Critic ratings
robert_parker
2004
Rating:
95
–95
The 2004 Dom Pérignon P2 is drinking beautifully on release, wafting from the glass with aromas of sweet orchard fruit, fresh peach, pastry cream, buttered toast and cotton candy that display a less reductive profile than the original disgorgement. Medium to full-bodied, pillowy and charming, with an ample, enveloping core of fruit, succulent acids and a pretty pinpoint mousse, it concludes with a long, sapid finish. Forward and giving, there's no obvious reason to defer gratification.
robert_parker
2003
Rating:
94
–94
The 2003 Dom Pérignon P2 is rich and demonstrative, wafting from the glass with aromas of stone fruits, honeycomb and buttered toast that leave more space for the wine's generous fruit tones than the more overtly yeasty original disgorgement. Full-bodied, broad and textural, it remains very youthful despite its below-average acidity, with notable precision to its ripe fruit tones and chalky structuring extract that provides, to some extent, a compensating sensation of freshness; it's actually evolving more slowly than its 2002 counterpart. Given the wine's richness, it works best with food. Chaperon relates that then-Chef de Caves Richard Geoffroy rejected any musts with a pH exceeding 3.3, the only time this metric has been used as a basis for selection for Dom Pérignon, and that the juice was allowed to oxidize before vinification. I'm looking forward to seeing the 2003 in its P3 incarnation, as I suspect that the wine will really come into its own when it develops more tertiary notes.
robert_parker
2002
Rating:
96
–96
The 2002 Dom Pérignon P2 is still a youthful wine, but it is beginning to develop appreciable complexity, wafting from the glass with notes of of iodine, warm bread, ripe orchard fruit, peach, citrus oil, smoke and peat, which in Geoffroy's words "are on the verge of aromatic over-ripeness." On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, broad and fleshy, with a textural, voluminous profile, pinpoint bubbles and a chalky, phenolic finish. 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.
robert_parker
2002
Rating:
95
–95
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. To my palate, it really needs four or five years in the cellar before it truly starts to blossom.
robert_parker
2000
Rating:
95
–95
The 2000 Dom Pérignon P2 is drinking beautifully, wafting from the glass with complex and gently reductive aromas of iodine, lemon oil, tangerine and oyster shell that have begun to develop appreciable tertiary nuance. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and expansive, with a broad attack, incisive acids, a classy mousse and a long, precise and mouthwateringly saline finish. The year 2000 delivered a precocious Dom Pérignon, and this recently disgorged rendition has really benefited from the additional time sur lattes, acquiring notably more complexity—while retaining more energy—than the original disgorgement. Given its maturing profile I would plan to drink bottles within the next decade.
robert_parker
2000
Rating:
94
–94
The 2000 Dom Pérignon P2 opens in the glass with aromas of waxy citrus oil, warm bread, dried fruits, fresh peach and iodine. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, satiny and textural, with a sweet core of mature fruit, ripe acids and a sapid, elegantly toasty finish. As I wrote earlier this year, the 2000 vintage delivered a precocious Dom Pérignon, and this recently disgorged rendition has really benefited from the additional time sur lattes, acquiring notably more complexity—while retaining more energy—than the original disgorgement.
robert_parker
1996
Rating:
95
–95
Wafting from the glass with notes of pear, citrus oil, wheat toast, iodine, smoke and dried white flowers, the 1996 Dom Pérignon P2 is medium to full-bodied, layered and incisive, with a chalky, tight-knit core, excellent concentration and racy acids, concluding with a long, sapid finish. The 1996 is still quite reserved, but in all its various incarnations—from the original release, the Oenothèque and the P2—it has been consistently superb. Readers with bottles in their cellars need be in no hurry to pop corks, as the wine still has a long future ahead of it.
vinous
1996
Rating:
97
–97
The 1996 Dom Pérignon P2 is another absolutely stellar Champagne. When it was first release, the 1996 was painfully austere, but time has added a great deal of flesh to match the wine’s vibrant, energetic personality. Both 1996s are magnificent. We are off to the races.
