Über Champagne Dom Pérignon Vintage 2008
Dom Pérignon, die Champagner-Legende von Moet & Chandon! Ein großer Wein von
beeindruckender Komplexität und Langlebigkeit.
Das Bouquet entfaltet sich
zunächst mit Noten von Guave und würzig grünen Grapefruit-Zesten, welche sich
mit Steinfruchtaromen von weißen Pfirsichen und Nektarinen verbinden. Diese
werden durch Aromen von holziger Vanille und leicht getoastetem Brioche
abgerundet. Die Trauben haben eine beeindruckende Reife, Fruchtigkeit und Tiefe.
Der starke Eindruck von Beständigkeit übertrifft den Nuancenreichtum und eine
gewisse Sinnlichkeit. Die Kraft des Weines ist bemerkenswert zurückhaltend. Am
Ende laufen die verschiedenen Geschmacksnoten – seidig, salzig, saftig, bitter
und jodhaltig – in einem langen Abgang zusammen.
Robert Parker´s THE WINE ADVOCATE: "
The finest release of this iconic cuvée since the 1996 vintage, the 2008 Dom
Pérignon wafts from the glass with an incipiently complex bouquet of Meyer
lemon, green apple, dried white flowers and oyster shell, with only subtle hints
of the smoky, autolytic aromas that have been such a prominent signature of
recent releases. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, deep and
complete, its notable flesh and amplitude controlled by incisive acids, with a
youthfully exuberant but elegant mousse and a long, beautifully delineated
finish. Considering the sheer size of this cuvée, it's a remarkable achievement
and a fitting release with which to conclude Richard Geoffroy's tenure as chef
de cave. Given the 2008's intensity and balance, I suspect purists will be
anticipating later disgorgements with lower dosage and more time on the lees
with particular enthusiasm. Tasted three times, with consistent results.
The
eagerly anticipated 2008 Dom Pérignon was at last released at the end of 2018,
and happily, I had the chance to taste it with the charismatic outgoing Chef de
Caves, Richard Geoffroy, at an event in Beaune. I subsequently retasted the wine
several times at my office in the United States. As the release of this vintage
marks Geoffroy's retirement—effective January 1, 2019—after 28 years with Dom
Pérignon, it also marks an important event in Dom Pérignon's history,
commemorated by a special label. It's fair to say that Geoffroy's tenure has
transformed this cuvée, and what he has achieved is certainly impressive. Since
2003, which few Champagne houses declared as a vintage and which Geoffroy made
waves by opting to release, Dom Pérignon has been produced in every year with
the sole exception of 2007, reflecting a decision to embrace the personality of
each vintage more wholeheartedly. While cynics might observe that this decision
has obvious commercial appeal, the wines have largely justified it—even if some
vintages are obviously stronger than others. Geoffroy has also sought to pick
riper fruit, harvesting late by the standards of the region in pursuit of more
mature grapes. Especially for a cuvée of this size (production is confidential,
but most estimates land north of five million bottles), that's decidedly
unusual, reflecting an admirable willingness to take risks in pursuit of
quality. Dom Pérignon today delivers more flesh, vinosity and texture than it
did two decades ago. To my palate, the wine would be even more exciting if those
qualities, admirable in themselves, could be married with greater energy and
incisiveness—and perhaps slightly lower dosage—but that's likely an unreasonable
counsel of perfection at this scale. Geoffroy's successor, Vincent Chaperon, has
worked with his predecessor for the last 13 years, and it will be exciting to
follow Dom Pérignon's evolution under his direction. In any case, the 2008 is
unlikely to disappoint readers, as this ripe but racy vintage has synergized
beautifully with the Dom Pérignon style. As readers will know, winemaking here
is quite reductive, with the vins clairs vinified in stainless steel on the lees
with full malolactic fermentation, followed by bottling and eight to ten years
sur lattes before the first disgorgement. Yet the 2008 is less overtly autolytic
and reductive in style out of the gates than the last handful of Dom Pérignon
releases. Geoffroy's perception of the 2008 vintage is very much linked to
reflection on the 1996 vintage, a heralded year that he feels was generally
picked prematurely, before the fruit had attained full phenolic development. And
while the 1996 Dom Pérignon is one of several undeniably superb wines produced
in that year, Geoffroy's observation does appear to be supported by the
disappointing evolution of more than a few 1996s today. With the similarly
styled 2008 vintage, the Dom Pérignon team therefore sought riper grapes, and
the wine is clearly richer and—as Geoffroy puts it—more muscular than the 1996,
though cut from similar cloth. To my palate, it's also the finest Dom Pérignon
since the 1996, displaying a racier, more lively profile than the 2002, and it
should be a very promising candidate for extended bottle age. In addition to my
tasting note on the 2008, I've also taken this opportunity to publish a couple
of recent notes on later disgorgements of Dom Pérignon and Dom Pérignon Rosé.
