2nd of 6 and two months since my last bottle. This is still robust and youthful and benefitted from 30 plus minutes in the glass. Toast and lemon peel up front. This is well balanced with good depth throughout. Likely drinking in its prime with absolutely no rush to drink. These should drink well for a couple of decades on its balance and zippy upfront lemon zest. Revisit 2025
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Fantastic. Cellared since release and the last of the case. Lovely lemon chiffon, marzipan, lime flower. Bright and energetic on the palate with minerals and lemon zest. Still bright ebullience and lively mousse. In no hurry though it absolutely defines elegance. Ridiculously delicious.
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Showing really well. Creaminess is the number one note on the nose. Brioche is present but more subtle. Fruit almost totally gone. Delicious palate. Bubbles are there for a moment, but then it is almost like a still wine (however it doesn't go flat). Delicious
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(Not a) birthday dinner (Hinsdale, IL): Yeah, between the 1995 and 1996, I can pretty confidently say that Moët has been dealing with a giant batch of TCA-ridden corks, because this is not the first time I've had an off bottle of this wine. Happy to have liquidated all of mine.
1st of 6. Good pop on the cork. This needed 30 min in the glass to open up. This reminds me a lot of 2008 but far more balanced. The sheer power of this 28 year old bottle along with a significant amount of mouth coating fruit, suggests this has a very long life ahead. The depth on this wine is incredible. For me, this is in its prime but will be fun to drink over the next couple of decades. This still falls short of the 96 Krug for me because it’s not quite as precise or weightless but given the price difference, I’d drink this over the Krug everyday of the week. This deserves to be drank without food.
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I just don’t know what more I could want from a bottle of champagne. Perfection in a glass accompanied by lightly salted crisps(chips). I could never get bored with bottle no 10 of 12. They seem to have got better for 20 years and then just glided on. When I think of the price compared top claret it just seems much better value IMO. Then again apart from a couple of bottles I’ve never had truly great claret older than 1996 so what do I know. More research to be done I suppose.
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Nose: brioche, browned yellow apple, fresh mushroom, cinnmon french toast, hint of cream, nugat
Palate: yellow apple, brioche, light raw mushrooms, honey, lemon, baking spice; medium finish of baking spice, honey, mineral, light chalk; medium body with medium- pinpoint bubbles; medium+ acidity
Overall thoughts: I don't drink much Dom, but whenever I do it doesn't seem to quite be in a style I prefer, and this was the case here. Still, despite that, I couldn't help but be impressed by this wine as there's so much quality evident in this bottle with a lot of complexity, wonderful pinpoint bubbles, light tertiary notes, and a lot of energy despite the age. A lot of life left. Great wine.
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Bought these at Costco about 20+ years ago at a good price! I am concerned reading recent CT tasting notes and its possible downside evolution, I opened a bottle last night with good friends and family to try myself.
Wow! The nose not so revealing but what a beautiful fine fizz and as bubbly as you would expect for 27 years! The color a fine yellow/gold. The body bursting with a strong acidic structure and concentration. We got citrusy notes, pear, chard apple and minerality. Very focused in the palate and a great finish. It's still kicking man!
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Still remarkably fresh for a 1996 from the original release. Light biscuit notes along with orange peel. Lively acids. In a good balance between age and freshness. I think this has plenty of life ahead but it drinks so well right now that I will certainly have at least a few more in the next year or two.
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Bought at auction. The color had me worried for a moment. Still a decent bit of fizz that lasted. A pale amber, then I smelled it honey, lemon peel, marzipan, candied ginger.
On the palate there was some lemon and honey that tasted fresher and it still had baked and bruised apple. And then on the finish intense freshly baked bread—like that deep reddish-brown color crust, it was so powerful and delicious.
This isn’t going to get any better from here, might even be on its decline. Drink up.
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En lätt pysning när korken drogs men desto mer bubblor i glaset. Guld i färgen och doft av lätta mognadstoner. Otrolig energi i smaken, med mycket frukt och bra syra. Nästan så det pirrade i läpparna när jag drack, som om det vore stark mat. Inte varit med om det tidigare. Begynnande mognad och i perfekt drickfönster enligt mina smaklökar. En värld i skillnad jämfört med 06:an jag drack senast. Vilken upplevelse till födelsedagsbubbel!
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A great showing, especially for the first part of consumption. After being open for a bit and/or resting in the glass for a while, it started to fade. That said, the first sampling of this was quite compelling. The oxidative notes played well with the lingering yellow and bronzed fruit. Effervescence was minimal but enough to hold it all together and keep it moving. A really nice unctuousness here.
I last had this about five years ago and it was livelier and more enticing for my palate. Best advice here is to drink now and in the near term so as to harness its remaining freshness.
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This is in a really fun state right now. Not oxidized to the point of feeling flat, but settled down enough to show off the complexity of the fruit. Honey, lychee, and richness that’s incredibly food friendly.
Drink now, IMO
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Duck, duck, abortion!; 11/11/2023-11/17/2023: Nice toasty and bready-ness that is subtly propped up against the fruit. A deep, yet clean, fresh yellow fruit notes of Golden Delicious apples and fresh, yellow pears.
Clean, and smooth fruits on the palate, with a mineral and hay finish. Nice fruits here, but almost seemed like still wine, seemed a bit flat with time.. It could be due to its age in that it may fall flat sooner(?). I’m sure this can still go for years though.
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Most likely WOTN in terms of bubbles for the evening and this wine had some stiff competition (see story). This is in an incredibly good spot right now and even with 27 years under its belt for age, this champ is now in its drink now phase of its life.
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The cork broke upon opening which was a bit of a letdown since the condition of this bottle was a coin toss with a fill level of half an inch below capsule. Turns out this still had a ton of life on it to everybody's surprise.
Pours deep clear amber with very fine bubbles like a great riesling. A good interplay between well rounded acid and bruised apple, sherrylike aged notes with some spice to wrap it up. Almost beerlike. Very enjoyable but I expect the bottle to go downhill from here.
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This bottle had noticeably less freshness. Fine mousse, big in the mouth and shorter finish and less definition. Faded in the glass, but still very impressive. 95pts and same descriptors as last note. Seems lesser bottles need drinking up
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Purchased on release; original disgorgement. Opened for our 27th anniversary. Ambrosial; sweet orange, acacia honey, ginger, white button mushrooms, crème brûlée. Luscious mouthfeel. Maturing, at peak for my palate. My WOTY. MB preferred this when it was younger.
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lovely deep mid-palate which distinguishes this from other vintages. Brioche, ginger and long finish is epic. I think I prefer this to 90 and 75 DP. It’s that good. Points depends upon bottle and level of fizz but this is in the 96-98pt range consistently. It’s really improved in the last few years and can’t recommend this enough
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The patina of age begins to have its effect on the 1996. Here the wine is creamy in the mouth, with aromas of vanilla and hazelnuts. The dosage gives a sensation of richness to a dense, perfectly balanced and structured juice. Great honeyed and saline finish that coats the throat over a nice length.
Excellent
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Lovely mature Champagne. Concentrated with "mature" (think left out in the air for a few mins) apples and lemon along with hints of marzipan and honey. A great toastiness and slightly reductive, stoney smokiness on the lengthy finish.
Initially tasted blind. An absolute pleasure to try this along with the 2002 and 2012 vintage in the first flight of what had been billed to me as "casual Sunday evening drinks"!
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27th of 36......consistent and little changed from bottles noted in 18 and 2020, if any thing bit more relaxed expression of fruit with lovely biscuit flavours which come to fully mature DP whilst retaining energy in fine mousse, hard to imagine better Champagne than this, no rush but hard to see upside from here. A perhaps mean VF+ (19).
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Still getting better every time we drink this. Incredible to continue growing and developing in the glass. 3 hrs later real smooth. Makes me question who quickly I drink a glass when I should just put it down and come back later.
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Pausing for the Cause Fundraiser and Dinner (Galit - Chicago IL): Still wonderful, but one of the more mature examples of this wine I have tasted. Interesting in its evolution, with apple, pear, poached pear, and earth notes, this still retains its long and fun finish.
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Still getting better with age. Green apple, lemon zest, touch of honeysuckle and then a faint touch of hazelnut at the long finish. Will consume my last few over the next handful of years.
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Right out of the bottle this wine does not show its age very much, with foamy bubbles and a gold robe. The nose is subtle but fantastic. It evolved from summer to fall, from bright notes of pear, peach and honey to hazelnut, nutmeg, pie crust and baked apple. In mouth it’s lively but it also shows the patine that comes with age. Sharp acidity intermingles with a creamy texture and notes of vanilla custard and lemon zest, all in subtlety. Like a middle-aged person who’s fit and healthy. Incredible for a 27yo wine.
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Bisato with friends: At a wonderful stage of maturity, gentle bubbles now, not the vinous giant it was in its youth, actually quite delicate, lacy and pretty. Spiny interplay of mineral, yeast and citrus. This goes down so easily, just delicious!
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There was some concern about this specific bottle and whether it had survived storage. Watching this bottle being opened was interesting. First of all the foil capsule was literally disintegrating as it was peeled off like dust. And then the cork was basically a wood plug, extremely dense, but I've seen this before with other Dom bottles and upon removal it barely made a whisper.
Very light mousse and a fairly obvious hay or dried straw aroma. A pleasant golden apple flavor with a hint of caramel on the attack. It's backed up with a little bit of pineapple and a rounded out mouth feel.
Really nice bottle of wine and glad it represented the 1996 vintage so well.
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At a private dinner, Coorparoo. A fine bottle of Dom, this opened with a slight touch of deepening straw colour and a lovely lifted nose of Delicious apples, white stone fruits, yuzu, brioche, nougat and cashew. The palate has a weightless vigour and touch of silk that is the signature of the best of Dom Perignon. The balance of complexity and elegance is accentuated by ageing . Delicious !
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In its youth it was the best Champagne of the age that i had ever tasted. At 26 years old I was a bit disappointed. Storage was not a problem but the cork had shrunk and the fizz noticeably reduced. Golden colour and more yeasty and advanced than expected. Others liked it more than I did. maybe a not great bottle.
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Wow super clean color for its age. Lots of Meyer lemon, granny apple and creamy butter on the palate. Long finish. Great way to start an evening with great friends.
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blind I nailed it. one month before I had the 96 P2. I would go with the regular disgorged bottle but the gap is getting smaller. Toasted toast, sea breeze, still fresh, comes close to his peak. 97
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Perfectly aged DP, and my favorite post-80's vintage of this Champagne along with '08. Lot's of toast and honeysuckle on the nose, red apples, peach and pear on the palate. Long, sweet finish with plenty of acidity.
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New Year's eve. Wow! It doesn't get much better than this. Lemony fruit with perfect balancing acidity and mature tertiary notes. We were going to save some for New Year's day but it was so good we drank it all.............
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Fabulous. Lemon followed by biscuit then brioche. Smooth but has the lemon lift at the fore. Tiny bubbles which is no surprise at 26 years of age. Always impressive.
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Lemon core, gold rims. Nose of coffee, butterscotch/light caramel, brown sugar, latte/cream, toasted hazelnuts, ripe bruised apples. Quite tertiary palate of butterscotch, caramel, bruised apples, vanilla, honeyed apples, nutty hazelnuts, like a latte/mocha. Still holding high racy acid with a fine mousse. Spectacular right now and I’d say this is peaking for sure in terms of tertiary complexity while still holding balance with all the other flavors. Just all around amazing, exactly what you would want from an aged Champagne. 97-98
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Nose: Nutty, honey, caramel, white flower, sesame Notes: some nice nutty and honey notes coming out. An old Dom is always a safe choice and has a pretty high chance of delivering. A long but lovely finish with an almost distinct sugar cane aftertaste of Dom I think this is something wonderful to drink now. Drink: now - 2040 Rating: 92
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Thanksgiving in New Hope with the family: Bottle in my cellar from around 2001. Decided this Thanksgiving was time to open it...As an aperitif with some cheeses and appetizers pre-dinner.
Deep golden color. Elegant nose of almonds, brioche, minerals. Soft, fined bubbles. Crisp and refined palate showing citrus, macadamia, toffee(?) minerals. Persists through mid palate.
I dont have as broad a palate experience with champagne as other wines - while I like it I just don't drink it as much. With that disclaimer, I will echo other tasters impressions of this as a "near perfect" champagne.
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Great bottle of this, best in a while. Brioche, toast, yeasty, subtle smoke. Some honey sweetness and cereal grains. Crunchy white and yellow fruit with just enough citrus zip.
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The nearly perfect champagne ... soft sparkling, dry, hints of almonds and macadamias. Simply beautiful brioche on the nose. Since the last bottle, the citrus has all but disappeared, but the nose, front, mid, and finish are all elegant, long and lingering. If I had more in the cellar, I don't think I would wait another 11 years to open. This has changed quite a lot from 2011 when we last opened one.
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Still remarkably fresh, this Dom feels like it could survive another few decades! Toasted brioche, caramel and toffee notes on the perfume are reflected beautifully in the palate with a citrusy zing and minerality with excellent structure. Racy champagne
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My last and best bottle of this great wine, enjoyed with good friends in celebration of my 75th birthday. Deep golden color with a steady stream of minuscule beads to the very end. Zesty lemon/lime on the edge of the palate, with somewhat richer white fruit and lightly roasted nuts in the core. Extremely long and scintillating finish. A seamless combination of power and elegance. Certainly one of my all-time favorite Champagnes. 1996 was a gold mine for Champagne. For my taste, the Dom, the Taittinger CdC and the Deutz WD Rose', are among the finest bubblies ever. What a treat!
Not blind I love this wine. Oyster shell, toasted toast, lemon , no oxidative style, precise and long finish. Still prefer the regular degorgement over Oeno. 96-97
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Drinking great — wide open from the start, fruit, flinty mineral, a little more dosage than is in favor today, a perfect rendition of Dom. But… there’s nothing that totally grabs me and forces me to pay attention. It’s more like a supremely smooth and pleasant background.
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Delicate and refined with subdued and soft bubbles. Laced with lemon zest and apricot along with toast, roasted nuts and tertiary notes of smoke and honey. Creamy and suberb!
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OK, this is all of that and more. One of the best wines I've ever had. Incredible balance, poise and complexity, this is the real deal. Still fresh and effervescent. Wow.
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Another great showing blind during a 90s champagne dinner of this reliably fantastic champagne. Consistent with previous notes and I did pick that one out blind.
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Medium yellow with fairly persistent bubbles for a wine of its age. A whiff of truffle, fino, and caramel before freshening to brioche and citrus. Full bodied, driving bitter citrus and soil with the tremendous enlivening acidity of the year in full force. It would be hard to ask more of a 26 year old Champagne. Just spectacular, that's about all I can say to inarticulately sum it up. I envision it going strong for another 10 or 15 years.
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On the nose, brioche, mushroom, citrus and orchard fruit skin, delicate florals, and some honey. This has beautifully fine mousse. It's texturally brilliant and beautifully balanced. Terrific focus and detail. It's chalky, complex and with some hints of truffle on the back end. This has a ton going on and it is seamless. Brilliant. Terrific 97
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BEAUTIFUL WINE. The vintage the made me love the Dom and this vintage I have followed over many years, my last bottle and still drinking fresh but with extra levels of beautifulness, just lovely 98 big points!
Apple dominant; sophisticated and elegant with a sense (in flavor and mouth feel) of a source of light in its core. Precise and interesting with gentle brioche and a hint of washed rind with slight white pepper, almond, ginger, and lemon notes. Rounding the corner to the first days of autumn but still taut and plenty effervescent. Best serverd at 50 degrees or warmer.
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A great bottle! The outstanding 96 vintage is showing great evolution and complexity, while retaining excellent focus and precision on the palate. In a great place with plenty of life left in a well stored bottle.
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Dom Perignon P2/P3 Dinner (New York City): First of the 96 flight. Not offensive. Reasonable balance. Just felt mostly flat / simple. Didn't have much depth for me.
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DP Extravaganza! (Friend's place): So sacrilege but this was my favorite of the '96s mostly because it was the one that had the most age on it. This has the secondary notes. It's not quite right but there's a stewed white fruit style to it (but in a good way). Surprised me. Split the table.
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Most Splendid Game Dinner: On the nose - really expressive, much more so than the 85. On the palate - starts off bold, but there's something in the middle - a hint of TCA perhaps? It comes and goes, and with the food it really seemed put together. Still an enjoyable drink but I suspect we did not taste the best that 96 DP has to offer.
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Gareth's glorious game dinner (Canary Wharf): A fair amount of drive and more straightforwardly creamy than the 1985, but on this showing somewhat further advanced and less energetic than that wine. Lots to like here, although there were suspicions of low level TCA that hollowed out the mid-palate.
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Charleston VI; 11/3/2021-11/7/2021 (Charleston, SC (various locations)): Young and fresh and clearly well stored. This was really impressive in just how very young the wine was. It tasted almost like a recent vintage and yet it was much more interesting than young DP ever is. One of the surprises of the evening for me and goes to show how different a wine can be based on the storage.
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As always, a lovely champagne. Medium bodied, sourdough, cafe au lait, and nougat. Very vibrant. Maybe a young adult. Plenty of life in this. I wouldn't be surprised if this lasted another 15 years or so. No hurry to drink it up. Serve it just a degree warmer than ideal white wine temp to capture all the nuances. Outstanding.
