2002 &amp; 2004 Dom
Pérignon

BY ANTONIO GALLONI |&nbsp;DECEMBER 19, 2022A recent family gathering provided a great opportunity to
check in on two of my favorite Dom Pérignons.

I remember the first time I tasted the 2002 Dom Pérignon
with then-Chef de Caves Richard Geoffroy at Hautvillers. It was the upcoming
release at the time. As was his custom, Geoffroy served the 2002 in a flight
that included a number of previous releases. The bouquet was immediately
stunning for its audacity. I had never tasted anything like it. Two
thousand-two was a year marked by extreme ripeness in the Chardonnays, and that
opulence has always been a big part of the wine’s profile. Today, what strikes
me most about the 2002 is its timelessness. That youthful opulence remains, yet
the 2002 is still vibrant, almost shocking in its freshness. Apricot, ripe
peach, tangerine oil, butter and dried flowers all build towards a captivating
crescendo of aromas and flavors that saturates the finish. Readers can look forward
to another two decades of exceptional drinking. 98/Drink 2022-2042.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1671215226640-CF_December192022.jpeg">The 2004 Dom Pérignon is a totally different beast.
It is the product of a very long and cool growing season marked by heavy summer
rains in some sectors of the region and then ideal conditions through to
harvest. After a brutally torrid 2003, the vines responded by setting a huge
crop. In fact, 2004 remains the most abundant vintage in the history of
Champagne. The best wines, though, well, they have always impressed with their
laser-like cut and focus. That’s exactly what comes through in the 2004 Dom
Pérignon. Tasted from magnum, the 2004 shows all the linear energy and
crystalline precision of the year, but with that extra magic that comes from
fermentation and longer aging in the big bottle. The 2004 has long been one of
my favorite Dom Pérignons. From magnum, it is especially captivating. 98/Drink
2022-2042. <div></div>© 2022, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism.

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