Tasting Notes
Vinous 97
The 2008 Dom Perignon Rose is magnificent. Rich and deep in the glass, the 2008 offers up an exotic melange of aromas and flavors. Sweet red cherry, mint, orange peel and rose petal all grace this beguiling beauty. Bright acids and a little less still red Pinot (21%) than in most recent editions yields a Rose that is delicate and light on its feet, with less of the vinous intensity that marked vintages such as 2006. There is a classic feeling of austerity in the 2018 that is mesmerizing. (Originally published in May 2021)
Anticipated maturity: 2026-2048
Richard Juhlin 96
Now you must take my tasting note with a pinch of salt as it is still a long way to go before launch. When we met in May 2021, the wine was a little too recently disgorged and disorderly without full harmony. However, undeniably a great wine with a monstrous and monumental structure where the champagne was deliberately drawn towards Burgundy in style. Hardly any detail is really in the right place yet, but everything is there in a beautiful chaos. Strikingly different from the white version from the same year which is lighter and more feminine classic in nature. Here in the rose, an almost barrel basic note of the smoke from a spring fire dominates together with notes of beetroot, orange nougat, figs and ripe strawberries in fine contrast with notes from the sea. Enormous force as a salt-sprinkled ocean with notes from the forest in the form of pine trees, jacaranda, teak and undergrowth. The acidity is monumental, as is the amount of chalky mineral, but still the senses are overflowing with rich cocky broad-shouldered and loud chords in all sorts of colorful splendor. Oh?,? how I long to to taste this colossus again when the edges have been sanded down a bit. Most of all, I long to see what Dom Perignon’s world class chefs pick up for food with this challenging wine next time I’m in Chateau Saran or Le Trianon on Avenue de Champagne.
JancisRobinson.com 17
Spring and summer were generally cool and overcast but the year was rescued by a beautiful September, but was it enough? Harvest began on 15 September. Red wines came from Champs de Linotte in Hautvillers (close to the seat of Dom P) and Vauzelles in Ay. First bottle: Pale to mid salmon pink (much deeper than a typical Provence rose). There’s some note that’s mineral or iodine or oyster shell on the nose of this. Then we segue into something floral – rose petals? even candied rose petals. This doesn’t have quite the substance and undertow of the 2012 and 2003 P2 reviewed alongside. Perhaps it will develop it, but this bottle seems a bit simple. I will open a back-up sample to check it out and ensure this is not a cork effect. There doesn’t seem to be any TCA on the nose but there is a slight shortage of fruit and no great follow-through on the palate. Second bottle: This bottle has more fruit on the palate but it still doesn’t have real zest and tension. And it rather falls away on the finish. Mind you 2008 was a very grey, cloudy year.
Anticipated maturity: 2022-2027