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What a perfect wine to celebrate an engagement! Beautiful deep golden in colour.
From the nose through the palate this wine shows stunning freshness. Shockingly youthful for a 25 year old wine.
Lovely nose of green and red apple, peach, mandarine and age notes of honey and toasted caramel.
Light and fresh on the palate but with a density and fullness. I often find the best wines have this unique ability to feel fresh and powerful at the same time. There is precise, persistent acidity. Delicate bubbles.
More than on the nose, the flavours show clear signs of development. Deeply mineral with cheese, toast and almond all wrapped a core of freshly picked apples.
Tremendous length.
This will continue to develop for a decade+ but it is drinking wonderfully now.
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A small gathering at Bryan's (Bryan's place): Incredibly perfumed nose displaying unbelievably youthful pure white fruit with a hint of yellow, white peach, pear, granny smith, lemon curd, spearmint, white pepper, honeysuckle and limestone. Perfect balance and precision, beautifully layered pure white fruit, very fresh and energetic, very fine generous mousse, perfect amount of acidity and mineral and a seamless long generous pure white fruit driven finish with honeysuckle and spearmint at the end. The best example of the 96 DP in my life. Based on the last two examples, I dare say that the 96 DP is starting to surpass the 96 Salon. The fruit of DP remains white where the 96 Salon is more yellow at this point.
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not blind One of my favourite champagnes. I prefer it compared to the 96 oeno because it is more balanced at the moment. Better than the good bottle I had 2 weeks before. 98
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Served with savory pear tart topped with caviar. A wow nose of nutmeg and toast. Jumped out of the glass. Palate, nutty notes, apple and apricot. This was in a perfect place for me. Smooth, long finish.
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60% Pinot Noir 40% Chardonnay Ageing: 7 years on the lees, Dosage: 4 g/l, Alcohol: 12.5%
Fine beads, medium plus straw color. Clear and transparent.
Complex nose of bright citrus commingling with smoke, yeast, apple, sourdough, toasted almond.
On the palate, this wine shows deep minerality and pronounced limestone notes, plenty of stone fruits. Precise and expressive. Very long.
This is champagne at its finest. No reason to wait. However, I would suggest leaving it alone for half an hour for bubbles to settle a little before consumption. One of the best champagne I've tasted. Drink now. 93.
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not blind One of the best of 1996. I love this wine. Now close to reach his peak from regular bottle and regular disgorgement. Still great acidity but getting some nice aging signs. Toast, brioche but still oyster shells. Fine bubbles and precise long finish. A gem and not at his end. Now overlapping with the P2 in greatness. If you prefer young champagnes go for the P2 starting to get balanced. If you prefer a more complex wine go for regular disgorgement. 97-98
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Epic Bordeaux for an Epic Birthday!; 9/1/2021-9/12/2021 (Paris & Bordeaux): Bought the bottle in town on our morning walk and popped it maybe an hour later over lunch. This was just singing from the beginning. There's that sweet spot where the wine is still fresh and yet it's had time to mature and this was just heading into there. A bit more toasty and some nutty notes and just very fresh and bright.
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My last bottle of a 6 pack and served side by side 96 Oenoteque which was an interesting pair to drink side by side over the course of 2 hours. Very similar, clearly same juice. Same quality level and actually no real preference for me. The P1 more giving, voluptuous while the Oeno drier (lower dosage) and chalky qualities. Long life ahead for both.
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Worth the wait; I bought this 16 years ago. Opened for our 25th and friends' 39th Anniversary. I had high expectations, and we weren't disappointed. Power and grace, with great complexity and balance. Lemon and sweet orange, yellow apples, jasmine, and a great whiff of brioche. This is wearing its 25 years well, with faint cider, coffee and hazelnut notes only adding to the complexity. This was a great bottle.
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Eh, I'm now wondering what I saw in this previously, or if this is just an iffy bottle. A funny story first -- a few weeks ago, there was a 1996 Champagne dinner that I unfortunately missed, where the participants told me a wine was corked -- to which my immediate response was "96 Dom?". This bottle does seem to have some sort of odd reductive funk going on (and once in a while maybe a hint of TCA), but for the most part it is clean. Very nutty and surprisingly sweet and autolytic, without the shapely delineation that I would have expected from 1996 (Salon on the mind). The palate doesn't show much intensity either. It's clearly a champagne of high calibre but completely fails to excite. I'll also note that this bottle is from the same lot as one where a previous bottle I did find exciting, so it seems unlikely that storage is the culprit. Perhaps just plain old inconsistency (weird to say for such a large-production wine).
Revisiting this a few hours later: it's corked.
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Opened this for 27th anniversary The wine is a bit more mature but still fresh and vibrant and delicious. Absolute delight although hangover the next day was rough
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Great stuff and may have warranted a higher scores if served a touch warmer, maybe more breathing time? Lovely nose of ginger-like freshness with marzipan, baked apple and apricot fruits with vanilla bean/brown spice sweetness. I like the “tightness” and energy that works so well in contast to the rich, generous flavors. This is still holding back yet! Needs a bit more time and or attention. I would highly suggest not serving this too cold as the aromatic dimension can be compromised. So much to enjoy! Impressive richness vs. freshness.
Despite a light gold color and ultra fine beading indicating some age to it, the nose on this was shy at first and fairly linear; some baked apple, brioche slowly emerge with a high note of apricot. Over several minutes this slowly unfurled into a nicely complex wine. While not effusive with loads of charm and complexity like other top Champagnes, this is more revealing of the vintage. Didn’t shoot the lights out but it is fun to follow over a couple hours. 93+
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Slow-oxed for an hour before service. In the glass, pale gold with a slight tinge of copper, with medium-fine bubbles on the pour that disappeared almost immediately. On the nose, toast, marmalade, and an oxidative node reminiscent of sherry. On the palate, still effervescent on the attack despite the MIA bubbles, with a mix of plums, yeast, briny oyster, and that slight oxidative note.
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Simply brilliant. This wine always seems to show up and this bottle was no different. At 25 years old it’s starting to show some development but still plenty of verve and freshness. My favourite of the four 96s we drank this week. Outstanding.
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COVID-19 in the Rear-View Mirror...with Lots of Dom Perignon (Park Ridge Country Club): After a terrible first bottle, I helped convince a friend to open a 2nd bottle, which was correct and beautiful. So much apple and pear throughout, there were just enough berry hints to add another layer. Very dense and beautifully textured. One of tonight's highlights.
Showing more age than other bottles I’ve had recently. A touch of aldehyde on the nose, lacks a little freshness, marmalade and quince characters, good bead, soft acidity, and medium length. Not sure if this is tiring or just this bottle (likely the latter). Very enjoyable, just not quite at the standard expected.
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Oh joy. Looks so young. Lively mousse and ever so creamy texture. Wonderful nose with brioche, coffee and a slight oxidative note (but not in a bad way). Perfectly mature but surely a long life ahead of it (if you like mature Champagne).
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Bottle sourced from Belmont Wine Exchange and kept in eurocave since 2015. Golden color (way less deep than Dom 95). Very fine carbonation. Reticent nose. Whereas the 1995 was delivering as soon as opened, this one took a good hour to start showing some interesting features. Whereas the 1995 was exuberant and tropical this one was more conservative, more yeasty and mineral, with a greater structure. Much less edonistic and more focused on mineral and structure. This said, I am afraid that we did not experience this wine in its full potential. Not enough time to let it open up. I liked a lot its structure, but I think that it needs more cellaring time to fully develop. I tried the 96 P2 as well which was even more backward. I think that this wine is not at an optimal spot right now and should be cellared for a bit longer to unleash its full potential.
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One of the best expressions of the produce and vintage and I have had Oenotheque and P2. Brioche, lemon custard, cream, and much more. Sorry nothing more. At dinner for my wife becoming US citizen.
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This is good! The nose gives intense toasty, biscuity notes with an underlying fruit character of strawberries, oyster shells and chalk dust. Very crisp, fine, still youthful and fresh in the mouth, the finish has layers of minerals, citrus and creaminess. Very precise, rich, but elegant, great wine
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This was found in a supermarket shelf in 2008 and was priced near the going rate at the time for more recent vintages. I think around €130. Obviously always a bit worrying when you source wine in this manner but I think Champagne is a bit more robust. The label got scuffed from dragging it in and out of the Eurocave over the years. Pale gold in colour. Ripe fruit, ripe red apple and pear with secondary aromas of caramel. Medium acidity. Low alcohol at 12.5% vol.
Surprisingly youthful, Should not have been worried about its initial storage. Secondary aromas became more pronounced as it warmed up in the glass. Delighted I took the risk on the purchase when I did. Not to sure I would pay the premium for this excellent vintage now. Great experience though.
Not as fresh as other bottles recently. Light bead, nose of gingerbread, quince, marmalade, good body on the palate, but just lacking a touch of vitality. Very nice nonetheless. Damned by faint praise?
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This is definitely now fully mature, tertiary fruit, truffle feel too. Very vinous and has lost the champagne edge but still a very pretty wine if that is what one looks for. We are a bit disappointed it has lost its energy as 1996 was meant to be a a top end vintage and we loved it in its youth. It could be our bottles... no rating this time as we could not agree on one.. a very rare occasion. we have two more bottles.
Incredibly precise with lots of breaded notes and a truckload of caramel. Candid pear fruit with citric elements. Steely mineral notes and a few nutty aromas in there as well. Mineral and fresh, crisp even, on the palate. Amazingly firm with a long finish. In terms of flavours green apple and citrus and more nutty notes here. This is quite spectacular and all the proof you need that you'll be rewarded for patiently cellaring Champagne. 97+
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Tasted double blind. After the first nose an sip, it was clear that this must be something great. My guess was Dom Perignon 1990, although this seemed to have too much freshness. This is a superb wine, so intense, tertiary, with good fruit and excellent precision, superbly fresh and fine. The complete package. A wow wine.
TN: Superb nose with bready and caramel notes, super clean and nice, medium+ intensity. Very inviting. The bomb on the palate. Super intense, caramel, citrus, bruised apple, a lot of brioche and bakery. So intense and precise. Medium complexity but so wonderfully painted. Very harmonious with fine mousse a perfect but well integrated acidity. Long brioche and carmel, nougat finish.
Nose is a bit tight initially but this opens up with pretty floral notes, salted caramel, lemon, minerals, bread dough and pear but this still seems like it is not ready for Broadway quite yet...even at 25 years. Give it another 5-10...but this is a fantastic vintage that can go for many more years.
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nice and a little floral, a little cotton candy. Mellow, rounded, nice ripeness but not too much. Very elegant and easy to drink. More toasty with caramel notes 30 minutes later, with more depth on the palate.
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Consistent with previous notes from bottles from the same well stored case. This is in the zone now and I like it in large glass format (even Zalto Burg it can stand up to). Quite rich and fat but still measured and pulls back in the right moment. Wondering where this will go with another decade, it's surely a classic Dom.
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Tasted non blind. Opened and served immediately. Followed over two hours. Re-visited 24 hours later.
Light yellow to yellow color in the glass, clear looking throughout with medium, steady beading. Nose of mushroom, brandied pears and yellow apples. A bit more sherry like on the nose 24 hours later. Bright flavors of yellow pears, lemon and minerals. Bright acidity, full bodied. Drink now with a little air to blow of any potential bottle funk or continue to hold.
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23rd of 36, pnp, compressed cork as expected, in line with my previous notes in March and October 2018, lovely still energetic mousse, biscuity, very nuanced, long and persistent and with a depth of flavour which would work well with food, champagne simply doesn't get better, but can't see any upside from here, no rush though. VF+ (19).
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At Shunsai, East Brisbane. This bottle opened beautifully with an appropriately developed lemon colour and a fine bead with a fresh yet complex nose of apple, yuzu, white peach, pale cherry, nougat and cashew. The palate is vigorous and flavoursome with that weightlessness and silk character of the best of Dom that just goes on and on. Really delicious yet again.
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Lots of brioche and toast on this example. Not the freshest bottle as the fruit was a little more bruised apple as opposed to sharp citrus. Almond and praline on the palate, in a nice way, toasted. Still a classic.
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Exceptional bubbles. Purchased 12 in 2004. Very smooth mousse. Very small bubbles. Almost no pop from the bottle. Lively acidity and gentle fruit but overwhelming the taste of biscuits with a little follow through o something hinting at sous bois or truffle. Such a joy to savour. Shame is we only have 3 bottles left !
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This is now finally ready to drink. I have had it 6 times since release and it is now bursting from the glass with burnt caramel, orchards, orange peel and some clove/allspice. On the palate it combines a wonderful freshness with heavy, mature fruit. Powering on all cylinders. Stayed fresh and complex for 3 hours even after reaching room temperature.
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Very impressive original bottling that is packed with rich orchard fruit and smoky flavors. Still so powerful and energetic even at almost 25 years old.
Great Champagne and Burgundy Dinner (Park Ridge Country Club): Plenty of ripe apple and pear start-to-finish with floral, spice and toasted brioche all in the near background. Very clean, bright and long with enticing freshness on finish. I bought this at release and it was well stored since.
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I thought I only had very old disgorgements, but this was an auction purchase from 2018 that I suspect was a more recent disgorgement. Upon opening a bit cold, this was restrained but with perfect balance and little tertiary characteristics. It took a bit of air and warming to show its true character. Once it opened up, it was a thriller. Dense and generous, with lemon, orange, yellow orchard fruit, heady brioche, roasting hazelnuts, jasmine and some very savory note I couldn’t put a name on. This bottle could have lasted another decade or more. I don’t know how this can be so good considering how many cases they produce.
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Easily the best Dom I've tried to date, close or maybe even better than the 2002. Pours strong in the glass with a deep golden hue. Nose is showing some firm development, but there is still a chunk of life left in this. Aromas of yellow fruit, brioche, some caramel. The tropical fruit richness really shows on the palate and is complemented by a sturdy body. Acid is still laser-sharp which caught me off guard to be honest. Bubbles are fine and finish is gorgeous. A Champagne I want to relive every day.
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Classic, stately, early maturity and secondary character coming along now. This is in a very good place and has unclenched compared to earlier examples. Long, persistent, fine mousse, brioche, yeast, Classic Dom.
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Great showing! Out of Zalto White Burgundy glasses (67 PM special) this delivered the goods to kick of a great dinner with friends. Fat, roasted nuts, deep and long. Proper Dom and felt in a sweet spot to many.
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As always, utterly delicious. One of those special champagnes that manages to maintain great freshness while cultivating maturity. Fresh lemon, brioche, white button mushroom, and acacia. This has so much left to say.
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Golden yellow. Lively bubbles. Warm baked apples. Biscuits. So much acidity. I thought ever so slightly corked upon opening but blew off. Lovely champagne that is drinking perfectly now. From GT
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Very fresh, biscuity, creamy, as it got bit warmer and longer in the glass it put on weight and tasted like a high end Puligny Montrachet, drank over 3 hours & it was interesting to track its evolution, excellent DP
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Very youthful color, maybe just a hint of light gold. Focused and structured. Seems to be in an awkward, middle phase. Fruit is starting to recede, but it is not yet developing mature flavors. This bottle had years to go.
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After having a mind blowing ‘90 DP a couple months back, this bottle of 1996 Dom Pérignon showed a bit more developed than I would have expected with earlier notes of tertiary complexity - not that this is meant to be a knock to the wine at all.
Fine bubbles sparkle within the deep, rich golden potion. A touch of reductive funk ( in a healthy fetish kind of way ) yields to complex notes of earth, mushroom, smoked paprika, roasted Marcona almonds and aged Dom brioche.
This 1996 Dom Pérignon is an intellectual Champagne, likened to Sherlock Holmes. Mature flavors consist of lemon custard, orange preserves and soft bruised apple. The delicate and creamy mousse bestows a Champagne of early acclaimed Hollywood era sophistication and elegance. If only they still made movies like they do Champagne.
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Delicious and beautiful golden color. Still has plenty of time to age but had wonderful aromas and was light in flavor. Smells of white flowers and stone fruit and tasted similar in the bottle.
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A lovely bottle from a perfectly stored case. Possibly not quite as developed as the last version I had (which I scored a bit higher) and not quite as in the zone today as a beautiful 95 I enjoyed two weeks prior (again also rated 96), but that is nit picking / possible bottle variation. The 96 Dom is on a great path and it is drinking now and should provide immense pleasure over the next 2 decades.
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The Last Chance Saloon: Quite dark in colour, but still had sufficient energy. Very relaxed and easy - all the corners smoothed off and just lovely to drink.
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Just tasted a 1996 Dom Perignon. To this day, this still remains to be my favorite. Pale gold turning yellow straw at the rim. It has a glorious nose of nectarines and flowers. Still sharp, upbeat, focused, and pure. Very refined, elegantly creamy, and balanced. Finishes long and heightened with hints of citrus peel. Drink now until 2026. 96+
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Dull yellow, light froth. Mushroomy aromas. Much fresher in the mouth than the nose suggests-no sherried tones, some bright citrus, yet the mellow flavors of mature Champagne. On the finish, the tremendous acidity of the vintage bores through, along with an unusual amount of soil. Complex, long, and altogether great.
