Chardonnay Wine

Expert Review - Vintage 2021

Decanter 94 Points | Consistently among the top wines in the appellation for me this was particularly successful in 2021. The fruit character blends the citrus and the tropical with notes of lime gooseberry and passion fruit alongside tarragon clove and smoke. The texture is dense and concentrated yet the wine is exquisitely balanced and never seems heavy. It is produced from a 0.5ha plot of 100-year-old vines near the top of the slope. A touchstone for Chassagne. (Drink between 2025-2040)

Winemaker Description 

The Ramonet estate is one of the legendary estates of the Côte de Beaune. The grandfather, Pierre Ramonet, a talented winemaker, already sold his wines across the Atlantic before World War II and in French starred restaurants. Noël and Jean-Claude Ramonet continued his work, while putting the terroirs in the right direction thanks to better control of yields.

The two brothers come and separated, by mutual agreement. Noël just wants to work his vines and deliver his grapes to his brother Jean-Claude who will be in charge of winemaking and marketing. For wine lovers from this world famous estate, there will be no change. Just two labels, that of the Ramonet estate and that of the Jean-Claude Ramonet wine merchant. Jean-Claude will also take care of part of the vineyards of the Girardin estate, bought by the Bordeaux resident Philippe Capdouze, founder of Ficofi (an ultra-select club for the sale of great wines). Its whites remain a benchmark in Burgundy.

Expert Review - Vintage 2021 

Charles Curtis, MW of Decanter Magazine 96 Points | In 2021 the domaine protected this site above all from frost but still lost half their crop despite being surrounded by the also well-protected vines of Domaine Leflaive. Accessible almost even now the aromas of green apple and passionfruit coconut butter and baking spice are almost opening even now. There is a lovely freshness and silky texture yet this is a powerful wine with impressive length and density at the end. This should open in five years and continue to improve for at least twenty-five more. (Drink between 2027-2050).

Winemaker Description 

The color of the wine is light yellow. It is an expressive wine with attractive aromas of pineapple, citrus, and vanilla. This elegant wine is balanced with an attractive acidity and a long, memorable finish.

Winemaker Description 

A brilliant wine packed full of tropical and stone fruit flavors balanced with oak and vanilla complexity that leads to a long and luscious finish. Dry, crisp, and delicious wine, with notes of pineapple, citrus, and a smooth oaky vanilla finish.

Cline Family Cellars is a family-owned and operated winery founded by Fred and Nancy Cline in 1982 in Oakley, CA. The winery facilities were relocated in 1991 to the Sonoma Valley, on a 350-acre estate in the Carneros district. The Cline winery and vineyards are built on a foundation of deeply rooted respect for the land and love of winemaking. Recognized for its rich portfolio of wines, Cline is one of the pioneers of California’s Rhone Rangers movement, and the largest holder of 100+ year-old-vine vineyards in California.-Winery Notes

Our Professional Review

Bart of 67Wine.com writes | Beautifully sculpted and finely detailed, this delicious village white Burgundy has a terrific bouquet of white orchard fruits, wildflowers and lemon zest. There is lovely mouth presence with layers of flavor highlighted with mineral complexity and perfectly balanced acidity. This is a wine that presents itself in the glass with elegance and sophistication, and will accompany fine dining gracefully with finesse and savoir faire!

Winemaker Description 

Tasting note

Aromas of hawthorn, acacia which evolve with age to ambre, honey and spices. A harmonious and pleasant body on the palate.
Food pairings

Ideal with the pastas and risottos with seafood, the cheeses such as the blue cheeses.

Winemaker Description 

Hahn SLH Chardonnay greets the nose with citrus, stone fruit and hints of banana and vanilla. A viscous mouthfeel with welcoming acidity that showcases stone fruits, citrus and hints of apple and spices.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2020

The  Wine Advocate 94 Points | Saline and graphite give way to baked apples, acacia and yogurty aromas on the 2020 Chardonnay La Rinconada Vineyard. Medium-bodied with a gentle phenolic grip, it offers bursts of refreshing acidity, mineral-driven flavors and a long, elegant finish.