vinous
1996
Rating:
98
–98
Once painfully austere and unapproachable, the 1996 Dom Pérignon P2 has filled out beautifully. The interplay of vintage 1996 tension and the wine’s fruit opens up to reveal an intricate latticework of lemon confit, mint, white flowers and crushed rocks, with that classic dash of reduction that is so typical of P2 and extended aging on the lees. Complex and wonderfully inviting, the 1996 P2 is positively riveting in this tasting. In a flight of P2s, the 1996 stands out for its multi-dimensional, kaleidoscopic personality.
vinous
1996
Rating:
97
–97
Graphite, slate, crushed rocks, lemon confit and exotic white flowers give the 1996 Dom Pérignon P2 its distinctive aromatic signatures. Bright and focused, the P2 captures all of the energy of the vintage, with striking mid-palate depth and resonance. The 1996 was impenetrably tight when it was first released. Today, it has blossomed into a super-expressive, totally captivating Champagne. There is so much drive, power and tension driving the 1996.
vinous
1998
Rating:
94
–94
The 1998 Dom Pérignon P2 is clearly heading into its next plateau of maturity, as evidenced by a host of coffee, roasted almond, butter, brioche, caramel, lemon confit and pastry notes. Even so, there is a good bit of freshness to play off a generally mature set of aromas and flavors. Readers who enjoy mature Champagne will find quite a bit to like in the 1998. Today, it is especially open-knit and giving. Two recent bottles have been terrific.
vinous
1998
Rating:
97
–97
The 1998 Dom Pérignon P2 is superb. Just starting to soften, the 1998 is beautifully layered in the glass, with a translucent, vertical sense of structure that is compelling and an attractive top note of reduction that adds freshness. Vibrant and yet wonderfully complex, the 1998 is a gorgeous wine for drinking now and over the next two decades or so. This is a very strong showing. With more and more time, the 1998 seems to have acquired an additional dimension of nuance. This is an especially majestic bottle of the 1998.
vinous
1998
Rating:
95
–95
The 1998 Dom Pérignon P2 is open and beautifully expressive today. Unusually open for a young P2, the 1998 drinks well upon release, especially compared to the 1996, which was virtually unapproachable for the first few years after release. That is not at all the case with the 1998, which is quite open at this stage. Hints of apricot, almond, white flowers and chamomile add texture on the fleshy, resonant finish. The added time on the lees has given the P2 an added dimension of texture.
vinous
1998
Rating:
95
–95
The 1998 Dom Pérignon P-2 (formerly Oenothèque) is quite reticent today. What else is new? These second -plenitude wines are often very tight when they are first released, which is very much the case here. Still, it is quite evident the 1998 is a bit more tender and pliant than the 1996. Today, the 1998 still hasn't turned the corner, but it is quite pretty and expressive. This is a terrific offering.
vinous
1998
Rating:
95
–95
Pale gold. Intense, mineral-tinged citrus and orchard fruit aromas, with a suave jasmine nuance adding complexity. Smoky and penetrating on the palate, offering vibrant orange, anise and toasted brioche flavors and a touch of poached pear. Shows outstanding clarity and power on the mineral-driven finish, which clings with remarkable tenacity and resonating florality. This late-release bottling was formerly called Oenotheque; P2 stands for Plenitude Two.
vinous
1999
Rating:
94
–94
The 1999 Dom Pérignon P2 is one of the most intriguing Champagnes I have tasted from Dom Pérignon in recent years. In fact, it was not included in a small vertical I tasted at the estate in March, but rather this is a bottle I tasted with friends in London. According to Chef de Caves Richard Geoffroy, the 1999 was a very small release and was only shipped to a few countries. What I admire most about the 1999 is its laser-like focus and intensity. In that sense, the 1999 is a bit atypical from other recent P2 releases, as it emphasizes a range of citrus and floral-driven bright notes more than the toasty quality these Champagnes tend to show after extended time on the lees. Regardless, I loved it.
