw, unbridled power. The 2012 reminds me of the 2003, but with more finesse and not quite as pushed. Mildew, rain and frost were challenges and resulted in low yields, something that was further compounded by warm, dry weather that concentrated the fruit even more. Those qualities result in a dense Dom Pérignon endowed with real phenolic intensity. It is one of the most reticent young Doms I can remember tasting, I wouldn’t even think of opening a bottle for at least a few years.

97
Antonio Galloni, vinous.com, March 2021

The 2012 Dom Pérignon has turned out very well indeed, unwinding in the glass with notes of Anjou pear, smoke, toasted nuts, freshly baked bread and crisp stone fruit. Medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, it's still tightly wound, its incipiently fleshy core of fruit framed by racy acids and chalky grip, complemented by a classy pinpoint mousse. A touch drier and a touch less reductive than the 2008 out of the gates, these two vintages are clearly destined to be compared for some time to come; but at this early stage, my instinct is that the 2012 will have the edge in the long term. 2023-2050

96+
William Kelley, Wine Advocate, September 2021

A bright and pale straw colour in the glass, this is smoky, fine and driven on the nose with layers of citrus curd, flint and toast. It feels very vibrant and youthful. The palate follows, with the drive and focus of fruit at the core that penetrates the creamy, persistent mousse. Layers of toasted brioche, petrichor and lemon peel come through as the core unwinds through the mid palate. There is such brilliant energy, tension and finesse here. Through to the finish there is a building silky texture, offering a generous mouthfeel despite the enduring vibrancy. Very long through to the finish, this is undoubtedly the best Dom Perignon since the remarkable 2008.

96
Farr Vintners, Farr Tasting, September 2021

Incredibly complex nose of dried green apples, grapefruit pith, preserved lemons, toast, oyster shells, cloves, sourdough, salted caramel and quince. Layered, refined and so sleek, with salty minerality and a toasty edge to the dried citrus. Structured and tense, yet elegant and almost endless. Drink or hold.

97
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, June 2022

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.

18.5+
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, May 2021

The 2012 Dom Pérignon is a brilliant wine in the making and seems likely to ultimately be judged one of the greatest vintages here in the last quarter century. According to Chef de Cave Vincent Chaperon, the wine is close to its ideal cépages of fifty percent each of chardonnay and pinot noir in 2012. The wine is quite a powerful vintage of Dom Pérignon, but with all of the customary elegance and structural chassis of the greatest vintages here and it remains a young wine, brimming with energy and superb depth. The bouquet wafts from the glass in a classic blend of lime, green apple, menthol, stony minerality, discreet botanical tones, gentle smokiness and a topnote of citrus peel. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, focused and complex, with a great core, superb mineral drive and grip, utterly refined mousse and a long, zesty and beautifully balanced finish. I love how the perfect ripeness of the 2012 vintage is seamlessly interwoven here with a superb girdle of acidity, great minerality and excellent purity, which will end up producing a legendary vintage of this wine. It is certainly approachable out of the blocks, but I would opt to tuck bottles away for at least eight to ten more years before starting to drink the 2012, as there is so much left here to still unfold. 2029-2075+.

98
John Gilman, View From the Cellar (93), June 2021

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.

97
Stuart Pigott, JamesSuckling.com, February 2022
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.