Jeb Dunnuck 93 Points | Brought up in 25% new French oak, the 2020 Chardonnay La Rinconada Vineyard sports a light gold hue as well as a great nose of ripe green apple, honeyed flowers, and toasted bread. It's medium-bodied, bright, and vibrant on the palate, with a chiseled, focused style that's going to age gracefully.

Wine Spectator 90 Points | Crisp, sleek and polished, with fresh and crisp notes of orange blossoms, lemon bar, candied ginger and lime sherbet. A toasted, salted hazelnut accent emerges on the finish. Drink now. 389 cases made.

Winemaker Description 

Aromas of citrus, toasted hazelnut and white flowers. Very expressive, displaying lemon confit and wet rocks while a touch of hazelnut adds charm. A full palate balanced by crisp acidity, bright, detailed and nuanced, this wine has a lot going on aromatically, while the minerally stone fruits on the palate are racy with a long finish.

Winemaker Description 

100% Chardonnay from Grand Cru locations Cramant, Chouilly and Le Mesnil sur Oger.

Fresh and elegant blanc de blancs with hints of lemon, apples, grapefruit, brioche, white flowers and a seductive creaminess.

Pneumatic press, fermentation in thermo-controlled steel tanks. A portion of Prestige Brut ferments in 90 hl large French oak barrels. After vinification and storage, the wine is allowed to rest for three years on lees in the bottle before disgorging.

The wine consists of two vintages and 15% of the blend consists of perpetual reserve. The reserve for the wine is now of vintages from 2009 to 2017.

The wine has been aged for 36 months on lees in the bottle.

Pair with fish and shellfish are also excellent with the roe pizza.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2021

Wine & Spirits Magazine 94 Points | This profound and powerful Chardonnay exhibits a rich, complex intensity that can only be found in unfiltered wines. The grapes are predominantly grown in the Carneros region where bay breezes and morning fog combine to create the cooler climate ideal for growing Chardonnay rich with concentrated flavors.

Jeb Dunnuck 93 Points | Newton's 2021 Chardonnay Unfiltered is light gold-hued and offers a great nose of sauteed stone fruits, honeyed white flowers, and spicy oak. Textured and medium-bodied, with bright acidity and terrific balance, it's made in a richer style but still stays wonderfully pure and balanced.

Wine Enthusiast 93 Points | Subtle oak spices mingle with lots of golden apple, yellow peach and pineapple flavors in this lightly oaked, medium-bodied wine that was barrel-fermented with indigenous yeast.

The Wine Advocate 91 Points | A Napa classic, Newton's 2021 Chardonnay Unfiltered continues a long tradition of excellence, delivering scents of toasted grain, caramelized pineapple and ripe melon. It's medium to full-bodied, starting off generous and round, then tightening up and turning citrusy on the finish.

Wine Spectator 90 Points | Strikes an appealing balance between rich, spicy notes and a fresh thread of acidity and a juicy core of apple, pear and peach flavors and fresh-grated ginger. Reveals lingering hints of almond croissant, nutmeg and marmalade. Drink now. 5,600 cases made.

Winemaker Description 

This profound and powerful Chardonnay exhibits a rich, complex intensity that can only be found in unfiltered wines. The grapes are predominantly grown in the Carneros region where bay breezes and morning fog combine to create the cooler climate ideal for growing Chardonnay rich with concentrated flavors.

Our Professional Review

Bart of 67Wine.com writes | Pale golden colored with a fresh and lively bouquet of lime blossoms and tropical fruits highlighted by a note of  toasty oak. Creamy and complex in the mouth with a delicious exotic richness and beautiful balance. Food friendly and drinking perfectly now!

Winemaker Description 

Pale lemon in colour. On the nose aromas of lime and tropical fruits are married with a well integrated toastiness from the oak. Deliciously mouthwatering on the palate with a creamy texture from the lees ageing. As you would expect from this producer, the wine has a Côte d’Or sensibility and exceptional balance.

Winemaker Description 

Located in Ladoix-Serrigny (between Beaune and Nuit Saint-Georges, on the “Route des Grands Crus”, just next to Aloxe Corton, the Maratray family own 19ha of vines, producing 19 differents wines.