vinous
2000
Rating:
96
–96
The 2000 Dom Pérignon P2 is striking. More importantly, it is absolutely delicious right now. Baked apple tart, brioche, spice, vanillin, ripe pear and crushed rocks all flesh out. Creamy, layered and inviting, with soft, voluptuous curves, the 2000 offers a lot of sheer pleasure. Although, perhaps not quite as complex or structured as the very best P2s, the 2000 is wonderfully alluring. Interestingly, in 2000, the Blanc and P2 are not as different as they typically are. The P2 has a bit more volume and freshness than the Blanc, but both wines share a distinct toasty, slightly reductive character.
vinous
2000
Rating:
96
–96
The 2000 Dom Pérignon P2 is decidedly exuberant. Ripe apricot, orange peel, pastry, baked apple, butter and vanillin all flesh out in this beautifully resonant, toasty edition of the P2. Soft curves and voluptuous fruit add to the wine’s immediacy and sheer appeal. The 2000 is not hugely complex or layered, but it has plenty of palate presence and overall intensity. The 2000 P2 is a terrific choice for readers who enjoy Champagnes that show the more advanced aromas, flavors and textures that develop in bottle. Tasted two times with consistent notes.
vinous
2000
Rating:
96
–96
Slate, crushed rocks, apricot jam, mint, honeysuckle and mint are some of the notes that run through the 2000 Dom Pérignon P2. Open-knit, racy and seductive, the 2000 is a rare P2 that will drink well right out of the gate. The reductive character from long aging on the lees that is such a P2 signature adds nuance without overpowering the wine. There is wonderful breadth and amplitude here. In sum, the 2000 presents a striking interplay of the maturity that develops over extended time on lees and freshness. The creamy, seamless finish only adds to the wine’s considerable immediacy and sheer appeal. Baked apple, toast, brioche, pear, smoke, slate and lemon confit add nuances throughout. What a gorgeous wine this is.
vinous
2002
Rating:
97
–97
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.
vinous
2002
Rating:
97
–97
The 2002 Dom Pérignon P2 is surprisingly, almost shockingly, austere and tightly wound. That almost surely bodes well for the future. Today, though, the 2002 is very hard to taste. Stylistically, it is also much less available than the original release. Readers lucky enough to own the 2002 should plan on being patient.
vinous
2002
Rating:
97
–97
The 2002 Dom Pérignon P2 is simply stunning. Interestingly, it is also less flamboyant than the original release, although it has all the weight, richness and breadth that wine has always shown. The 2002 will not be released for another two years. Even so, it is super-expressive and alluring even at this very early stage.
vinous
2003
Rating:
96
–96
The 2003 Dom Pérignon P2 takes all the natural intensity of the first release and turns the dial up to eleven. Power, generosity and volume are all exalted. The P2 balances richness with a greater sense of creaminess that comes through extended time on the cork. Readers should expect a ample, heady Champagne that is very much built for the dinner table. I can"t say I am especially surprised by how well the P2 shows, even in this freakishly hot, dry year, as the first release continues to be terrific. (Originally published in May 2021)
vinous
2003
Rating:
96
–96
The 2003 Dom Pérignon P2 takes all the natural intensity of the first release and turns the dial up to eleven. Power, generosity and volume are all exalted. The P2 balances richness with a greater sense of creaminess that comes through extended time on the cork. Readers should expect a ample, heady Champagne that is very much built for the dinner table. I can't say I am especially surprised by how well the P2 shows, even in this freakishly hot, dry year, as the first release continues to be terrific.
vinous
2004
Rating:
97
–97
The 2004 Dom Pérignon P2 is precise and wonderfully refined, just like the first release. There’s a hint of reduction from extended time on the cork as well as a feeling of effusiveness that is so appealing. Readers will find a super-classic DP. Dried flowers, brioche, apricot preserves, sage, mint and chamomile are seamless in the glass. The 2004 can be enjoyed now or cellared for another decade plus. Some editions of the P2 series have been pretty austere in the early going; the 2004 is not among them.