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From a 750mL bottle recently purchased at auction. My first experience with properly aged Dom. Flint, grilled lemon, creamy vanilla, and earth. Drinking beautifully now — balanced between freshness and complexity. Probably at its peak age for me, but will hold for many years.
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DP, DPR, DPO, DPP2 (Ft. Lauderdale, Florida): Only Dom Pérignon can taste so young at almost a quarter of a century. There’s some evidence of maturity yet it’s still delicate and citric. A very fine Dom Pérignon to drink now but no rush at all. While some of the 1996 champagnes are become erratic the Dom Pérignon has been very consistent since release.
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Light gold color. Tight cork, nice effervescence on pour and then settled down to minimal bubbles in the glass. Toasted rye bread, orange marmalade and light smoke. Still bright acid and overall good balance. Good with food.
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A wonderful bottle. I would not have picked this for a 20+ yr old bottle. Vibrant with great acidity. Light gold with no browning. Fresh aromas of apple, peach, honey, brioche and lemon. Just beautiful.
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Wines tasted at Zachy's Chicago Watch Party (Formentos): Side by side with the 96 Cristal, and I preferred the Dom. More rich and concentrated with a nice toasty character. Still quite fresh and energetic. A great bottle.
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Zachys auction at Formento's (Chicago, IL): Great bottle of this; fairly in line with the bottle I opened at the HDH recently. This clearly has that funky thing that happens when a fairly reductive wine ages, and has also picked up some bready qualities along the way. Fairly balanced, but not as serene and composed as the 96 Cristal alongside (which I preferred).
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The 1996 Dom Perignon is drinking superbly today. A rich and exuberant nose of zingy ripe orchard fruit, creamy biscuit and hints of brioche. Medium bodied with great acidity. (92/100)
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Corton Charlemagne Dinner (110 Taillevent London): Possibly a bit more developed than I would have expected - however nothing taking away from its qualities: Lovely deep nuttiness, creme brulee, coffee, some acidic lift on the mineral finish. Lingers long. Very good aged Dom! Already in a nice sweet spot for drinking. Drink now-2035 (from standard).
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HDH Bordeaux Auction (Chicago, IL): Certainly shows the expected reductive funk of older DP, but it's a very clean and bright bottle. Lots of intensity and plenty of the acidity. Correct for what it is (and consistent with the best bottles of this I've had), and really delicious.
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Not an expert at all on mature champagne, but this was pretty darn tasty. Pale yellow. Bread and citrus on the nose. Thick mousse that faded quickly. Not many bubbles, but still effervescent. Intense lemon, grapefruit, and toast on the palate. Long and lingering finish.
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This was very generously served as aperitif by our lunch host. We tasted it blind, with just the clues that it was a vintage champagne. Light gold in colour with good bubbles, the nose was fresh, light and yeasty. We thought it was probably about 10 years old, which demonstrates just how well this Dom Perignon has aged. Light and fruity on the palate, with hints of pineapple and melon. Creamy, quite long on the finish. We were amazed when he announced the producer and vintage, we didn't think it could have kept so well, will probably go on for another 20 years. A superb champagne and thanks very much to our friends for sharing it with us.
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Annual Chicago winos visit - Champagne, White Burg, DRC, La La and SQN (Officina - Washington D.C.): Absolutely captivating nose displaying elegant white and yellow fruit, apple, pear, starfruit, lemon curd, honey, beeswax, smoke, lightly burnt sugar, brioche and limestone. Perfectly harmonious palate, very finely layered subtle white fruit, elegant, energetic and beautifully detailed. Incredibly fine generous mousse, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a long subtle white fruit driven finish with smoke and honey at the end. This is a really clean example, i.e. no lees. 2013 disgorgement. One of the best examples of the 96 DP Oeno.
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SLDS October 2019: Chocolate, earth and orange peel on the nose. Good fruit depth still showing on the palate, has taken on some complexity with further spice and earth. Very good but maybe just lacking the excitement and energy of previous bottles.
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Lunch at Sun Wah (Chicago, IL): Not entirely sure that this bottle was correct. Given the source of the bottle, there was a high probability it was corked and while for a moment or two I thought I picked up the wet cardboard here, it never really seemed to materialize, and it also didn't get worse with air. Nonetheless, this just wasn't quite there; it seemed a little hollow and didn't have the concentration and complexity that I would have expected. The bright 1996 acids are there, as well as some bottle funk (not related to the imaginary TCA) and a slight bit of mushroom. Overall though, this just didn't really work. I hope it's an off-bottle even if I can't identify the flaw.
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#2 of 6. PnP light color, energetic mousse, clean bright nose with citrus notes, nice acidity. Texture is both creamy and lively giving a wonderful balance to this really great bottle of DP. Clearly evolving beautifully since my first bottle in 2016
This was superior to a regular 96 and the equal of a 96 Oneo tasted at the Acker Auction two weeks ago.
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A real treat to try this champagne given its legendary status. It was served blind to me and I guessed 1990 champagne. Its golden in colour and showing lots of nice developed savory notes. The bubbles are now very fine and delicate. I had the 1998 just a few weeks earlier and found this was more developed as the 98 was actually very lively, so not sure if that is just bottle various. This was a very big wine though, and after the bubbles faded, it was like a big grand cru burgundy. Would love to try again. Served by St at his home.
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Wow! Had for my birthday with my wife and daughter. Fantastic! Have only three bottles left! Very complex. We don't do Champagne very often, but I can't wait for another occasion to have another bottle.
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2019 Palmerathon: Fabulous Dom; fresh, young, and lively. Lots of lemony zip and mineral, but also rich brioche and cream. Very fresh and still very young, this has the potential to do even better for itself in a few years, as is true for most of the great 96 champagnes.
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Golden color with a very toasty bouquet and flavor with hints of dilute balsamic vinegar. Bubbles mostly gone with nice acidity. Good balance with a moderate finish. Not a wow but very nice.
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Opened for my 1996 boys Graduation in Boulder. This is in a terrific place. Unfortunately 23 year olds don’t have proper stems but the wine was full of fruit and delicious.
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Happy Easter everyone. Delicious stuff, fruity dry brioche and honey. What a wine to celebrate a beautiful sunny day. It's got lots of complexity and is so fresh and showing no sign of aging. Wish I had a case, sadly I only had 1 bottle. 95 points
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Very toasty with a bit of oxidation that brought out a lot of nuttiness. Excellent, but not what I expected so no score (slightly flawed?). Still, a wonderful drink to accompany the Easter egg hunt in the yard.
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In a perfect place. Lots of acid and lots of fruit, with a strong honeyed note like the greatest Champagnes get with age. I think this will keep developing, but I don't see how it gets better since it drinks so well right now.
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Strangely enough still an infant with its high acidity still hiding the underlying fruit. Citrus, flint, sourdough, brioche and minerality. But only giving it away reluctantly. Long aftertaste. All the wonderful things normally tasted and enjoyed only surfaced now and then. But it is there so I am not to worried for the future.
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Charleston Food & Wine Festival; 3/7/2019-3/10/2019 (Charleston, SC (various locations)): A bit more tired than I expected it to be but could just be the bottle and storage conditions. It's old Dom though which to me is always great (the young stuff I just don't understand). Lots of toast and almost a hint of bitterness to it which more makes it a bit interesting. Quite fine and an amazing pairing with fried oysters.
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Astonishingly pale. The nose is delicate with a touch of citrus and lemon, but it is in the palate that this really explodes with the finest, mouth-filling mousse; concentration yet lightness, and perfect pitch finish.
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(Blind tasting) Full, deep nose. Roasted nuts, yellow orchard fruit, marzipan. Very, very nice depth. Complex development. Elegant. Fullish and densely fruity. Very rich and hedonistic. Toasty nuts, orchard fruits and refreshing citrus finish. Almost perfumed. Succulent, pure and mature. Actually more elegant than expected. Could not decide if this or Cristal was the best.
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Pinot Noir and some Champagne (Restaurant Brunnenstube, Beinstein): Medium golden color, much lighter than the 1996 Belle Epoque. Clean nose, at first a bit muted, needs time, air and I guess a certain temperature to fully open up. Very fresh and young. Dry, finest mousseux of all Champagne we had this night. Lots of chalky mineral notes, racy acidity. Very elegant and fine, but also with lots of grip and pressure. Long and lingering finish. Still very young with lots of potential. Wonderful experience! 94-95++
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I’m not usually a fan of champagne but this blew me away. Every sip was interesting to me and the wine seemed to gain depth and complexity with air. Ripe but not overripe with lemon curd, citrus and a long long finish. As wine warms gets even better. Don’t overchill this beauty. This chapamagne will charm even the red wine drinker.
Had this as part of a birthday celebration with carrot cake. Started off with a slightly anemic string of beads, but picked up as the wine opened. A rounder mouthfeel, some of the acidity has melted away. Ripe sweet apples, yeasty notes, and plenty of citrus notes to complement the beginning notes of age. Elegant and easy to drink.
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Un champagne dans un registre différent du Selosse bu précédemment. Celui-ci parait plus agé, moins éclatant mais plus complexe. On y retrouve des fruits comme la lime, la pomme mais aussi des noix et un côté minéral.
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Chez G, as my March bottle and early in the zone of peak pleasure, having lost over acid edge of youth and now showing more biscuit whilst retaining energetic fine mousse. VF+ (19).
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Continuing to develop nicely, the wine now marries elegance, complexity, freshness to fresh, citrus, flowers, toasted bread and almonds. The purity in the fruit stands out. This is effortless to drink.
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This is a beautiful bottle of mature Dom with plenty of freshness and drive. There is a fine, vigorous bead with a fresh yet complex nose of apple, yuzu, white peach, pale cherry, nougat and cashew. The palate is vigorous and flavoursome with that weightlessness and silk character of the best of Dom that just goes on and on. A great bottle of Champagne.
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I always want to dislike Dom, but I never can. This was a glorious mature btl. After the Vilmart, which was already glorious, this was showing the youngster how it is done. Loads of nuts and rich citrus, great acidity, good salinity and just perfect with the uni course.
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Syrah from Afar with a Champagne Flight to start (Long Island, NY): I really tend to like Dom and was looking forward to trying the '96 for the first time. Unfortunately it paled a bit in comparison to the Selosse VO served previously. Typical richer styled Dom with lots of toast and yeast, some oxidative and nutty notes coming through but the I think this was missing some acidity to give it more tension. Nice but not as special particularly given the price.
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An Afternoon in LI w/Friends (Champagne Reception, Syrah from Afar) (Long Island): Tough coming on the heels of a Selosse V.O. which was just rocking. This was tasty, but didn't feel like quite the same level. Different than the last time we had the wine - this time it was mostly a nice aged caramel that I found quite nice. It was more like a 'standard champagne' style, but very well done.
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Sine Qua Non (SQN) Magnum Extravaganza + Bevan, Mike Smith, Sparkling/Champagne, and others (Calistoga): This was the sparkler of the evening, with superb balance and delivery of flavors across the palate from entry to the finish. Mature oxidative notes of salty butterscotch, bruised lemon peel, brioche, and poached pear. But also driven and energetic, with oyster shell, quince, and some chalk on the back end.
Not a harsh edge to be found here, but no rounded-out slouch either. The posture on this Champagne was extraordinary, with just enough grip to hold the flavors gorgeously intact. A juxtaposition of mouth-coating unctuousness and vibrant acidity. Drink now, but can still hold up for a number of years to come. 96-97 points.
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I had the pleasure of drinking this in HK recently. Usually DP is really not my cup of tea and my style tends to lean more on grower champagnes with the limit to appreciate Krug from the big houses.
However this bottle of the '96 DP stood out head over heels over any of the best champagnes I have ever tasted. Without being too shallow, I felt that what this bottle is is something that no grower champagne can ever be. Although my friends seem to agree that this is purely due to the age the bottle has seen and perhaps there is some truth in there. How often do you actually get to try 20+ years aged champagnes. Probably not much unless you are some oligarch.
This was creamy, saline, very so slightly oxidative, but the balance was on point. The length was amazing, not long but just amazing. This is more of quality than quantity in every aspect. Rich and sumptuous. I know this is not cheap but look at it this way, instead of wasting your money on a Armand de Brignac or a Salon or a Selosse or Krug CdM, this is what you ought to seek out. If it has been well kept of course. I guarantee this wont disappoint. It will be amazing with food but I think I enjoyed it even more without it.
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A private dinner (Restaurant Bak, Amsterdam, NL): Absolutely beautiful, youthful but mature nose, classical Dom Pérignon, lemon butter on toast, lovely chalky salinity; beautifully delineated palate, creamy lemon, perfectly integrated acidity, very fresh and lively, silky palate, still that hint of reduction, so relaxed and flowing; beautifully complete and long finish. At peak, but with many years ahead.
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Aromatics: Very honey dominant. Earthy, mushroom (wild ones). A bit of oxidative funk. Palate: Round mouthfeel with subtle bubbles (much more of a still wine at this point). A Kaleidoscope of flavors: honey, baked goods, caramelized bread crust, apple crisp, mushroom, and dried fruits (especially fig) on the palate. Plenty of lifted acid and minerality on the finish.
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Hommage a DryCab - Washington Wines release; 5/3/2018-5/5/2018 (Various spots in Walla Walla): Really firing on all cylinders tonight. This wine was fresh and young and shows what Dom can be with a bit more age. Super bright. Almost a hint of sweetness. Honeycomb. A bit less brioche than I sometimes associate with the style and a bit more lightness and freshness. Very nice.
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Very good showing tonight. Medium yellow color but drinks much fresher. 96 acid in balance and this wine had plenty of toast, coffee bean, lemon, brioche. Still a ton of energy and tension in the wine. Saw what you will I am big DP fan across all their iterations. Highly consistent wines and this 96 was no exception.
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2008 Napa Cab Retrospective (Fresno): Starter wine for the night. Holding up very well, still with energetic acidity and bubbles, classic toasty dom nose with notes of smoke and brioche. Palate was full and rich as expected. This wine never disappoints, always very consistent and shows even better in a great vintage like 96.
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20th of 36, pnp, compressed cork, showing more maturity than last May's bottle, more harmonious and rich with the acidity of yore now nicely integrated, should continue to develop for a few more years but now mature. VF+ (19).
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This showed really nicely; notes of lemon peel and biscuit on the palate with slight oxidative/nutty notes. This has the stuffing to go at least another 10 more years. As "hip" as it might be to drink "grower champagne," there is no denying the quality of Dom.
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Åpner med et deilig sukk. Fantastisk nese med sødmefulle saftige epler, søtt bakverk, krydder, svakt av lys karamell og hint av nøtter. Finner ikke kaffe her enda. Strålende intensitet. Nydelig mousse av mikroskopiske bobler - smooth munnfølelse. Konsentrert rik frukt møter 96-nerven på en fortreffelig måte. Livlig, intens, elegant, formfull og forførende vin. Vanskelig å sette fra seg. Lineær kurve og ender i en meget lang finish. Syre og mineraler biter godt i kinnene. En fabelaktig god DP 96 - nydelig nå, men har mange gode år foran seg. Har hatt noen av disse - tror denne var den beste så langt. 95-96p
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Delivers as always, Inspiring, Oyster, toasted toast, fresh, en pointdrank it from Zalto Burgundy glas, in this case I would prefer a smaller glass, maybe Zalto universal. Great length, precise and powerful. At the end ripe yellow fruits, peaches. At this stage better than the DP Oenotheque because of the beginning tertiary notes, in 10 yaers things can Change. 96
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Great opportunity to taste side by side DP'96 and DP'96 Œnotheque.
Rich and generous aromas of nuts and candied fruits showing the maturity of this Champagne. On the palate it's very rich, with citrus hints, pears and buttery. Acidity is medium(+). It definitely lacks the depth and freshness of Œnotheque, but if tasted alone, you'd be surprised how deep and massive it is. Disgorged in 2003 it still has lots of hidden potential. Super vintage of ‘96 which DP shows at its best.
Bin-End Italian Dinner (Gattopardo Restaurant, Tras Street, Singapore): Nicely maturing, but still really fresh and lively - this was a delight to drink. It had a lovely, generous nose, with wafting layers of cream and brioche, white fruit and flinty mineral, along with a creeping note of caramel at the sides. With time, a little lilt of white meat started coming out as well. Really attractive. The palate still had a good hit of juicy acidity and fine, but gentle mousse running through full, delicious flavours of red apples, lemon zest and smoky mineral, all laced with a touch of spice and burnt caramel tailing away into a delightfully lingering finish. As compelling as always, but this bottle was a touch fresher and less developed than the last couple I had. One of the great modern DP vintages for sure.
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The 1996 iteration of Dom Pérignon was a prodigy upon release and has now fulfilled its destiny of becoming a virtuoso. Medium golden in color, it retains a brisk tiny bead and possesses everything that one could want from a tête de cuvée. Citrus, stone fruits, pine nuts, brioche, marzipan and lavender characterize the nose and medium-bodied palate, with crisp acidity that keeps everything vibrant throughout the middle palate and lengthy back end. Now 21 years of age, impressively complex and with beautiful tension from start to finish, this wine flirts with perfection. Well-cellared bottles should easily see their 30th birthday. Drink now-2026.