Bourgogne Côte d'Or offers all the characteristics of the great white wines of Burgundy at a much more modest price tag. Fine and opulent, the 2023 Bourgogne Cote d'Or from Maratray Dubreuil offers a beautiful roundness and its persistence is particularly remarkable.

Energetic and lively with detailed citrus and orchard fruit notes. Careful ageing in oak barrels gives extra body and a discreet hint of toasty vanilla leaves a very pleasant note on the finish.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2020

Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points |  The 2020 Chardonnay Sanford & Benedict Vineyard (20% new French oak) has a touch of chamomile in its perfumed aromatics of golden apple, honeyed toast, spice, and subtle green almonds. Complex and nuanced aromatically, it's medium-bodied on the palate, has high yet nicely integrated acidity, terrific balance, and outstanding length.

91 Wine Spectator | Displays wonderful density, offering nectarine and lemon sorbet notes at the core, with a touch of salted, roasted almond. This white shows a hint of crunchy sea salt, with lemon verbena and lemon blossom aromatics. Firming acidity adds a refreshing punctuation point. Drink now. 331 cases made

Producer Description 

This Sanford & Benedict Chardonnay is bright, beautifully layered, and nuanced. Meyer lemon, candle wax, and cut straw all grace this very savory Chardonnay. Orange marmalade, stone fruits, and chamomile work seamlessly with the rich textures on the palate. This wine is natural with richer dishes and even light game.

Expert Review

Burghound Allen Meadows 93 Points | Much more layered aromas are comprised by notes of wet stone, citrus confit, Granny Smith apple and pretty spice wisps. The dense but sleek and highly energetic larger-bodied flavors display impressive power and length on the compact, austere and impeccably balanced finale. This is excellent and a wine that is built to repay extended keeping.

Winemaker Description

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2023 

Wine Enthusiast 94 Points | With the most upfront fruit in the Vasse Chard trio, Filius is immediately comforting in a favorite T-shirt kind of way, with bright, fleshy lime and peach blossom, a flicker of nougat and something stony, a bit salty. It flows seamlessly to a palate of mouth-watering acidity that balances the toasty oak and malolactic influences.

Wine Spectator 93 Points | Bright and expressive, with plenty of precision to the detailed notes of lemon sherbet, lemongrass, pear, lemon verbena, white pepper and green apple. Hints of tangerine, lemon oil and tarragon linger on a juicy frame.

James Suckling 92 Points | The nose is fruit-driven, with generous aromas of peaches, white nectarines and orange blossoms. The palate is medium-bodied with focused acidity, giving notes of lemon pith, pink grapefruit and flint. Very refined and polished, being a classic style of Margaret River chardonnay.

Expert Review - Vintage 2022 

Wine Spectator 92 Points | A ripe style, displaying pineapple, mango, peach, orange peel and toasty oak flavors. Juicy and broad, this shows power and length. A bit funky, yet there's a lot to like here. Drink now through 2028. 125 cases made, 10 cases imported.

Jasper Morris 92 Points

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2022 

Neal Martin of VInous writes 90-92 Points | The 2022 Meursault Les Chevalières is matured in 25% new oak 350-liter barrels in order to reduce the wood impact. It is taut and focused on the nose, quite understated at first, with touches of almond and hazelnut. The palate is well-balanced, with impressive concentration on the entry. Quite spicy on the mid-palate with tangy marmalade and ginger, this fans out in a pleasing fashion towards the finish.  Drinking 2025 to 2035.

Bruce Sanderson of Wine Spectator writes 93 Points | Aromas and flavors of white flowers, citronella and hazelnut cream abound, backed by lively acidity. Lip-smacking and fresh, this white persists on the toasty, smoky finish. Drink now through 2028. 

Winemaker Description 

Known to offer a magical balance of smoothness and freshness, Meursault's quality is hard to rival. The village lies in the middle of Côte de Beaune, just south of Volnay. Meursault is said to mean “mouse’s jump” because in the past the plots producing Pinot Noir and those producing Chardonnay were no more than a mouse’s jump from one another. Today the village is almost exclusively Chardonnay. A tiny bit of Pinot Noir is produced here with the best coming from Les Santenots on its northern side near Volnay.

