2012 Dom Perignon Champagne

Buoyant, fine and lacy the mousse holds well gradually subsiding to reveal a pale straw coloured base wine that has pale gold edges and an exceptionally fine and persistent bead flowing through it. Citrus, toast and yeast lees aromas jump from the glass trailed by pear, green apple and light biscuit notes. Refined and elegant yet long, the palate is brimming with citrus and green pear fruits which overlay a back drop of yeast lees, green apple, oyster shell and faint cashew. There’s good tension and focus but this is not a Dom Perignon to drink now, it requires some further bottle age to fill out at which time it will no doubt garner another point or two. Concludes dry and racy with a gentle chalk tinged aftertaste.
Cellar 5-15 years.
Alc. 12.5%

Other Reviews....
The 2012 Dom Pérignon is a dense, powerful wine. I am almost shocked by its vinous intensity and raw, unbridled power. The 2012 reminds me of the 2003, but with more finesse and not quite as pushed. Mildew, rain and frost were challenges and resulted in low yields, something that was further compounded by warm, dry weather that concentrated the fruit even more. Those qualities result in a dense Dom Pérignon endowed with real phenolic intensity. It is one of the most reticent young Doms I can remember tasting, I wouldn’t even think of opening a bottle for at least a few years. (Originally published in May 2021). Drink 2022 - 2052.
97 Points
Antonio Galloni's Vinous

Wonderful elegance and balance to this Dom Pérignon with cooked apple, lemon and hints of white pepper and salt. It’s medium-bodied with really fine bubbles and balance. Spicy at the end. So wonderfully fresh, linear and long. Racy and elegant. A DP that invites to drink right now. All about finesse. Tension, too, with precise phenolics and bright acidity on the back palate. Subtle energy. Drinkable now, but will develop beautifully in the bottle.
97 Points
JamesSuckling.com (May 2021)

The 2012 Dom Pérignon has turned out very well indeed, unwinding in the glass with notes of Anjou pear, smoke, toasted nuts, freshly baked bread and crisp stone fruit. Medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, it's still tightly wound, its incipiently fleshy core of fruit framed by racy acids and chalky grip, complemented by a classy pinpoint mousse. A touch drier and a touch less reductive than the 2008 out of the gates, these two vintages are clearly destined to be compared for some time to come; but at this early stage, my instinct is that the 2012 will have the edge in the long term. Drink 2023 - 2050.
96+ Points
William Kelley - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (September 2021)

This eloquent Champagne has an enticing waft of Mandarin orange on the nose that continues on the palate, which is layered with flavors of crushed blackberry and cassis, toast, chopped almond, graphite and oyster shell. A bright, finely-knit and harmonious version, with a lovely, raw silk-like mousse, and a lasting, expressive finish. Drink now through 2037.
96 Points
Alison Napjus - The Wine Spectator (November 2021)

What a magnificent bouquet for this Dom Pérignon 2012! Pastry, a hint of smoke and classic brioche notes provide a compelling counterpart to eager yet elegant aromas of citrus (lime, tangerine and kumquat) joined by those of fresh fruit, herbs, liquorice and menthol. There is even a refreshing note of ivy. The palate is tense, vibrant and very fresh despite its impressive density, which meets its match with an unending finish. This 2012 embodies the very essence of Dom Pérignon with such a concentrated degree of intensity, along with a capacity for ageing that it is surely destined for a second life in a P2 edition. Drink 2021 - 2050.
98 points
Decanter