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Acid party. Quite a noticeable uptick from the 95 in the next glass. Good complexity and energy. While I very much like this its tasting like its time to drink up. Not in decline but not sure I am seeing upside from here. Its all about how the fruit and acid will balance in the future.
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Champagne Showdown: 1995 v. 1996 (Atera): Consistent notes. Stylistically and aromatically distinctive with that Dommy brioche nose. A deeper and richer nose than that on the ‘95, nice minerality but with good creaminess too. Mmm, every time.
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Rich and complex with layers of flavour. It has creamy orchard fruits some vanilla and other spice. Balance is exquisite and it is all class. Drinking fabulously well right now.
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Now we're talking. My last few bottles of this have been Oenotheques, which have never matched the original disgorgements. This is still young in most every way. There is, however, an ephemeral quality that suggests that there's a lot more to come. The softened mousse is maybe the only real sign of age. With that exception, it's all classic Dom smoke and salinity, with citrus playing more of a supporting role. This has a ton of upside.
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Un champagne dans un registre différent du Selosse bu précédemment. Celui-ci parait plus agé, moins éclatant mais plus complexe. On y retrouve des fruits comme la lime, la pomme mais aussi des noix et des arômes de popcorn. Semble être la proie d'une oxydation avancée..
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Ah the value of perfect a perfect case vs single bottle random purchases. This first of our 6 and what a start, back to the beauty of when we tried this 4-5 years ago. Energetic albeit evolved, rich and yeasty but with solid acidity and that light touch of Green apple and light honey finish. Light smoky too at times. Super solid 95
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Still seems young to me. Crisp green apple, lemon peel, straw, slight touch of hazelnut. Still more yellow than gold in color. Full bead. 20+ second finish.
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This wine has been a little up and down with bottle variation but this was a beautiful bottle of Champagne. There is a fine, vigorous bead and a lovely nose of apple, yuzu, white peach, pale cherry, nougat and cashew. The palate is vigorous and young with that weightless Dom character leading into a long fine finish. Delicious tonight.
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Mark's bottle. Terrific example of DP from a great vintage, this bottle showed flair, pizzazz and all those hard to define qualities that mark out DP at its best in its transition from young to early middle age. Medium dark yellow color, much deeper than the Oenotheque and much more advanced in flavor profile as well. So far, the first set of the match goes to this original bottling.
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A touch of mustiness from the cork marred would should have been a spectacular bottle. There was some toast and red fruits. It was rich and layered with a strong line of minerally acidity.
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Kelly’s 61st - Champ, Monfortino, Burgundy and a ringer ('14 Summum) (The Grill Room at the Rosewood DC): Beautifully mature nose displaying decadent sweet yellow fruits, lemon curd, tarte tatin, sweet spices, honey and mineral. Excellent concentration, piercing acidity, fine mousse, strong mineral presence and a long finish with decadent yellow fruit and mineral at the end. The bright acidity and strong mineral presence provide good precision and freshness. It has reached the peak but won’t decline anytime soon.
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Just slight hint of gold in the colour. Wonderfully pure and balanced with only a tiny hint of broadening at this stage. Has everything to be a truly great DP in another decade or so. Amazing to consider how young this showed in every way relative to any 1996 white burgundy out there.
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DP @ Medlar (Medlar, London): Mid to full straw. A curious albeit faint nose of Shipham's bloater paste, though fortunately this seems to lift. Really lovely from attack to finish. Fresh and poised. Very proper. Complete and harmonious. Perfect shape and line. Consistent with my previous experience of this, though others have had more variable bottles. *****
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Had this beauty at a very exclusive winetasting in a winelover friend's house. Still youthfull with fair amount of acidity. Toasted bread and butter dominate fruity flavors in the background. I'm not regretful to crunch 20 years of history, would do it again
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Incredible. Really starting to show its maturity now. Golden (honey like) colour. Sophisticated flavours of green apple and biscuit. A treat to enjoy something like this.
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18th of 36, perfect level, suitably constricted cork, previous notes fine or better, now starting to darken, less fine mousse, better integrated, hint of biscuit, harmonious now, just enough acidity, classy fruit, long life ahead and still improving, as yet not quite the grace of the '82 say! VF (18.5).
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Just starting to turn golden and show its full range of complexity. Lemon mousse, hints of green apple, mandarin orange peel, hints of hazelnut. Long finish and excellent balance.
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Confusing wine. First well-evolved with coffee notes. After 5 min my first glas suddenly seemed over the hill. When I sniffed my second glas I was certain it was corked... but it blew off with some air and was suddenly very clean, very fresh and slightly... under-evolved and a bit restrained. Much more elegant than I would expect. Hmm... drink now? Store? 4.25 stars. Good but certainly not that memorable.
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Annual gathering with Chicago winos in Chicago - Burgs, old Bordeauxs and SQNs (Smyth and The Loyalist - Chicago IL): Decadent fully mature nose displaying sweet yellow fruit, candied lemon peel, apple cooked in cinnamon, caramel, limestone and honey. Fully integrated palate, abundant fine mousse, sweet spices and cooked apple driven palate impression, perfect amount of acidity, excellent mineral presence and a sweet deeply toned finish. This particular bottle is fully mature but still retains good freshness and precision. Excellent showing.
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Wine Dinner Extravaganza; 4/21/2017-4/22/2017 (Smyth and The Loyalist - Chicago IL): Powerful combination of apple aromas and flavors , with a wonderful cross-section of ripe and under-ripe fruit across the green/ yellow/ red spectrum with some richer baked apple notes on finish. Very wonderful now, but I won't hold my few remaining bottles past 2020, even if I understand while others liked older styled Champagne might.
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Yellow color with very nice effervescence. Bouquet and flavor of toast, hazelnut, and citrus. Very nice depth and balance with good supporting acidity. Quite long finish. Wonderful accompaniment to the Easter meal and a WOW wine.
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Full on the palate, presenting an impressive range of elements. Has put on weight and matured since I last had it, but still requires more time. Good upside potential here. 94-95+
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This bottle had life and exuberance while not all 1996 Champagnes still do - bubbles and length, depth and vitality. While it was still light on its feet, it had started to show evolution of the fruit on the mid-palate.
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50th Birthday Winefoolishness (Chicago, IL): A great bottle and held its own with a spectacular 96 Krug CdM tasted in the same flight. Very powerful and youthful white fruit. Tons of energy and fresh but to support the big white fruits. Outstanding showing.
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This wine is really coming around beautifully. Fulsome and steady bead. Oranges and cream, some green apple underneath with a layer of hazelnut emerging. 20+ second finish.
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Extremely fresh bottle putting out a strong nose of candied lemon citrus, honey, dom toast, and smoke. Crackling effervescence and energy up the palate with bright citrus flavours developing more yeasty and cereal tones. A great bottle of this that smoked a slightly tired '90 side-by-side.
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True to form and a solid wine from start to finish. It is showing its age and we would suggest one drinks sooner than later while it has freshness and vitality. Ripe and yeasty good depth. Solid 93-94
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En vindunderlig tiltalende parfymert nese på denne 96. Har holdt seg godt med saftige gule epler, blomster og søtbakst. Ren og elegant. Har akkurat nok frukt til å takle den ekstreme syren. Vil ikke kalle det perfekt balansert, men helvetes godt er det. Bra trøkk gjennom hele her. Modningen kjennes best i finish, hvor frukten viser seg som voksen. Lang elektrisk finish.
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so much concentration, power, and richness right now. Lemon curd and yellow apple as well as very eggy brioche notes. Incredibly textural and nearly chewy on the palate with ample acidity to cut through it all. This wine is singing right now.
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Noisy bubbles in the glass before they calmed down. Lovely golden hue, flavours of peach, almonds and apricots. Absolutly delicious champagne. Still has many years left.
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golden colors with little effervescence, almost a still wine in fact. Nose of brioche, lime, and hint of pear. Delicious but honestly not worth the fare. Did not rise to the level of greatness as the prior bottle we had.
have another one and hoping for the best!
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Dom Perignon Dinner (Cherry Circle Room - Chicago IL): Apple, pear and some lemon custard. Excellent concentration, balance and length. While others disagreed, I slightly preferred this over the wonderful 1996 P2 in the next glass. Still incredibly fresh and vibrant.
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A private tasting (Restaurant De Ertepeller, Papendrecht. NL): Tasted blind. Light but lively colour, green tinge, very fine mousse; very expressive nose, a bouquet of flowers, honeysuckle, complex and deep; wonderfully silky and seamless style, so flowing and harmonious, a panoply of citrus flavours; very complete and long finish with just a hint of evolution, extremely long. Even better than on previous occasions, at perfect peak with time in hand.
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Dom Pérignon Dinner (Atara): Terrific as always. Reads younger than the '96 Oenothèques enjoyed recently, if less concentrated and developed. Putting out a huge and complex nose tonight, green almond, praline, stonefruit, candies citrus. Rich and hugely flavourful on the palate. Wicked acidity and minerality. A star.
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Prestige Cuvees Zurich 2016 (Carlton Restaurant Zurich): Again a stunner, the WOTN, not only for me, (14 out of 16), drank it blind, still in an early stage, citrus, typical oyster and seabreeze notes, some toast, nuts in the finish, for me better than the oenotheque 96, at least now, 97-98
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Pale gold-yellow; lovely yeasty-biscuity notes, some old apricot/peach pit, sappy, great nose; Beautiful rich entry, sappy, excellent concentration and a light vinous quality. Fine persistent bubbles, great balance and intensity. Very long tangy finish, but without the searing high acidity of other '96's I've had. In a very good place right now and will hold. Saved a bit for after the tasting and it was like a great Burgundy with some age on it. Ultra Rare Bordeaux Tasting-Class at Monopole.
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Had this bottle with my son and his wife to celebrate the birth if their first child and my first grandchild Sierra. A fitting bottle. Bright and fresh. Delicious Champagne. Will have to get more to celebrate future events in her life.
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Decades of 6 (The Papies, Elizabeth St, London): Beautiful wine as always, well round now, good rich bready side, yeasty richness, a touch of citrus too to finish the mix. Had a touch of a musty edge on the finish but away from that a beautiful wine full of charm and elegance. We would suggest one drinks sooner than later.94
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Very young. Big mouthful feel of oxidative yellow fruit, coffee bean and stone fruit. Lots of minerality and freshness. Needs a lot more time for the layers and nut fruit to emerge. Great potential.
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Champagnesmaking av 1996 årgangen (Oslo): Elegant og fantastisk på duft. Klokkeren nese. Dette er så balansert og deilig. Nydelig fruktkvalitet og et lekkert syrespill. Meget lang finish som sitter så presist i munnen. En harmonisk og vakker vin! Drikker nydelig, men tåler mange år.
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Of course it's good, it's 96 DP. But it seems to be in an awkward stage right now, screechy and inharmonious. Terrific mousse from this bottle, purchased soon after release. A little light and the youthful fruit has faded. Acidity is just adequate. I think DP needs to reach at least age 25 before it develops the wonderful richness and depth of flavor with a light touch so I am optimistic the '96 will develop along the lines of the '90 or even the majestic '85, but I will have to be patient - or try another bottle to see if this one was an aberration.
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Epic Champagne dinner (Taberna, Bukit Merah): Good, but one of the less impressive bottle of 1996 DP I have had in recent times - this was very much overshadowed by its 1996 peer group on the night. The nose was bright, fresh and attractive, with sprigs of green herb spirnkled over some aromas cream and bread, and something that reminded me of toasted buckwheat. Attractive. The palate was still full of energy, with a strong, but very fine mousse and some lovely round acidity lending a juicy twang to a sweet blush of fruit, apples and strawberries - all very round, ripe and friendly, with some brioche on the midpalate, and little sprinkle of spice and mineral at the finish. Attractive, and yummy, but somehow less noble than either of the Selosse or Salon 1996 wines in the same flight.
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Took a good 30 mins to show itself. Clean nose with nice fresh fruit and bready notes. Fine mousse, good acidity and balance. Not as creamy as the 2002 I had a few months back. Long finish. I don't have a lot of experience with champagne but this seems to be at the front of its drinking window with a good 10 years of runway to to go. Very enjoyable and festive.
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Dense on the nose and palate, this was more toasty/yeasty than I had remembered. It has evolved a lot since my last bottle three years ago. There were faint oxidative aromas on top of the dense orchard fruit, lemon and ginger. Great wine, seems to be settling into a nice drinking window.
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Gregg's Belated Birthday (Formento's - Chicago IL): A little warm to start, but clearly showing great orchard fruit and overall great concentration. Fleshy and opulent, but texturally vibrant as well. Great now, but with upside.
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This wine had a medium yellow center and attractive small bubbles. The medium intensity nose was not what I expected as it showed heavy lees, white soil, and some citrus.
In the mouth, the bubbles and the structure were firm but the wine did not seem to have enough fruit and soil flavors to balance things out.
Was this an off bottle?
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Decades of Decadence - x6s (Tetsuya's, Sydney, Australia): Butter, honeysuckle, some truffle and nutty notes and a little candied sugar. Good depth to the palate with the fruit and acid still quite bright and giving it a good lift. This bottle was at a good point for drinking now. Never quite had a bottle that has fully lived up to the first one I had of this in 2006, but this was pretty close!
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Delicious. Paired with an asian inspired roast salmon with ginger, scallions and sesame, and the subtle yet clear yeast/acidity and gently refreshing bright notes could not have matched any better. Equally delicious on its own.
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Right now, this may be my favorite 96 to date. Need to do a side by side with Krug. This is totally ready, rich, ripe, complex, multilayered and delicious. I love it
Very creamy and rich but with nice precision. Toasted caramel, lemon zest, and honey. Bubbles began to fade after 30 minutes. Not thinking it's going to improve from this point.
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Drinking great. Fresh baking bread aromas with a clean lemon note. Nice firm stony mineral dusted pure fruit core. Nice depth and tension, quite textured, but delicate. Really improved as it warmed a few degrees. Very good stuff.
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pretty smooth, initially light on the palate, but gradually opened up and became more acidic on the finish. With more aeration this turned into a beautiful wine, with incredibly nutty and toasty nose.
Tasted late in the evening, as wine no 35, resulting in insufficient notes. But the wine did not impress as much as expected and is far behind a Krug 1996 tasted a while ago. Nice, fresh in the mouth, though, with citrus and yeast aromas.
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Rich developed and sweet peach, lemon tea and pear juice. Lovely stage of development with cashews , toasty peanuts and almonds atop freshly whipped cream and biscotti.
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1996 & 1999 Vosne Grand Cru Dinner (Holland Park): The 1996 Dom Perignon started its life as a really precocious vintage, promising great things for the future. It sure has taken some time to come around since then, but if this bottle was anything to go by, it may well be hitting prime time right about now. On the night, this had a lovely nose, just starting to smell nicely matured, with honey and toasty caramel notes floating around a core of ripe red apples, dried strawberries and a little thread of minerally aromas. A very rich and punchy bouquet. On the palate, there was still a really muscular inseam of juicy citrus acidity and serious minerality running through otherwise rich, powerful notes of the ripest apples and strawberries. This filled the mouth in very a full, generous fashion, with a fat creamy mousse and lots of power and super-impressive depth, but as always with the 1996, it was still that sinewy structure that struck me at first taste. This time round though, there was also a sense the wine was rounding out and starting to mellow and mature, with some honeyed, slightly oxidative notes just starting to float out from behind the layers of fruit and acid and mineral. If anything, the wine actually felt a little clunkier than usual, a little less precise perhaps on the midpalate. That was my only complain though. It pulled together nicely again at the finish, where a hint of bittersweet lemon zest, spice and mineral then trailed away into the distance. All in all, a great champagne, starting to drink really nicely.
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From the cellar to Zalto white wine glass was a bit too warm. Beautiful after some time on ice. Firm with beautiful acidity. Drink with food. Good now or hold.
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Similar feelings as before, this is a very nice champagne, but not my favorite vintage. A nice clean pear taste, but more subtle and less lovely than other vintages.
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Not much evolution thus far- still quite tight, and only opened up after being open for a couple of hours and allowing to warm closer to room temp. Very enjoyable- this will be fun to taste in ten years...
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A very nice maturing champagne nose, good interest and complexity; lovely refined palate, very good length - this was lovely but I wonder if the 2002 might outdo it in time.
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Drinking beautifully. Opened and consumed at Laurelhurst Market with friends for 50th birthday celebration. Everyone was blown away, not by the name but by the delicious vintage champagne in it's prime. I am glad I have 3 more of these so I can enjoy it as it continues to age and gain complexity.
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Brought to restaurant Miro, Århus, Denmark, so no notes. Very good and easy drinking. Almost too easy. The high acidity had definitely mellowed out in this bottle.
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A highlight of our 10th anniversary. We held this bottle for 9 years. While delicious and fantastic in many ways, I think my expectations were too high. At first I was concerned something was off with the bottle, but it got better throughout with the last glass being the best. Elegant and delicate.
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Clear light gold-yellow with persistent vigorous fine bubbles. Subtle, complex bouquet of citrus, apple cider, madeleine or ladyfinger biscuit, chalk, butterscotch, chamomile, sherry, cognac, with hints of almonds appearing later. Similar on the palate, medium body, crisp, fresh, pure with lingering finish.