While there are no Grands Crus, Meursault’s numerous acclaimed Premiers Crus can compete with any other top-notch white Burgundy. Some to know are Les Perrières, Les Genevrières, Les Charmes, Le Poruzot, Les Bouchères and Les Gouttes d’Or.

Meursault produces outstanding village level wines as well. In general great Premiers Crus and even village level Meursault (Chardonnay) have enticing aromas of lime peel, tropical fruit, crushed rocks, spice and hazelnut. On the palate there is a wonderful balance of brightness and a seductive length with flavors of white peach, pineapple and citrus.

Winemaker Description 

Sophie and Vincent Morey both come from families of winegrowers in Santenay and Chassagne-Montrachet respectively. After studies at Beaune’s Lycée Viticole and work experience in St-Emilion in the Bordeaux region, Vincent rejoined the family domaine led by his father Bernard Morey in 1986.

In the same year Sophie was vinifying her first vintage for the Ménager-Belland domaine in Santenay where she had inherited the tradition of winemaking from her mother. Finally, in 2006 Sophie and Vincent set up their own domaine and had their first harvest in 2007.

Treating their vineyards as if they were gardens, Sophie and Vincent agree that fine wines start with good grapes, require attention to detail, and demand the winegrower and winemaker to be adaptable vintage after vintage.

Winemaker Description 

Observing careful cultivation and vinification techniques, Domaine Matrot wines offer purity of fruit and terroir-driven character. The beautifully textured 2021 Meursault is made from a blend of grapes from 12 different plots, which creates a classic representative of village Meursault. A lovely bouquet of peaches, pears and golden apples fills the glass with creamy elegance, with a lovely touch of citrus fruit on the detailed finish. Excellent purity, precision and expression of place.

Expert Review - Vintage 2021 

Allen Meadows of Burghound | ...a discreet touch of wood can be found on the pretty aromas of mineral reduction, zest and a similar floral top note. There is a bit more volume and richness to the solidly concentrated medium-bodied flavors that flash evident minerality on very clean, bone-dry and nicely complex and persistent finale. This is a quality Meursault villages.

Winemaker Description 

Aromatically the wine is perfumed with apricots, lemon, golden apples, and honeysuckle. On the palate, the wine is nutty with hints of lemon zest, orange blossoms, and a touch of honeycomb.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2021 

Wine Spectator 94 Points  | Fragrant, focused and precise, offering flavors of lemongrass and lemon blossoms, with Meyer lemon and green papaya accents, plus a touch of tangerine. Shows green tea, lemon balm and white pepper notes on a mouthwatering frame, with a hint of salinity that lingers.

Vinous  94 Points | The 2021 Chardonnay Woolsey Road Vineyard is another dense, ample wine in this range. The Woolsey Road has a good deal of phenolic intensity. There's real breadth and resonance here. Lemon confit, white pepper and dried herbs are nicely amplified.

James Suckling 93 Points | Richness and concentration are the hallmarks of this full-bodied, mouth-filling wine. Deep in Bosc pears, baked apples and baking spices, it offers a creamy texture balanced by moderate acidity.

Our Professional Review

Bart Hopkins of 67Wine.com | Here is a perfect example of just how good Chardonnay can be! Refreshing flavors of white peach, lively citrus, stone fruit and pear drop cascade across the palate with fleshy richness and energetic balance. There is plenty of zip and clean acidity on the long, delicious and very happy finish. Great with a wide variety of foods, but also just by itself.

Expert Review

Sam Kim of Wine Orbit 95 Points |  Gorgeously composed and expressed, the wine shows golden peach, lemon peel, nougat and hazelnut aromas with a hint of brioche complexity. The concentrated palate delivers terrific weight and persistency, wonderfully complemented by creamy texture and beautifully pitched acidity.