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I've not had many vintage champagnes. The best I've had was a 2002 Krug. This would be second best. The virtues of the Krug were a fabulous depth of flavor and a seemingly endless complexity, rivaling or besting the best white Burgundies. The virtues of this Dom Perignon are perhaps more abstract: elegance, a seamless unity of aromas and taste and finish, and the creamiest, finest, micro-beaded mousse. The latter quality is especially striking.
Did not taste dated or oxidized or in danger of the downward slope.
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this has always been a vintage that drank well, even at a young age. Now almost 20 years old, this tasted a lot more mature than I remembered. Very well-balanced between the ripeness and the acidity on the palate. Wonderful.
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A very fine 1996 champagne. Only a touch of matchstick on the nose. Otherwise citrus, lime and white yellow fruits with excellent acidity and balance. A little creaminess on the palate and good length. Very tasty.
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Wow. Awesome fizz. Coming from a very cold cellar, this showed quite young without any sherry or oxidized notes at all. More about fruit and balance right now than nuance and complexity. The bottle was drained way too fast. I found the balance ideal here, not too sweet, not to austere, not too bright, just right. I love Dom. Bottles with this provenance have huge upside.
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It's been several years since the last one, and this seems to be fulfilling its destiny quite nicely. Having entered a very early stage of maturity - but with the obvious stuffing to go many decades more - this offers brilliant purity, precision and a graceful tension that transitions into fantastic length. The kind of wine that is deeply satisfying and at the same time forces one to consider the absolute nobility of the region and in particular, this house. Buy all you can. highly recommended
PnP, served non-blind. From a cold cellar, stored since release.
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Year 3 - Super Tasting 2 of 5 - Andrew does 96 Chamapgne (Langdon Hall, Cambridge, ON): A bit of a difficult showing from this bottle of Dom. The nose is focused on onion, garlic, a hint of plastic, some burlap, mango skin, pine needles and pear. All in all, enjoyable but at the same time a tad odd. The palate is well balanced with high acid and typical dosage. The finish has decent length, repeating mango notes. The impression I get is that this needs some more time to settle down.
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Dinner with Mrs L's lawyer girlfriends + other halves (At home, Hong Kong): Wow this bubbly beauty is starting to show its stuff. Two years ago I remember it being a little young and tight, but it is now mature and noticeably rounder at the edges, with even hints of pineapple and ripe pear coming through. Still very zesty though, this would be terrific to drink for another decade at least
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What I look for in mature vintage champagne with complex notes of almond, ginger, honey, dough, and lemon. Small bead with light to moderate carbonation and medium to high acidity. In a very nice spot right now.
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I enjoyed the champagne on a happy occasion, but preferred the 1990 and the 2000 I have had recently. It opened a bit flat, which was unexpected and made me wonder if it was not stored properly, though I purchased from a reputable store a couple of years ago.
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Second Sunday Group: 2005 Chateauneuf-du-Pape (Barb's): Another courtesy of Neil. Lighter color than the Heidsieck. Apple, vanilla creme, almond, white flowers and lemon blossom notes. Racy acidity; flavors of stone, mineral, almond, citrus and honeycomb with orchard fruit and stone flavors carrying on the long finish. Fine bead. Excellent. 95-96 pts.
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A beauty. At its topp right now. Still quite zesty but beginning to show som cellaring aromas. Still very fruity. Loong full taste.
The wine looks light gold colored. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like lemon, apple, orange blossom, bready and baker's yeast. It tastes like lemon, orange, baker's yeast and bready. The body is medium/full. The wine has round texture. The wine finishes long. The wine has high acidity.
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Knocked the socks off the Cristal 2005. This has so much more substance. Really good nose of yeasty brioche and apple/pear fruit. Real great body and substance in the mouth, rich and coats the mouth with its gloriously heathy fruit. Probably even better with food and due to its richness maybe a bit too much as an aperitif. Still certainly cannot complain if served this at any stage of the day or night. Wonderful. Thanks Basil!
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This was surprisingly open knit. Sweet, forward fruit without the acid structure I would expect from a '96. Very nice but not quite as serious as I would hope for or want.
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A private tasting and dinner at a friend's (Amsterdam): Inimitable Dom Pérignon character, retains its freshness after almost two decades, silky and lively style, well-integrated acidity, is starting to develop wonderful tertiary complexity and intensity, very together and harmonious, excellent length.
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this was up with the almighty 95 Krug and 2004 DP. Both the DP vintages had 2 bottles at the table. Amazing stuff. Showing darker than the 2004, but with almost every flavor 2004 had and acidity to match. If it wasn't for the darker color, the mouthfeel is so light. I've done many notes on this but once again showing of champagne greats are stored cold and dark they age so slowly and rock the house. Tight fruits but toasted pastry keeps everything evolving and through and through enjoyable. Hard to drink and smile so hard. Just behind the Krug in impressiveness with stiff competition. Excellent finish lasted longer than 2004, but 2004 is no slacker either.
REally wonderful, In the past I had no the best experiences with DP 1996 despite the high ratings, but in this case I agree this is a monumental champagne. First impression oyster, seabreeze, iodine, just a little bit brioche, toast, butter and nuts. This champagne starts to become big, still fresh,citrus, perfectly balanced, no maturity signs, very long finish, drink it over the next 30 years. 98+
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the same as the other bottle. Great storage in consistent cool passive cellar that only has one screw in light bulb. Just a hair behind a brilliant 1995 Krug Brut and a couple spots ahead of a similarly great 2004 DP, only more mature by a touch and longer in finish and complexity
Amazing and we did a huge flight the night before. Foie Gras and cheeses plus fruit and breads to compliment.
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Rockstars of Burgundy: Smells great - lemon, honey, oyster shell and earthy spice. Palate shows a fair bit of development, there is still good lemon acidity and a creamy mouthfeel, this has great balance though this bottle probably needed to be opened before it developed further.
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Some Champagnes: Slight development, tight at first but develops with air and higher temperature. Structured and intriguing, emerging complexity, wonderful balance. It has enough fruit to handle the 96-acidity. More development to come and will be a great DP.
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To me it was past its prime and I should have drank it sooner. Very few bubbles left. Still drinkable but I didn't like as much as I probably would have had it been 5 years earlier.
Bright golden yellow color. Amazing just to look at. Nose of toast, walnut, peach and lemon rinds. Clearly not the power of a young bubbly, but overall plenty of effervescence and still very enjoyable. Nuttiness on the palate with lemon and a creaminess that is rich and mouth coating. medium acidity rounding out beautifully in a lush, lengthy finish. What a treat. Thanks Alan/Sophia!
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A beautiful wine. Still showing fine bubbles with a gorgeous (light) golden color and a nose of caramelized sugar, toast and pear. Very full in the mouth with a nice interplay of lemon and buttercream emerging. Again, a very rich wine that is in a very good place right now but which feels like it can go for long time.
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Joel's Birthday Party (The Palace, Mission, SF): Classic toasty, yeast; palate has fabulous over-the-top acidity, dry, freshness, citrus, lime. Very classic, young, very nice, perhaps more the classically well balanced champagne than the Selosse, but still much less unique and much more like other Champagnes. Faded with time in the glass, so the rating is from first taste. 94-95++
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Tasted blind among 20 other sparkling wines from all over the world and everybody around the table, even the champagne-experts, agreed that this was no super wine. Maybe we had a slightly off bottle but everybody was very surprised when we learned which wine we had in the glass. Nothing wrong with it, just nothing special. 84p.
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Dinner at Sun Wah (Sun Wah BBQ - Chicago, IL): Hadn't had one of these in a couple years, and it seemed to taste even younger now. The bead was a bit tighter, the flavors a bit more wound up. Lots to love even with the wine buzzing in your ear. Elegant yeasty notes, beautiful lemon, and pears, with great acidity. Might make sense to decant this in the future.
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Dinner at Sun Wah (Chicago, IL): Peaches. Yeast. Bread. This is quite big, and comes off as a bit more advanced and ripe than my recollection of the bottle I had two years or so ago. The palate does have the exuberance that I remember, but there's a bit of grilled sweet fruit at the end that makes me wonder if this bottle is totally spot on. The acidity isn't as high as I remember it to be either. In any case, this is still a good wine, and it's always a treat to have Champagne from 1996.
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Simply beautiful. Drank early on New Years eve with caviar and homemade blini. Perfect crispness and a great mellow finish. So happy I have six more of these on the way.
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Continues to be one of my favorite Dom's, ethereal nose of bright lemon, quince and a subtle yeast component. Incredibly elegant palate of citrus (think muted, mulled, lemon/lime). Brioche and an almost mineral component. A great balance between fruit and secondaries, in a great spot.
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Like a golden shower of yellow crispness. Long and heavy bead. Aroma of vanilla and slightly spicy cardamon. Mildly citrus but not on the brut side Hints of Honey. Complex flavours a very long and enjoyable journey. Had with 3 others and not enough to go around. Fighting for the last glass. The best Dom I have had to date. First of the dozen and looking forward to many more years of enjoyment.
It was round, balanced, full of apples. Not as precise and laserlike as prior bottles I've enjoyed, this one wasn't advanced, it just shed its copious acidity.
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A bottle cellared professionally from release. Opened with a bright straw colour and beautiful citrus bouquet with some lemon and brioche flavours. Plenty of fine bead. Drank over two hours and over this time colour deepened and the flavour and bouquet revealed more aged characteristics. High levels of acid throughout. This bottle was at a level where it was drinking beautifully and needs time after opening to reveal its glory. Will clearly cellar further, however for me perfect now. 96 points
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Champagne Dinner (L'Apicio): A relatively muted nose, earthy, white chocolate, salty and nutty and baked apple, but exposure to air reveals that this is oddly cidery and acetic and short. I don't think this was correct: while there's still enough material and acidity to give the wine impressive power when it's cold and fresh out of the bottle, that seems more like a glimpse of what the wine could have been. A shame, with as good as the 04 was, I would love to try a good bottle of this.
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Champagne dinner (L'Apicio, NYC.): PnP. Subdued nose, some ox? Nose of ginger, spice, lemon. Also cidery - more advanced than I would expect. Also notes of gunpowder, flint, some malt balls, caramel, sea spray, bread. The palate shows some advancement as well - golden, ginger, flint, lemon, pear, cider. Solid acid builds in the palate with nice grip. Lots of stony-lemon acid at the end, a touch of vanilla, creme, citrus, some ox - malt balls. Just getting a little of that aged Dom creaminess in the middle and then the acid takes over at the end - flint and lemon. This doesn't feel integrated. My conclusion is that this bottle was not ideal, but that the 96 acid was propping it up and covering over some of the flaws - but instead of a unitary masterpiece, you end up with a juxtaposed palate. Still a good bottle of wine, but not like the previous bottle I had. Nose - 5/6, Palate - 4.5-5/6, Finish - 5.5/6, Je ne Sais quoi - 1/2 = 16.5/20.
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from some of the very first batches to arrive in Hong Kong. A very, very well-made Champagne, with incredible balance between the acidity and ripeness.
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Surprised by the shrunken cork which came out with a little sigh. Bright appearance, very tight thread of bubbles. Crisp, very clean and fresh aromas. Initially, youthful with citrus and floral notes although I thought it showed a little toffee or brown sugar too. Not overdone or anything, but there underneath. Hannah commented on blackcurrant (I rolled my eyes). This had a certain creamy patisserie quality on the nose too and with time, we noted creamed and roasted nut (walnut even), toast, honeysuckle, honey, pear liqueur and I think some aromatic blue/purple and red fruit –like creamy strawberry. The palate was a surprise also. This is SO fresh, well-structured and has impressive mineralité – with a distinct chalky note on the finish. To be honest, this didn’t seem very long, but I loved how ethereal and lifted it all felt, and clean as a whistle too.
I think it was still a baby at 18 years. Brilliant wine.
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I was a little bit disappointed, expected very much from the giant from one of my top years. It was little bit closed, no fruitiness, no tertiary aromas, the acidity was sharp but the structure was missing, will drink the other bottles later, drank it 26/04/09 at a private champagne degustation
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Just lovely. Showing less complexity and development than a bottle with Randy at Rothmann’s a couple of years ago. Very clean. Sarah gets notes of lemon, and then with more air, we both pick up on some almond notes. While this particular bottle isn’t showing much secondary development in the palate, it is notable for its poise and balance. Nothing excessive here, it’s all so well defined. Not only has the artist not colored outside the lines, but the hues are vivid and lovely. At Sarah and Jonathan's in Philly.
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Mark opened this for our anniversary. 5th time I have had this but not since 2007. Moderate bead. Very fresh for being 18 years old. Doughy with notes of fresh cream and apple. Lovely feel. Some almonds on the finish. 93 points.
Son's High School Graduation (Downtown Cleveland): Son's birth year wine, opened for his graduation. Light golden in color. The nose is nice. Slight mushroom quality. Nice ginger. Some citrus quality. On the palate, drinking nicely. It opened up for a couple of hours. So smooth. Nice balance and acidity. Did I say smooth? Showing tight layering that opened up with air. A beautiful starter.
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Drank in Aruba with D. Wonderful nose of toast, yeast and citrus. Drank at fairly warmer temp. Tiny bubbles, mellow acidity not nearly as racy as in a young vintage. Brioche and caramel are what struck me most in this deliciously complex, mature champagne. Great length too. A fine example of how a great bottle can become even better with some bottle age. Delicious!
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This has matured beautifully. Fresh brioche and sweet citrus on the nose, bright fruit and integrated acidity on the palate, with an incredibly long finish. Gorgeous wine, good for another 10 years.
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Impromtu Dinner with Michael Jessen - 96 Champanges and Red Burgundy Dinner (The Grill Room at Capella Hotel Georgetown): Served slightly warmer than usual and that is a good thing as it is more wine like. Lovely sweet yellow fruits, lemon candy, fresh granny smith, sweet spices, mineral and honey. Fine mousse, sweet fruit driven palate impression, bright acidity and long finish. Quite intense and expressive. Although still youthful really delicious. At this point, the 96 Dom shows less bottle variation than the Krug and Salon.
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drank for Valentine's day with Sue...wonderful crisp bead even now and just the slightest bid of oxidation with age but a pleasure to drink all through dinner...I could drink this all night and especially at the price I paid for it 10 years ago
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My first experience of both Dom P & of a vintage champagne with this amount of age I'd taken this out thinking I'd been given a '98 so was extremely excited to see it was in fact the hallowed 1996 but then concerned I was opening this too early. Straw in colour, initially seemed flat but came to life shortly in the glass Initial flavours of apple leads to unusual grapefruit note followed by rich toasted bread whose length is pretty long Undeniably a good champagne but not being particularly much of a champagne fan I'm yet to understand the hype this receives. Thus I've chosen not to score this as it wasn't as hedonistic as many other reviews make it out to be and I derive much greater pleasure from the grapes in their still format There are obviously many more experienced reviewers here all scoring it well so perhaps a good drop that is wasted on my inexperienced palate or perhaps prior storage conditions haven't been quite suitable and the bottle wasn't showing its best
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Pale yellow. Very fine and long lasting bubbles. Nose was a delight of yeast, lemon/orange, even a hint of anise. Mouth was filling and long lasting. Beautiful. And I think one of the wines of the night at a wonderful wine night.
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JL 40th birthday dinner at One Thirty One (Sai Kung, Hong Kong): Bright lemon zesty character, vivacious, with some creamy toasty floral notes in the background, this champagne showed beautifully despite the fairly high speed at which our bus was traveling. I keep waiting for this to mellow out but so far it shows little sign of aging
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Bordeaux matters, along with Burgundy and Champagne and Port and ... (Ripple Restaurant in Washington D.C.): On a recent Facebook exchange, Ebbe Bonde Soerensen dubbed Dom Perignon the "Coca Cola of Champagne". Tasting this, I do not see his point :-). It represents all what one wants from Champagne - and more. Purchased on release, and kept in a cold cellar, this wine is just fine today. Combines opulence with vivacity. It has lime/lemon focus, that typical Dom Perignon toast/pain grillé aspect that makes you seek further sipping. There is a mid palate richness that falls into a fine line of precision on the finish, which is long. The bottle was emptied fairly quickly among the 8 dinner participants. The wine looks Straw colored. The legs are Medium. The body is Medium/Full. The wine has Smooth texture. The wine finishes Long. The wine has high acidity.
Linear, spicy and classy wine, but I detected in this bottle a hint of cork on the palate. Score reflects the underlying quality of this delicious wine, showing subtle energetic power and balance.
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Belated holiday dinner - Mostly Burg and Bordeaux (Ripple Restaurant in DC): Another very good showing but not as good as the last two. Perhaps a bit more mature impression. Ripe yellow fruits, baked apple, candied lemon peel, honey and white pepper. Fully body, fine mousse, light caramel, mineral and good acidity. This is a full body opulent style of Dom. Lovely showing.
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Lazy Sunday group Holiday dinner (The Grill Room at Capella Hotel Georgetown): The 96 has been showing beautifully lately. Gorgeous sweet nose, ripe sweet yellow fruits, lemon candy, flowers, lime stone and honey. This particular bottle, although very youthful, also displays sweet dense yellow fruits. Excellent concentration, fine mousse, good acidity and lovely sweet finish. It is interesting to compare the 96 Krug, Salon and Dom. This time, I slightly preferred the Salon. Nevertheless incredible showing. The great vintages of Dom need time to develop as demonstrated by the 90 and the 96. I have been also impressed with the 02 as did Antonio. For the current price, I highly recommend the 02 as well as the 96.
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Brought to the new AOC in Los Angeles. Consumed alongside olive oils glazed almonds and pork rillette. Quite amazing champagne. Toasted buttery brioche, sweet minerality, honey dew, and marzipan.
http://maxsatisfactionwine.com/post/70769881045
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Fine bubble and gold. It takes a while 'to bring out the aromas, the time to go from the refrigerator temp to tasting temp. Starts with notes of citrus and chalky, but gradually turns on notes of brioche. Then in come the final notes of yellow peach (also canned), while maintaining acidity in the mouth and a spectacular stretch fine and citrusy.
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Wine Flock - Wines that Ken Loves Intro Retro (Highland Park): Nose has some tired, musty apple and smoke notes. Round in the mouth with matured fruit and earth notes. Bubbles are subdued. Good but seemed tired compared to a '96 Salon tasted side by side. Could be a bad bottle as some were debating corkiness.
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Dom Perignon @ Medlar: Fresh, quite light on the nose. Very fresh and vibrant. Light on its feet, 96 acidity, very harmonious, beautiful line from attack to long finish. Seamless. Very fine. *****
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Compared with the 99 which we had at the same time, frankly disappointing. Nothing wrong with it but not the delicate toasted almond tinge that the 99 had
Bottle (from original release) showing very well this evening. Initial blast of yest opens up to fresher notes; just a hint of citrus which morphs into a sweet tart yellow baked apple, some pears with some delicate spicy nuances. The mousse and bubbles are extremely delicate, mellow yet plentiful. The texture is velvety and mouth coating and the finish broad and long. Reaches peak within 20 minutes or so, at which point this becomes irresistible. A really superb bottle with complexity that is seldom experienced in Dom. The 96 remains a special vintage.
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Really a waste because my younger in-laws and myself just completed a 4 mile pub crawl. The BIL picked this so we drank it. A touch creamier than I remember. Same laser focused fruits with crisp apple and citrus. With a nice toasted and buttered brioche. Sizzling minerals and plenty of acid. Mouthwatering on the long finish. Nice yeasty notes as well with a fine beaded mousse. Really good but went to bed after. Brutal morning after like I was beat with that empty bottle. No the curiosity factor of my cellar should have been met now. Saving the last 12.
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Bring something really good dinner – FGs, Pomerol, Y’quem, Leroy, Vogue, Dujac and etc. (The Grill Room at Capella Hotel Georgetown): In general, I am a big fan of Dom. This is a great bottle of Dom. The nose displays intensely sweet yellow and white fruits, white flowers, mineral, white pepper, granny smith and a hint of brioche as the end note. Intense yet airy palate, candied citrus fruits, bright acidity and long finish. This seems even more youthful than the 96 Salon. Every component is in perfect harmony resulting in sweet intense yet precise and airy expression. It is interesting how the 96 Krug and Salon were raved by so many including myself, yet the 96 Dom is slowly catching up. If you are into buying a big quantity Champagne to lay down, I highly recommend Dom.
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Very young in every aspect. Great fresh nose of citrus and bright fruit, no toast, bread or wood. Less broad and fat on the nose than last bottle a couple of years ago. Very clean but still full bodied on the palate. Great balance, and quite long finish.
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Chicago Berserkerfest Dinner #2 (Sun Wah): Lots of fresh apple and pear, great lift and energy from start-to-finish. Long, precise and incredibly elegant. Faint hints of toasty character in background.
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Chicago Berserkerfest; 5/18/2013-5/19/2013 (Chicago, IL): Dazzling wine that shows the class of the 1996 vintage. Beautiful aromas of brioche, mocha, and apples. Palate was pure and fresh with amazing balance and depth of flavor. Stunning wine.
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Absolutely riveting if a bit closed still. Quite acidic with a crisp fruity citrus note throughout. The nose was sharp with floral and tropical overtones. This was sweeter and more tightly structured than some of the doms I've tried with much less of the round yeasty warmness (though still a nice, round mouthfeel). Delicious and complex, it certainly showed better after sitting for a few moments. And though marvelous to drink now, it could stand to stay in the cellar for a few years as well. I hope I get the chance to try this again in a few years.
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Absolutely stunning champagne. Long time since I had this wine but due to the fact that I had a fab 96 Oenoteque last week I wanted to try this now as well and strangely enough this feels younger and less developed. It was great when released but now it has taken the direction people in the know expected it to do. Towards greatness. Nothing less.
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Dom Perignon dinner at L2O (Chicago, IL): Hint of shiitake mushroom. Light oxidation, very acidic, to the point you feel your teeth dissolving. Some green notes on the palate. Later on with some air, you get a hit of coconut on the nose.
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Beijing dumpling night at home with friends (Hong Kong): A terrific DP that hits all the right notes in terms of balance, complexity and sheer bubbly pleasure. It may sound like sacrilege but I served this with a small dollop of creme de cassis at the bottom, which (for me at least) takes away some of the acidic edge and adds a sweet note which really tickles my fancy.
Enticing honey hue in the glass. Plenty of bubbles. Very complex bouquet - pick your favorite chardonnay and pinot aromas - they are present in nice balance. Open and expressive flavors lemon, peach, and vanilla mated to an excellent mineral structure.
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From a fresh looking bottle, this wine had a light yellow center and clear rims. It had nicely persistent bubbles. The medium- intensity nose showed lemons, baguette, and a hint of almond paste.
This was attractive in the mouth with an interesting interplay and integration of the brisk acidity and the tingling bubbles. It had good balance.
Overall, this was drinking but it felt like this would last, and probably improve with bottle age.
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I was fearing a very reductive champagne with lots of sulphur. But the match stick nose disappeared after 2 minutes. Fruity, balanced, creamy. Actually good.
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(from memory) Medium yellow, subtle nose at first but with aeration opens to complex aromas of yeast, ginger, lemon rind, earth and brioche, mild on the attack but followed by layers of complex flavors of lemongrass, citrus and honey, glides into a ridiculously smooth finish with mineral streaks and lemon drops
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First of all I have to thank Ian for sourcing an immaculate bottle of this for us to drink. What wonderful stuff. It has the crisp freshness with a deep rich complexity in a perfect balance. The smooth small bubbles bring everything to life. A lot os smiles around the table. You know that you are having a classic when the whole table goes quite. Did I mention that it is excellent and beats the '02.
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this marquee bubbly is one of the best 96` bottles I`ve had out of many I`ve enjoyed since release; a little toast, salt and spice accompany the citrusy fine mousse; it`s crisp, rich, lush and a mouthful of delight.
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The potential was there - lots of crisp apples, limestone and beautiful crisp citrus on the nose with very similar notes and some sweet vanilla on the palate. Unfortunately, it was mildly corked and the corkiness only became more pronounced as it stayed open.
nose; acacia honey, spices, oyster shell, and minerals. palate; lemon olive oil, biscuits, nutella, and orange peel. medium bodied. medium plus acidity. 45 plus second finish. one of the best dom perignon's of the past 30 years, along with the 1982 and 1990.
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Eighth Annual White Truffle Dinner (Chez Weber - Chicago IL): Still incredibly fresh and vibrant, lots of energy and concentration. Ripe apple with lemon and lemon oil. Comes across as lean and coiled with great long-term cellar worthiness. Served alongside the DP 96 Oenothèque, I once again preferred this "regular" bottlong to the Oenothèque.
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For me, this Dom has shined beyond belief from the get go and although I`ve had a few that were somewhat tight and shutdown, all I`ve had have been very enjoyable; still youthful and evolving, this one was in the style of the others with lots of acidity, spicy, citrusy, some biscuit and floral notes along with crispness and palate pleasing texture and with great length.
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Needed about a hour of air, but once it did it showed impeccable balance on the palate. A wonderful nose of baked bread and stone fruit while on the palate a dose of sea spray, pear, apple create a roundness on the palate. Soft textured champagne with the acidity balanced in nicely, not very concentrated but elegant and sexy.
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A majestic wine. Both the colour and full on nose show some age here and it is in a much better stage to be enjoyed vs its oenotheque sibling as expected. Full on toasty, yeasty notes on the nose, with light citrus notes and minerality. On the palate it is still very vibrant and with depth and it's starting to shed the sharpness of its youth. Deep, long, complex and simply amazing now but with great ageing potential. 96 easy.
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Side by side with the Oenotheque. Much more open and accessible. Fruitier and less austere. Lemon, peachy, pineapple, flowery. Lovely champagne and entering a really nice period.
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1996 Dom Perignon is a mineral driven, Champagne with complicated notes of bread, citrus peel, lemon, floral and nut aromas. Rich, creamy and soft, the wine is more open, offering a lot more pleasure than it did, just a few years ago.
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Classic French Lunch: Wow this is a good showing for this. Still youthful, but gaining in complexity and gracefulness all the time. Much more classic - and more balanced - than the Cristal alongside.
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Drinking some old bottles...: The most withdrawn showing of this I've had so far. Clean, precise and very young seeming, but the richer, lusher aspects of its character seemed to be hiding today.
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100 Point Wine Dinner: My second tasting of this after the past few years and hapy to see my scoring is consistent. Smooth and dry yet a hint of dirty cellar in this bottle. A great champagne especially after a few sips.
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Mazis-Chambertin Dinner (Sepia - Chicago IL): Second time to have this wine in less than a month, this was exactly like the bottle from last month. Great way to start our dinner. Much more fresh than most other 1996 Champagne. Sad to only have 5 bottles in my cellar.
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Sampled 4/27/12. Still a baby wine. This wine lacks a citrus or acid urgency or directness. It is more like a slightly creamy White Burg. Plenty of slightly overripe sweet tangerines and lemon notes, but not cloying and still definitely a brut. Acidity is there but understated and is a firm but also supple backbone. Some hazelnuts hiding. Some yeast, but sweet. And only a hint of the green apple I am used to in DP. A wine that is still clearly evolving and yet showing such incredible potential. I'll come back in a couple more years.
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Dinner with R&Y and B&A (Home): Quite pale, some fine bubbles but quite subdued. Fresh and lemony with a lovely fine, creamy mousse. Very elegant and poised. Effortless really. Very fine and very classy - ready for drinking but years of development ahead of it. *****
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Has fattened up since the last time I had this, and taken on more of a candied orange and hazelnut profile. Rich, round, and delicious. Still quite young.
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Dom Perignon Dinner (NAHA - Chicago IL): Still incredibly fresh, a great 96. Aromas of ripe apple and plenty of lemon. Same apple and lemon on palate, still long, precise and powerful all the way from start-to-finish. Tasted alongside the 1996 Oenotheque tonight, I once again preferred this "regular" 1996 cuvee.
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Beautiful aromatics. Notes of pear, honeysuckle, and minerals. Wonderful acidity and complex and long finish. Probably my only chance to drink this wine, and it was memorable. Fantastic.
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Bottle generously provided by Javachip. Moderate bubble structure, lighter golden color. Muted nose of apples, mushrooms. Big flavors of mushroom, apples, yeast, and lemon based acidity. Fabulous.
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San Diego WineSpectator.com Offline, 4/7/2012 (Casa Red Guy, San Diego): Non-blind. Clear light yellow color with fine streams of tiny bubbles. Subdued bouquet of apples, pear, almonds, white grapefruit, chalk, limestone, croissant. Maybe even some white chocolate. Exceptionally refined, elegant, complex, magnificent. That said, I cannot justify the current price given the restrained nose on this wine. My one experience with Krug Grande Cuvee a few years ago impressed me more than this Dom. My #1 and group's FIRST PLACE in this flight of non-red wines.
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The nose shows a bit of mustiness when first poured, giving the impression of age. The bubbles are barely a light spritz, hardly noticeable in the glass but a faint tingle on the tongue. The palate is mostly white fruit with shades of yellow gold, good poise between youthful and slight attributes of age, some flowers, ginger, brioche, almond, light mushroom that is the remnant of the initial mustiness that stays with this wine over the course of the evening. There is a suggestion of creaminess, but the wine is taut and tapered in the mouth, no fatness at all. Randy gifted me this bottle many years ago, so I brought it to dinner at Rothmann's for us to enjoy.
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I had bought this from the PLCB a few years ago at a good price, and honestly I was a bit worried about the provenance. A beautiful straw-gold color. A lovely bouquet, with scents of freshly baked bread, crushed stones, flowers, almonds and apple. Medium to full bodied, with a creamy mid-palate, great acidity and structure, with great focus on the finish.
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Perhaps this is going through a quiet period. It wasn't as expressive as previous occasions. It's still fine - gentle mousse, light citrus taste, good length - just not as complex as I remembered.
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STG does California Cabernet (Seattle): served blind to start I could identify it as a champagne compared to the CA sparkler it was up against. This had more minerality, less sweetness, and greater depth. I won't kid myself, however, I had no idea it was 96 Dom. (In my defense, I've only ever had this particular wine once before, and other than that, probably 2 other vintages of Dom ever). After the reveal I let it sit in the glass as we tasted the reds, where it developed more complexity, at least in my head it did.
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2012 - Lunch and Hi-Tea: Alcohol :: 12.5% Opened for 8hrs. Medium golden. This is still pretty tight and powerful on the nose. The aromas is deep and intense, with layer and layer of honey, red apple, melon, hazelnut and touch of oxidative note that display hazelnut, yeast and vanilla oak. However, the palate was showing better here. Soft entry with tremendous richness that offer concentrated ripe yellow fruits core and accompany by touch of honey, nut, mushroom and oak and all perfectly balance and supported by the firm, fresh acidic backbone. Stunningly pure with razor sharp precision and focus. The wine flowed through the palate elegantly yet with excellent intensity and power. Especially at the finished, the wine seems got turbo charged which giving amazing grip and length. As delicious as a DP could offer. This classy DP will have no problem to age for the next decade or so and continue to drink well for another 2decades.
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A very good bottle of 96 DP. I've generally tasted this with large groups of other 96's, and its always been good, but out-shined by the Krug line-up, both Cristals, Salon, and others. It was nice to taste it by itself, and it was the best bottle I've had.
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Gold, lively fine mousse; oranges, shortbread, cherries, minerals; dry, apple, lemony, toasty, yeasty, minerally, light body, excellent balance, zingy acidity, excellent structure, long, long finish. Brilliant gold with fruit, buttered toast and a saline minerality on the nose. Tightly structured but balanced with super long finish. High pedigree here, best enjoyed on its' own. WOTY.
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The corked was totally stuck and had to be removed with the help of a wine opener.
Light yellow colour, with a fair string of bubbles.
Straightforward fruit reminiscent of Prosecco, although the alcohol weight was more pronounced. No traces of developed second fermentation aromas and quite oned-dimensional on the nose. No minerality whatsoever.
Straightforward fruit without concentration nor depth.
I suggested, and maintained my position, that this was not Champagne at all. I feel convinced that this was a pirate bottle or at best, the guys down at the bottling line have pulled of a fine, but costly, practical joke. Qualitywise I would give it about 80 points.
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Some 2009 Burgundies.... (Artisan Cellar): Alcohol :: 12.5% Popped and poured. As expected this is very tight right out of the bottle. Ultra fine bubbles and very perfume on the nose, tight and highly intense on the palate. The wine slowly giving more with about 60mins of air. Intense aromas of white peach, red apple all wrapped by a touch of honey, hazelnut and butter that accompany with perfume yellow floral scents. Very attractive. This bottle is clearly showing much better than the previous, more open-knit with air. Ultra fine moose explode on the palate with care, very intense. Really lovely lushness and purity here, superb detail layer that gentle expand across the palate with massive concentration of sweet yellow fruits, green and red apple, mineral, honey and nut all blended perfectly well with the huge but fine and ripe acid backbone. Really delicious, everyone like it. This has such power but remain light on its feet and very elegance. I especially like the very fine detail finish that just goes on and on. Lovely.
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This shows almost no age, but when drunk from a chardonnay glass the fruit is very apparent. Red apple and lemon to start with the brioche and a crisp acidic mineral backbone that keeps this really tight. After being opened for 90 minutes the fruits changed more towards gooseberry and hints of ginger, and butterscotch danced around. Nice fine small bubbles filled the glass and didn't really disperse, even in the large glass. This wine was still a light straw color and these '96's really have the potential to last well into 2030. They may very well out-live their Krug counterpart. The finish was long filled with mouth puckering citrus acidity.
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Laser-etched lot code on bottle: LABZCBN. Light gold color. Medium bead with bubbles ranging from fine to coarse. Fresh and clean aromas of ginger, lime, lemon, flowers, butterscotch, and chalk. Chalky lemon-lime palate with strong ginger notes that carry into a toasty butterscotch finish that is long and full of lemony acidity. This bottle lacks the mushroomy notes of a bottle from two years back and seems much fresher. From the same purchase on release. Exquisite now with plenty of upside potential. Drink if you have many or hold if you have few.
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All the complexity it's known for, humming at a good spot 15+ years on down the road. The haters can hate, but Dom is still Dom. I still can't get over the staggering fact that about 150,000 cases of DP are produced during a vintage year (~ 2 million bottles !). To produce wine at this quality level at such a gargantuan scale is a stupendous feat.