Winemaker Description 

This wine features bright and sunny fruit aromas with flavors of baked apple and pear. Hints of melon and citrus peel with toasted sweet oak, butterscotch, and baking spice complement a rich, round mouthfeel and a creamy, long finish.

Expert Review - Vintage 2023 

James Suckling 93 Points | This combines the creamy-oily side of white Burgundy with succulent candied pineapple and lychee fruit plus touches of almonds and smoke. The interplay of the ripeness and vitality is delightful and impressive. Long, quite compact finish with excellent mineral freshness.

Producer Description 

The versatile, affordable, village Chablis from Domaine Christian Moreau Père et Fils is bright and crisp, with the classic, taut structure and refreshing minerality that define traditional Chablis. This is a Moreau classic!

Expert Review

Allen Meadows Burghound 88-91 Points | There is ample Chablis typicity to the nicely fresh aromas of citrus, pear and sea breeze. The sense of freshness is enhanced by the vibrant and detailed middle weight flavors that culminate in a lightly stony and appealingly textured finish. This should drink well young but repay mid-term keeping.

Producer Desription 

The Bonville family's selection is made only from the Chardonnay grape and is characterized by its fine perlage and the typical scent of chalk and hazelnuts. 

Minerality, purity as well as a tasty chalky appearance come out of this delicious bottle, perfectly suited for an aperitif and to awaken the taste buds. aromas of citrus fruits (lemon, grapefruit) and green apple marry with distinction with very fine bubbles giving the whole thing an extremely airy side. pleasant. A superb Blanc de Blancs to put in everyone’s mouth !

Producer Description 

Fresh, fruity aroma dominated by peach, white plum, and grapefruit notes, with touches of toasted hazelnut. Mineral on the palate, with plenty of volume, elegant acidity and lasting rich fruity aromas, ending with a fresh, pleasant aftertaste.

Producer Description 

Pale yellow color with hints of green. You get on the nose a touch of oak, lots of finesse and minerality with white flowers, lemon and apple scents. On the mouth, the wine is fresh, round and fruity with aromas of melon, kiwi, peaches and apricot and a nice minerality. Overall, the wine is nicely balanced and fresh with a great length.

Expert Review

Wine Spectator 91 Points | A rich version, bordering on creamy, this peach-, apple- and stone-inflected white is complex and long, with fine balance and a long aftertaste that resonates with fruit and mineral notes.(V.2022). 

Producer Description 

Located in the cool Russian River Valley, the DCV Block 10 vineyard tends to ripen slowly, providing grapes that are deliciously balanced.  This balanced Chardonnay carries aromas of peach, green apple and lime with notes of candied ginger, allspice, cream soda and a touch of minerality.

The palate is full of intense, rich flavors of Asian pear, mango and Meyer lemon, with striking nuances of ruby grapefruit, honeydew melon and vanilla bean. 

Traces of spice from its brief barrel aging contribute to its harmonious and bright mouthfeel. Excellent immediate drinkability, although the wine does have potential to age well for 1–3 years." 

Producer Description 

This Chardonnay entices you with aromas of fresh peach, Asian pear, citrus, and honeycomb. The flavors are just as complex with delightful undertones of red pepper and Madagascar vanilla, followed by fresh lemon, green apple, wildflower honey, stone fruit, and a hint of lavender. The rich, dense texture is balanced by its juicy acidity, leading to great minerality and a long, satisfying finish.

Expert Reviews

James Suckling 92 Points | Attractive crunchy character with spiced pears, lemon pith, white tea, lemongrass and orange peel. It is full-bodied with creamy texture, vivid acidity and juicy crunchiness. It is both rich and fresh with a polished, mineral finish. From organically grown grapes. (v.2021).

Wine & Spirits 92 Points | Zesty reduction gives the meatier aspects of this wine a run for their money. This is generous, dynamic and cool, needing some bottle age to shed the reductive scallion notes and reveal more of its underlying complexities.(v.2021).