This wine still exhibits some youthfulness with a yellow straw color and slight green on the rim with very pronounced bubbles that are a bit larger than usual. The nose is simply complex with roasted almonds, sliced green apples, smoke, toasted bread, orange peel, and a floral component on the end. On the palate the wine gushes with lush white fruits on the attack, a mix between tart green apples with pear compote. The mid-palate reveals a refreshing acidity that is not overdone but quite well integrated with citric and toasty flavors, leading into a mouth puckering dusty mineral finish. The wine has many dimensions of intense flavors, great balance, smooth texture, a full bodied structure that takes over your mouth.
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I had this bottle for a long time. Bought it at Marshal Fields (remember them?) Stored it at home for a couple of years in the Chicago area, then in storage for a few years while we lived in China, then moved it to Miami for a year and then to California for 2 years. After all that it was very delicious. Nice complexity and a bright/interesting carmel/honey flavor. I don't drink enough Champaign to rate it. But, it's really really good.
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Xmas Day 2011 : still very young - pale straw colour, fine nose of bread, lemon, honey and green berries. Palate fine and balanced - great length. A long keeper.
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This one needs some time in the glass, before it is fair to judge. Medium, straw yellow color. Nose very closed to begin with. But with time opens up. Lots of yeast, dough, caramel, brioche, toast and citrus. Long aftertaste. And lots of acid left. I will most certainly like this one better with some more years in the cellar.
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Dom Perignon Dinner (2002,1996,2000 Rose,1971) (Man Wah Restaurant, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Hong Kong): More golden in colour than the 2002 that preceded it but is still young-looking. Nose is...WOW....very light but rich acacia honey, scents of honeysuckle, hints of acetone, high notes of a violin, lots of fresh-toasted brown bread.....and lovely brioche at the back end...complex, rich but surprisingly understated. Palate is....oooh...rich, rich brioche but still with a very balancing sharp acidic cut. Very bracing.... a touch of ozone....and Epsom Salts. Surprisingly young and vibrant, although quite heady. A definite notch up from the 2002, but not as scintillating as the 1996 Oenotheque we drank alongside it.
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I've heard so many nice things about this wine and I finally got to drink it. It's better than I thought. It's in such a nice stage. We had this side by side with the DP '96 Rose (in the same night we also had '85 Cristal and '85 Salon). Hard to describe how nice the nose is with amazing toasty, kind of sweet notes. The palate was amazingly fresh and mineral with different layers of green apple, apple. Long long finish! This is pure and creamy. Having had the '96 Oenotheque recently I must say this is superior at this point, probably due to a matter of development. The Oenotheques will get here I think possibly showing even better.
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Stellar bottle of Champagne. The 1996 is as impressive as expected. Impressive on the nose with yeasty bread scents, aromas of nuts, very slight fruits scents. Medium-bodied, long on the palate. Should age incredibly well. Might even rate 100 points as it ages.
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Fantastic stuff. Pear, apple, and fresh, crusty bread aromas and flavors; lively citrus notes woven throughout plus cherry accents on the long, long finish. One of the best champagnes I've had.
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The Big Two (Bar Boulud): Now we're talking. The acidic spine to this presents an immediate and forceful contrast to the 2002, which wasn't nearly so tensile; this is like a high-tension steel cable of a Champagne. The fruit is still bright and youthful and doesn't taste any more evolved than the '02, either, but it has developed the powerful mineral presence and craggy texture that was only hinted at in the '02. Formidable! But tasty too.
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Impressive stuff; packed with layers of fresh baked brioche, rich citrus and white fruited flavours and doughy and yeasty notes with a sense of power and freshness. There's lots of depth here, great balance and length - fantastic way to start the evening.
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A monumental champagne that is drinking wonderfully at present! Notes of brioche, white flowers, and white fruits. Rather full-bodied, with a creamy texture, great depth of flavor, and impressive delineation on the finish.
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Alcohol :: 12.5% For some reasons, this has been opened and corked back for about 3weeks! I didn't know about this and I popped the cork there was a really loud POP sound, just like popping a brand new Champagne. The bottle was truly vigorous and very very fine. I thought this was opened for 3days and I was shocked when I knew this was first opened 3weeks ago! Amazing and mind bending. Light golden yellow, despite the aggressive bubbles, the nose is muted, only give away very intense chalky mineral nose and yeast but you know there are loads of material underneath. Fortunately, the palate was quite open for business. The bubble hit on the palate like a wave, very strong and explosive in the beginning but it became soft and ultra smooth when it filled the mouth. This has the usual high acidity from 1996 vintage but at the same time very good sweetness that keep this in balance and round, not sharp at all. Solidly structured, large scale and weighty but wonderfully balance and pure. A light oxidized note (due to such long aeration), layers of citrus, grapefruits, green apple with chalky mineral that leads to the very long, detail, complex finished and lingered effortlessly with the refreshing minerality. This is absolutely top class DP and will be able to age in another decade or more. 93-95
Requested from my friend to put in my impression in Chinese: 集合了天时，地利，人和再加上家族背景的加持，他的出生注定不平凡。金黄色的液体充满了强而有力但细致的气泡，就像是一位拥有鲜明的轮廓和近乎完美的强健体格的贵族公子，还很年轻，羞涩但充满无穷的活力和潜力，我相信经过时间的洗礼，琢磨。假以时日，他一定会成为一位沉稳，风度翩翩的绅士。
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Oh What a Night! aka Kelvin's Stag Party (Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck, Paragon): Boy this was a good bottle! Rather overshadowed by the stupendous 1996 Krug on the night, but at any other occasion, this would have been a world-beating Champagne. The bottle had already been opened for a bit by the time I got a glass, so it was going at full tilt. Really nice DP nose here, still a bit tight maybe, but really nice, with lovely earth notes framing gently sweet fruit scents of apples and cherries, maybe a bit of vanilla and brioche at the sides. Very pretty, but the palate was even better. It was just so wonderfully drinkable and beautifully balanced, with beautifully clear, pure red apple fruit flavours layered across a deep mid-palate. This was met by subtle floral highlights and then some cherry accents, all opening up towards a beautifully long finish where the succulent fruit mingled with delicious notes of spice, yeast and mineral. Every bit of the wine was perfectly integrated and so wonderfully pure. This was a feminine beauty to the Krug's masculine class. Such a treat to taste them side by side. Judging by the bottles we had on the night, this was rather more ready than the Krug. Quite good to go with a bit of time in the glass or the decanter actually, although I would say keep it for another 3-4 years for best effect.
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CellarTracker Wisconsin June 2011; 6/24/2011-6/25/2011 (Madison, WI- various venues): Tasted non-blind at a wine dinner. Some peaches and pears. Wasn't a big fan of the texture, not very creamy with somewhat harsh bubbles. Finish was buttery. To be fair, I have never liked the house style but I have liked over vintages better. Seems to have plenty of life left in it.
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Light yellow to yellow color in the glass, clear looking throughout with light beading. Nose of matchstick, brioche and yellow pears. Flavors of yellow apples, yellow pears and a bit of lemon zest. Medium to bright acidity, full bodied. Drink or hold.
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CT Wisconsin Offline; 6/24/2011-6/25/2011 (Madison, WI): Ebullient fine bubbles forming a cheerful mousse. Musky nose that isn't particularly inviting, but very nice on the palate, showing peach, pear, nice citric acidity. Crisp finish. Fine showing, but the nose did detract a bit.
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As crisp, clean and pure as could be hoped for from a full-bodied champagne. Great to for a great evening. Hard to say how long this will last. Probably decades.
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Burgundy Lunch: This is in a fantastic place now. Far more open than a bottle a little less than 2 years ago. Rich, opulent fruit, while being incredibly precise and light on its feet too. Superb.
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Popped and poured at George's California Modern, La Jolla. California. Clear Pale straw color, Nose of floral, toasty oak, bread yeast apples, wild honey, stony minerals. On the palate elegant, crisp, toffee-drenched, nutty with good acid levels. Medium acid, fine mousse, excellent balance and long and lingering finish. Paired extremely well with raw oysters on half-shell. Classic Dom!
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Pure, crisp green apple, hints of yeasty bread, great mouthfeel and balance. This was soooo much better than it was 5 years ago--it's in a really great place, but it will also be interesting to see it in 5 more years. (PE: 95)
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crikey! second bottle opened, and i think this is heat damaged. i bought a case of this from costco, and have now had a run of bad bottles after doing well initially.
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G6 (Jeff): Corked and cooked. Suspect provenance. Note to self: avoid Arizona Costco's for high end wine especially during the summer months. 12.5% alcohol.
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Drank alongside a 96 Henriot. Still a great consistent performer, but this bottle was a little more closed up than the last bottle I had a year ago. Very light color, intense tight nose of yeasty bread, limestone and green apples. Pure intense minerality and green apple fruit on the attack with some nice vanilla notes on a very long persistent finish. A pleasure to drink, but still on the young side.
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An absolutely beautiful bottle of champagne. A delicate perlage with notes of toasty bread and a hint of green apple. Drinking really well right now, much better than the 1990.
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New Years Eve Cabernet and Dom Blowout (Our House (2033 Brandywine St., Philadelphia)): Terrific. Showing aged character, but gracefully. Toasted bread, nutty caramel on the nose but also green and red apple. Palate has smoothed out. Caramel and nut covered apples. Fresh. Toasted bread and sweet baking spices. Shade oxidized. Finished very strong. Most surprised by the fresh ripe fruit. Definitely many years ahead of this one.
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New Years Eve Lobsterfest! (Roberts House, Philadelphia PA): mousse is still vibrant on this, with little color variation between this, an 00, and an 02 DP. lots of yeast on this. still quite youthful with green apple, and citrus notes that, combined with the acidity on this make it a wonderfully refreshing and lively champagne.
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Dueling tête de cuvées (Miyake in Portland, Maine): So this was quite an experience...we tasted this over the period of about 3 hours. Initially it was quite tight and closed down...not offering much on the nose accept some hints of minerals and citrus. The palate showed promise, but was also quite tight. However, after about 2.5 hours the wine finally started to blossom. It really is too young to get the full potential out of this wine right now...however, it's still a pleasure to drink!
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New Years Eve 2010/2011 (@Home): Nice and open for business. Welcoming nose of bread, lemon, nuts and toffee. Purists will find the nutty toffee flavors over the top, but to me it is part of what makes this a very pleasurable wine. Maybe not the most complex or personal champagne, but very pleasing.
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Pale yellow with fine bubbles. Nose of an older Champer with bread/yeast and citrus. A hint of oxydative note in the nose. Taste was similar with more citrus and vanilla. Nice, but others liked more.
nice wine, but somewhat sweet, and not as richly textured as i would prefer. can a champagne enter a dumb phase? i clearly have been less enamored by recent bottles than earlier ones.
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1996 Dom Perignon is rich, fat, creamy and filled with the perfect of amount of acidity to give it the right amount of lift. Citrus, yeast, stone and almond notes start off the perfume. The exudes freshness coupled with soft textures and a long finish. At close to 15 years of age, it's statring to show well, and it's only going to get better from here! This is one of the better young Champagnes I've tasted in ages. It's a stronger wine than the just released 2002.
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Vintage Champagnes - DP, VC, Henriot, Vilmart (Legends Cellars): Pretty yet tight. Focused and concentrated. I think this needed some air and more bottle time but it clearly shows potential in a way the 02 hasn't for me. There is still some sulfur around. It didn't last long enough for a revisit of course. Very nice with its best days ahead of it.
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Vintage Champagne (Legend Cellars - Irvine, CA): This otherwise fabulous wine seemed a bit shy today; I suspect that it is still a little shut down. However, in spite of its reserved appearance, I enjoyed the elegant notes of unripe nectarines, chamomile, lemon verbena, crushed minerals, and almonds. Polished on the palate with a racy acidity and refined finish.
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The Other Great French Blancs: Champagne and Sauternes (Wink Restaurant, Austin, Texas): How strange? I thought this the best young Dom I'd ever had for several years, and now that it's grown up, it practically disappeared in this flight--a champagnophile told me that it was the company it had in this flight. The wines were that good. Clean, lean, with many layers, it had a slightly restrained nose of white flowers and citrus acid, followed by a bright citrus and mineral palate that had lots of descriptors: “salty air, wet stone, hot concrete and cold rain,” lemons, creamy tart, vanilla, “masculine sandalwood and man-sweat,” dirt yet floral, very strong limestone mineral flavors, saline/yeast/pepper, and light, delicate lemon spritz. Wow, and this wine seemed closed compared to the others in the flight. Will continue to improve, and may jump over its competitors here some day.
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Blind tasting of Krug, Dom Perignon, Bollinger RD and Selosses Vintage, all 1996. The best of the bunch, voted blind, by most tasters were the Krug, but the nose of Dom Perignon was so sexy and plush, almost like a great mature Montrachet. The palate however, was lacking some grip and nerve. The Krug was very open for business, much more than I had anticipated. Actually the 1988 is still more closed and probably will outlive the 1996. Maybe 1996 is a faster maturing vintage, and oxidizing quicker than first believed? Anyway, after 30 minutes in the glass, the Krug nose was very evident and stood out from the rest. The Selosses showed very bad, unbalanced and weird, but not flawed. The Bollinger RD was the freshest, with very good balance and lovely piercing acidity combined with fat, toasted fruit. Some tasters believed the Bollinger was the best drinker at this moment and would pair excellent with food.
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Sweet and very approachable wine - almost overripe with hints of truffles in the nose. Lacked a bit acidity and structure in order to be well suited for food. Drinkable now - probably not as long lived vintage as previously assumed.
Forward nose of citrus, toast, yeast, nuts, nice body and excellent balance and fruit, but not yet complex, medium finish, outstanding but should improve with more age in the cellar.
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8.5/10 - Much more reticent on the nose than I expected. Goes to show the quality of the vintage that a 14 year old wine can still be very much a young wine. Great and effervescent beading in a pretty golden hue. Lots of clean citrus with some cream, toast and nuts. The wine possesses a fantastic zinging acidity with a long finish. It was a very enjoyable experience having this with a great and fresh sashimi platter.
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Not my cup of tea, yet... I think I will open my second bottle in 2016+. Nothing wrong with the bottle, but there was nothing great either. Apple, pear and citrus fruit on the nose, no complexity, yet.. A bit of a disappointment, but I guess a I opened it too soon.. my fault...
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I had this after a wonderful round of golf so my rating could be a little inflated. Popped and poured and just a fantastic refreshment yet fruity with nutty undertones and complexities on the long finish.
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This bottle was purchased upon release and cellared in pristine fashion. Medium yellow robe with very brisk tiny bead. The nose is quite intense, but does not fully express its nuances until the bottle is taken off ice and allowed to warm up about five degrees. It then shows aromas of lemons, almonds, nutmeg and toasted bread. Medium-bodied on the palate, with nice acidity and a beautiful, lively mouth texture. The middle palate is full and the finish is long and crisp. It was a beautiful match with grilled Maine scallops. While this wine is nice now, it is definitely still an infant. Drink 1/15-12/25.
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This wine has never seen a temperature above 53 degrees since acquisition upon release. With that in mind it is a baby. Plenty of yeasty toast along with plenty of froth, it isn't remotely there yet, and needs another several years to develop, and will live far beyond that. Bodes well to be the best Dom ever, and I for the longest time have thought that was the 1964. Stay tuned.
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Quintessetial Dom; lines and curves in all the right places; young, firm, hedonistic nose; palate shows crisp, distinctive fruit framed in citrus with a deep, long finish that is surprisingly refreshing. The best part? As good as it is today the best years of this vintage are well ahead. I believe that history will show the '96 to be the most ageworthy, and ageless, Dom up to this vintage. It is extraordnary now and will become even more so over a long, bright future. 7/23/10 - A pinnacle from the house - 96+
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Wow. Golden in colour. Obvious Chardonnay nose. Sweet and fruity, nutty and buttery. Very fine bubbles. Overall well balanced. So much more like fine wine than nv champagne.
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I've had this Champagne twice in 2003, once in 2008 and recently in 2010 (4/25/10) it is amazingly consistent. A smooth taste of peach and other fruits that lasts and lasts. I still have two left and I'm sure it will last another 15 to 20 years. It's the best I've ever had. I would definitely give it a perfect score.
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Old note. Very pleasant, tasty bouquet balancing rich flowery and honeyed notes with lightness and freshness. Very rich, complex palate, very creamy, quite mineral, but the acidity is a bit lowish. Seamless finish and very long aftertaste.
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Lys farge. Utrolig kompleks nese, denne vinen er alt på en gang. Jord, stål, sitroner, kaffe. Svært energisk med skikkelig "grep" gjennom hele smakskurven. Hver gang man smaker er det en ny egenskap ved vinen som skiller seg ut. Men vinen er nok noe lukket, den krever full oppmersomhet for å vise hva den har å by på.
Another bottle that I got from a cellar in Japan many years ago. Still showing all the most beautiful things that best Champagne should be. Floral, elegant, clean, sexy and dramatic. Medium-bodied, superb balance, very smooth and silky in texture, elegant and complex with a mild-blowing aftertaste.
The 14 years old Dom Perignon is very very ready to drink and will be at this peak for another 4-5 years then becomes the good old Champagne.