Expert Review - Vintage 2022

Alain Meadows of Burghound writes 95 Points |  Here too the beautifully layered nose is decidedly cool with its more citrus-suffused aromas of green apple, wet stone and crushed fennel. The more refined, if slightly less concentrated, medium weight flavors flash an almost pungent minerality on the beautifully textured, bone-dry and sneaky long finale. This chiseled effort will need at least a few years of cellaring first as it's quite tightly wound today.  - Burghound 95 ♥️

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2022

Charles Curtis, MW of Decanter writes 94 Points | This emblematic premier cru is a lovely introduction to Domaine Leflaive, with hints of passionfruit, pomelo, coconut milk, spice and smoke. The texture is lush with extract, but there is enough acidity to bring everything into balance. Although this 2022 doesn’t show the same intensity or concentration of the other premier cru wines, the combination of ripe fruit and smoky reductive notes make it a tempting wine for mid-term cellaring.

Allen Meadows of Burghound writes 92-94 Points | There is just enough reduction to push the fruit to the background though a whiff of floral character can be discerned. On the palate there is both more volume and concentration to the beautifully textured middleweight flavors that are also appealingly vibrant and particularly so on the complex balanced and impressively long finale. This is notably better than it usually is and a wine that should amply repay a decade or so of keeping. 

Neal Martin of Vinous 91 Points | The 2022 Puligny-Montrachet Clavaillon 1er Cru is much more backward and rocky on the nose; sea spray and crustacea come through with aeration. The palate is fresh and malic with plenty of energy. It is a little spicy towards the finish with a persistent peppery aftertaste. The palate was more expressive on the day that I tasted it though it seemed just a couple of paces behind Leflaive's other Premier Crus. Cellar for two or three years.

Expert Review - Vintage 2022 

Charles Curtis, MW of Decanter 94 Points | This village-level wine is a reliable benchmark for the commune. It reflects the sunny character of the vintage with its ripe stone fruit and citrus notes, yet offers depth and complexity as well, with saline hints, flint and fresh white flowers. The texture is silky and approachable. It’s drinking now, but with enough substance to hold for five to 10 years.

Vinous 92 Points | The 2022 Puligny-Montrachet Village has a nicely detailed bouquet of green apples. It's a touch spicier than the Bourgogne Blanc with a trace of walnut coming through with aeration. The palate is nicely balanced with a keen line of acidity sour lemon hints and again that spice that lingers on the aftertaste.

Allen Meadows of Burghound 90-92 Points | A markedly more floral-suffused nose features notes of cool Granny Smith apple citrus and a touch of mineral reduction. The caressing delicious and plump but agreeably energetic medium-bodied flavors possess solid depth and persistence on the balanced firm and highly refreshing finale. This is also excellent for its level and a wine that should drink well after only 3 to 4 years of keeping but age gracefully for a decade. Recommended.

Winemaker Description 

Produced from 100% Chardonnay grapes. Hand picked Chardonnay grapes grown in the Galilee exhibit nuances of jasmine and honey. Body is medium to full. The wine has been aged for 8 months in oak barrels which adds complexity and richness.

Tal Pelter, the Winemaker and co-owner of Pelter and Matar Wineries, studied agriculture at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel. He got a BA in viticulture studies at Curtin University. Tal worked with winemaker John Griffith at Darlington Estate, a boutique winery located in the Perth hills, producing premium wines, blends, sparkling wines, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz.

After completing his studies, Tal worked at Evans & Tate Winery, in Western Australia. In 2001, Tal returned to Israel with a vision of establishing his own winery.

After the passing of his mother Tiva in 2002, Tal founded Pelter Winery in her honor. Tal embarked on a journey to produce premium wines in Israel. Nir Pelter, C.E.O and co-owner of Pelter and Matar Wineries. After military service in 2005, Nir joined the winery, motivated by the spirit of the business, the teamwork, and excitement of a new venture. Tal and Nir decided to establish Matar, a premium brand Kosher winery.

Winemaker Description 

Aged for 10 months in new French oak and neutral barrels, this rich and lush wine displays Notes of lemon custard and honeyed apple blossoms, with a touch of warm vanilla butter cookies. Vibrant and expressive palate, rich, full mouthfeel, with a luxurious finish.

Winemaker Description

This rare release takes Dom Pérignon's superb 2002 vintage to the next level. Filled with a new energy and intensity, the champagne has reached its second plénitude – the point at which it evolves into a different expression.

Many consider 2002 the best year for champagne in the last 30. And, after 15 years on its lees, the P2 boasts an even greater longevity. So, while its exotic aromas and subtle salinity are exquisite today, it is also ideal for the cellar.

2002 was a remarkable moment in Champagne’s history. With near-perfect growing conditions, it became widely regarded as the best year in the last three decades, culminating in an extraordinarily concentrated and creamy vintage from Dom Pérignon. Now, the House invites champagne lovers to share an even more spectacular expression of this vintage. Rare and precious, with even greater potential, it is Dom Pérignon 2002.

Expert Review

99 Points Decanter | Here we have drive, vinosity and incredible length. The sweet and savoury balance indulges with a seductive embrace. Gustav Klimt in a glass maybe. Outstanding.

98 points John Gilman | Somehow, I never managed to cross paths with the initial disgorgement of the 2002 Dom Pérignon, so I was delighted to see the coming P2 version waiting in the wings in our tasting lineup in March at the Abbé d’Hautvillers. It would be fascinating to compare the P2 with the first release of the 2002 Dom Pérignon, in much the same way I tasted the two 1996 versions side by side, as this is a great Champagne vintage that dovetails so beautifully with the house style of this bottling. The 2002 P2 delivers a stunning young nose of pear, apple, stony minerality, iodine, dried flowers a touch of nuttiness, menthol and gentle upper register botanicals so emblematic of this cuvée as it starts to first stretch its wings. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and absolutely rock solid at the core, with lovely mousse, laser-like focus again and stunning backend mineral drive on the very, very long, perfectly balanced finish. The 2002 Dom Pérignon P2 looks to be almost unreachable by the passage of time and could easily last a century.  

98 Points James Suckling | Intense, rich and dense P2 with butterscotch and toffee character, together with apricot compote, mango crumble and pie crust. This is at its height right now. Tremendous pleasure and generosity. 

97 Points Vinous | The 2002 Dom Pérignon P2 is wonderfully open in its aromatics, but a bit less giving on the palate, especially next to the regular release. Lemon confit, white flowers, mint and white pepper open up first, followed by hints of apricot, honey, chamomile and light tropical notes. Interestingly, the P2 is quite a bit less tropical than the original release. Chef de Caves Vincent Chaperon told me he thinks the original release shows more of a buttery character because of the combination of the ripeness of the vintage and the natural evolution of the wine post-disgorgement under crown seal, as opposed to the P2 which stayed much longer on its lees. It is hard to know if that is an exact explanation, but the reality is that the two 2002s are quite far apart stylistically. (AG) 97+  Inner quote mark (7/2019)

96 Points Wine Spectator | This graceful, bright Champagne features a chime of Meyer lemon peel and mouthwatering acidity, with finely meshed flavors of baked yellow plum, pastry, pickled ginger and smoke-laced mineral that intensify as they expand on the lightly mouthcoating and creamy mousse. Seamlessly knit, this is hard to stop sipping as it dances across the palate. 

95 Points Wine Advocate | The 2002 Dom Pérignon P2 is showing very well indeed, wafting from the glass with aromas of crisp yellow orchard fruit, dried white flowers, orange oil, smoky peach, peat and praline. On the palate, it's full-bodied, broad and textural, with a ripe and muscular core of fruit, ripe acids and fine concentration, concluding with a long and elegantly toasty finish. As I wrote earlier this year, this is a ripe and powerful Dom Pérignon that finds its closest stylistic analogy in the 1990 vintage, and it is considerably less evolved than the more tertiary 2000 P2 today. While the P2 is a bit drier and more precise on the finish than the original release, given the wine's slow evolution, the difference between the two is less pronounced than it has been for any vintage since 1996. (WK)  Inner quote mark (4/2020)

Jancis Robinson 19.5/20 Points | Now this is Dom P at its most classic! Biscuity nose with butter and biscuit dough but with great freshness and delicacy too. Really lovely. Great poise and – still – lots of tension!