Drinking nicely tonight. Very smooth, nice texture, some strawberry on nose, lemon and butterscotch on palate. Not overly complex, just straightforward good.
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Glad I drank this along side an "ordinary" champagne so that I could better experience an outstanding one. I rarely drink champagne so I have no idea if this is a good as it gets. Nice but it was probably wasted on me.
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Medium yellow in glass, showing some deeper notes. Medium bead. Rich nose of butterscotch, sweet earth, flowers, and ginger-spiced baked pear. On the palate, this shows sweet butterscotch, lime, mushroom, pear, and a rocky quality. The fusion of fruit and earth notes is not fully integrated at this point, but the indications are that the material is there for this to become something special in time. Not bad to check now, but it is sacrificing future potential. Hold.
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This wine really lives up to the hype and high ratings. It has shed some of the hard edges of its youth and has a beautfiul nose of baked bread, strawberries and almonds. Nice fine bead, delicate mousse, beautifully and consistently balanced between sweet apple and limestone minerality from attack all the way through to a very long finish. Outstanding.
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Just fantastic. Nice, crisp, well-balanced with great finish. Delicious fruit with great blend of marshmallow, nuts and bread. Best champagne we have had in quite some time.
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Deep straw color with hints of copper (unknown storage), lots of fine pops. Festive but tight nose of toast, baked apple, citrus. Wish I could have given the bouquet time to unwind and grow in the glass, but circumstances did not permit. Vibrant apple and citrus on the palate along with roasted nuts and toast. Fresh minerals lend complexity in a long finish. Still quite youthful. Outstanding but even better days ahead for this bubbly.
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Just had a 1996 Dom Perignon Champagne for my parents' anniversary. It has a pale yellow-gold color with magnificent clarity; a sharp nose with hints of wheat bread, oak and undeniable French earth. The palate is very concentrated, crisp, with layers of pure fruit, toasted nuts; greatly-balanced acidity - making it utterly refreshing and hard to stop drinking! The finish is very long and makes you want to hold on to the flavor. Quite arguably the best vintage I've had from Dom Perignon. Could last another 10 years. Drink now until 2019.
Birthday with Vosne Romanee (Boka - Chicago IL): Nose is all lemon and lime followed by a hint of apple. Great Start to the night! This is exactly where I like my Champagne, before the stale toast and yeast take over. Same citrus flavors with amazing texture, mouth feel and acidity. Long and powerful, I really like where this is today; I know others will want to see how it develops, blah blah blah.
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Alan's Vosne Romanee Birthday at BOKA (BOKA Restaurant, Chicago IL): Toasty citrus nose with some baked apple as well. Great texture with fantastic minerality and acidity. Clearly needs time to turn into something fantastic, but still showing great and a pleasure to drink.
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Spectacular bottle, just starting to show secondary charectoristics, bright, full and rich, some toasty nuances coming around. maybe the best bottle of Champ I have had in a long time
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Utterly fresh, tight, lean wine. Better in a big glass where it gave up more complexity and to me the chardonnay component became more evident. Wonderful bead and balance but still an infant.
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Really tight with lots of bright citrus fruit and zipping acidity. Roasted almonds, brioche and yeasty dough. Need a ton more time, lots of promise there.
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Birthday Dinner (Sontes, Rochester, MN): Wonderful aromatics on popping the cork. Quite racy and complex with nutty flavors. Long, remarkable finish. It evolved in the glass over an hour, suggesting a substantial upside in the near future. Altogether a very elegant, focused and highly refreshing champagne.
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This wine remains quite young to me. Opened for our 15th anniversary and drunk throughout dinner. Unfortunately Sue had a nasty cold and I am still jet lagged. That said, this is a delightful bottle of wine and it remains very crisp with a an incredibly fine bead. I would gladly drink this any time. I am not sure about my notes though, as I was foggy and not really paying attention.
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Jim's & Angelo's Birthday Wines at Vie (Vie (Western Springs)): Light in color with slight golden hue. Good floral nose with and light sweet fruit edge. Clean and vibrant. Nice weightly wine featuring sweet baking apples in a creamy style. Some slight earthy quaility on finish. Wine was nice, but a bit below my expectations as not very complex at this stage 93 Some thought wine was a touch musty maybe even some TCA that I did not pick up.
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Again, a little more golden colour development than the 98 and 2000. First hint of oxidisation on the nose. Lovely, creamy mousse. Seems more integrated and harmonious than previous wines. Quite a large, broad shouldered wine which is already a gorgeous to drink although obviously very primary.
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Blind (against a 99 LP Brut Millésimé ) at Noshers"wine with simple food" do. Deep straw with wonderful fine mousse, viscosity of a Montrachet,nose of buttered toast and damp garden herbs. Complex with layers of aromas. Massive entry,bounced off the hard palate,uctous yet balanced acidity. Long and stlll wonderful after two hours in the glass-LP was by then dead.
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Drank alongside the 1995 and 1998 vintages of Dom. Unfortunately, this bottle was corked. While undoubtedly a most impressive example of Dom, the slight mustiness never blew off.
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Babita: Lighter yellow color; elegant slightly yeasty, busquit nose, not super aromatic; this is all about the palate: silky, beaut. entry, perfectly proportioned and balanced, creamy, but not weighty, expansive, intense vinous, white frt, minerals, long ass fin. Slight oily tuna thing--but not as much w/this one. W/Johnny, Michael, James. Excellent w/ceviche, red snapper.
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Brought to NYC and drank with Robert, Lisa, Jenn. Still way too young for me, but slightly better than first bottle. Pale yellow color with larger mousse. Slight yeast dough aromas but no palate to speak of. Score withheld. Still hoping the rest of the world is right.
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I accidently chilled this one for a big dinner and I think we paid for my mistake. This champagne tasted young and was not as integrated as I would have liked. I think this one will get there someday but was not the occasion I expected it to be.
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Sotheby's Pre-Auction Tasting (Sotheby's, New York): This was pretty good. Creamy, with minerals and hints of citrus (especially orange) on the palate. This did not excite or wow us at all, but perhaps our expectations had been set a little too high in advance. Certainly enjoyable.
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vibrantly tight mousse, rich and creamy in it's youthful expression. difficult not to offer this when practical, but i need to hoard a bit more selfishly.
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A great bottle. However drank it blind in a tasting against a Domaine Ste Michelle Brut. The tasters were split down the middle. This is direct from the Wine Trials book and it is true. This is now the second time I've done this with similar results. Clearly to Domaine Ste Michelle is playing well above its pay grade, but that should not diminish what a great bottle of champagne this is.
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After being underwhelmed on the two previous occasions, this time I got it. Such fine bubbles, a lacy texture, a lovely buttery tone to the fruit, it contrives to be delicate and powerful at the same time
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Easter Holiday Champagnes (France): Immediately reductive, but packed with candied fruit, very light on its feet but full of verve. The only 96 that feels too young to drink.
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Served slightly warm (around 60 degrees) and enjoyed over about 2 hours. This is not just superior Champagne, it's fantastic wine and should be appreciated as such. Consumed with "Hunan" sauce and Chinese food -- actually an excellent and recommended match. Nose was biscuity, slight fruit, and something else, maybe the smallest trace of mint (?). The mousse was the finest, most luxurious that I've had in any Champagne. Taste can be described as having exceptional balance with nothing dominating the palate. Eminently drinkable and highly recommended.
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A bit industrial on the nose, like acetone. Very smooth texture in the mouth, no harsh edges. Nice on the front palate with citrus, mineral and vanilla. Finish was a bit vegetal, almost fennel like. This was a good champagne, but clearly overshadowed by others in the vintage including Krug, Clos Saint-Hilaire and Salon.
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As admirable as this champagne is, it is an infant. Slightly citrusy elegance that slides beautifully across the palate. But nonetheless quite closed - I remember how much more the wine offered on release. In maybe ten years this bottle will be a total show stopper and take its place among the greatest Dom Perignons, and it may well turn out to be the greatest. Today a 92, down the road maybe a 100.
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Best champagne I've ever had. Very delicate indeed, yet with lemon zest, hint of vanilla, nuts, bread crumb,white flowers, and a lingering, reverberating finish.
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Light, but ethereal, offering delicate flavors of lemon meringue, sea shell, white flowers, vanilla and white peach. Persistent and nearly explosive on the palate with layered white peach flavors and mouthwatering acidity.
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Perfectly balanced NOT overly dry, asidic, or "hot", just perfect! Notes of pear on the nose. Lots of layers of flavor covers the palate completley, apple is predominate along with lemon peel and a creamy sensation with a nice "bite" lingering in the back of the mouth. The bubbles are extremely tight, as can be expected with DP; this is the best vintage of DP I've ever had, and I've had quite a few bottles over the years.
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Fantastic. Light yellow/gold. Smallest of bubbles. Sharp attack, giving way to rich creamy palate. Ripe sweet Pears, Apricots on the tree, peach fuzz. Huge mouth smacking fruit finish, that goes on, double swallow choker.
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Dinner at Cityzen, 82, 86, 89 and 90 first growth and LMHB (Cityzen, Washington DC): Very fine mousse, lemon zest, hint of almond but slightly off and not fresh enough. A discussion ensued regarding the bottle variation in Dom, in particular the 96. The success rate being around 70%. Not the best example of this champagne but still not bad.
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12/24/08: Light yellow color and a nose of crushed rocks, citrus, honeysuckle, lemon oil, orange marmalade, pear and anise. The taste is wet cement, mineral, toast and yeast, apple and pineapple. There is a wonderful texture and balance in this full bodied and luscious wine, with perfect acidity and long tart, spicey, mineral finish.
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Holiday Party (Jeff): My fifth opportunity to try this wonderful wine and its best showing yet by a mile. Pale yellow in color. Tropical fruit nose. Pears, apple and lemon on the expansive palate. Perfectly balanced with very nice minerality and intensity. A super elegant and complex finish that lasts for minutes. Simply outstanding.
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Vintage Champagne at Jay Selman's Office (The Board Room): Some sulphur on the nose initially opening a wee bit to some citrus. Palate seems tight with plenty of lean citrus and maybe some green apple and hard acidity. Finish does pick up in a pretty way with air. This seemed closed to me and didn't offer up the depth I've seen from this before. Mine stays asleep for a few more years.
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Average intensity biscuity, doughy, sweet nose, with infintesimal bubbles. Medium intensity flavors of brioche toast, and red apple fruit. Persistent flavors, but not terribly concentrated. Certainly not in the same league as the 90, but perhaps just needs age. Drink or hold.
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pale yellow with fine bubbles. This nose announced early on that this was closed for business. Acid and citrusy lemon on the nose. A bright fruit in the mouth. Good, but clearly better a few years ago and hopefully better in the years to come. Do NOT open until 5+ years from now.
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Bright and lively yet rich and profound. Crisp green apple and pear, baked bread. Long mineraly finish. One of the better expressions of this wine I've had.
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I only gave this a 99 because I don't know what a 100 would taste like but this champange was out of this world. Nice fresh biscuits with smoth citrus and a hint of vanilla. I just can't over emphasize how everything in this champagne comes together. Long finish, I was even tasting it while laying down to go to sleep. I will definitely by a full case for I believe these will be hard to find in the near future, and that impresses me for Moet releases over 1 million bottles when reasing a vintage. Blows awy the 1990, which I loved which in turn was better than the 1999. This vintage is dead on with the Krug 1995-1996 releases. If Krug was Louis XIV then dom '96 would be Marie Antiounette. In ten years or more the case will be dying to have their heads lopped off on New Years Day.
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Musigny Mass Murder (Plates): A sweeter showing than any I can remember, both in literal sweetness (most apparent when the bubbles calm down) and the tropical flavor and fatness of its fruit. Still scorched with the classic toast which keeps some of the exuberance of the fruit in check.
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laser like intensity on the acid and fruit. Handfuls of apple, citrus, and minerals tossed in with toast for a long finish. So easy to drink with that silky almost cream like texture! You can just down this stuf. Still needs some time to really express itself, I know more of that fruit is going to burst through and really explode but woooo what a champagne.
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Jane and I shared a bottle of this over the evening so we could give it proper attention. I still don't really get it. There's an impressive stream of fine bubbles, and it certainly has a fine texture. But the fruit is tight, and there's a faint mustiness there (which I don't think is TCA). It's steely and vinous and I can well believe more years will turn it into something special. But today?
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(at Christopher Daniel – Baltimore) In a different league. Sharp citrus and toast dominate a long and fine wine that is still years away from peak. Lovely. (94+)
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This was completely delicious and I would have it often if available. That said, it was somewhat lighter and more delicate than I expected and wasn't quite able to stand up as the sole accompaniment to a lobster dinner. I would have next time before or after dinner and appreciate it more for itself.
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First bottle of this, for our 5 year anniversary. On the nose, biscuit, yeast. An incredibly rich yet precise palate with apricot and pineapple. Great stuff. Next bottle in 10 years.
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Palate: Textbook and classic Dom profile champagne. A very sexy and alluring champagne that is solid all the way across the palate - very rich and creamy texture.
Overall: I liked the 1998 better this evening. Yes, I know - I can hear the boos and hissing. For whatever reason the 1998 struck me as more interesting this evening. 91 points.
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Champagne & Sushi (Coast Sushi, Chicago, IL): Very yeasty nose, legitimate fresh bread notes. Great mouth filling texture brings across fresh tastes--fresh fruits, slightly tart apple, and leads to a long, nice finish. Very elegant & smooth.
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Champagne and Sushi (Coast, Chicago IL): nose: very complex, dense, and creamy nose of vanilla, bread, creamed pears and apples, along with bits of exotic spices
taste: extremely creamy and full flavors with apples, creamed pears, bread, various fruit tones, and vanilla extract
overall: a great attack of creamed pears and apples that just grabs your attention. A very dense wine with lots of complexity, this is still young but grabs your attention and shows what Dom can do that then ends with a great vanilla extract finish
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Hawksmoor (london) golden yellow color-biscuitey lemony nose, smooth and lovely in the mouth, a touch of sweet citrus and yeast. this drinks great, not as acidic or zippy as salon or krug or some the BdB's but very long, very full in the mouth and great zing...i love the 96 champers
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Simply outstanding. A full-bodied bubbly to my palate. Baking breads, coffee notes (yes, even at this young stage), honeyed lemon. Long, long finish. Impeccably balanced.
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Greg's bottle and what a beauty it is already. Almost all the DPs I've tasted young were disappointing; they seem to need many years to open up. But the heady mixture of pear, ginger, apple and baking spice flows out of this bottle even before the wine can reach the glass. It has that sensation of sweetness without sugar which is very enticing. And the finish does not disappoint, but I could not wait for it to fade before taking another sip - or another glass.
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What a treat it was to drink this...on the nose scents of fresh baked bread and a light hint of fresh cut strawberries. In the mouth were flavors of kiwi, granny smith apples, and citrus. This beautiful Champagne is among the best that I have ever had. The finish on this wine was 60+ seconds and the flavors were so very bright & vivid...
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All the goods are there, but this wine (this bottle has been impeccably stored since release) has more or less gone into a shell. Apply mineral nose, great citrusy richness on the palate but very much now dominated by the acid through the finish. A shadow of what it was when young, but when it emerges, it should be among the greatest Doms. Like many 1996's, the scale of the wine is stunning. This is a Dom that may fit the Krug window at this point. Drink it young or wait twenty years.
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Beautiful bubbly, but no more spectacular than some much lesser known RM Champagnes I've tried in recent years. Just didn't quite live up to the hype or really distinguish itself to me.
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Not sure what more you could ask for in a Champagne. Mineral, citrus, strawberry, wonderful structure, depth and complexity. There may be better Champagne out there but I certainly haven't tried it. Flawless and lovely.
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Tasted March 29, 2008. Opened and served immediately. Light yellow color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Tight, slightly yeasty nose with some additional notes of yellow pears and yellow apples. A bit of bright cherry flavor up front with some notes of apple and citrus fruits. Medium to bright acidity, medium to full body. Seems in a bit of an awkward phase from previous bottles so I might be tempted to hold at this point.
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so complex, seductive. mineral, floral, crisp fruit. balanced acidity, a touch of oak. finicky. needs to breathe alot or age for many years. very temperature dependent, needs to be a bit warmer than iced, the temp of a fine white burgundy. when it's on, one of the finest whites you can drink.
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Delicious. Tasted alongside a NV Leroy Duval just for comp sake. Dom showed gorgeous bouqet of hazelnut, yeast, dough. Crisp acidity and a smooth long, lush finish puts this in a class by itself vs the cliipped and fizzy Duval. 97
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Rather intense, mushroomy, less forgiving than another recent taste. Still, we slurped down this mineral laden beauty with pleasure. The best taste though was a half glass left sitting and revisited some three hours later. This had blossomed into an awesome glass of truffled white Burgundy. I really continue to enjoy this Dom.
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Very pale gold, with fine bubbles. Nose was rather simple: sweet flowers, lime, yeast. Seemed a little dilute to me; not remotely as good as I had hoped.
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Dinner with Manlin at Lampreia (Seattle, WA): Mindblowing. I haven't had this wine for about 18 months and pulled this one on a whim. Wow, glad I did. Spiny, intense, with a funky mineral nose more reminiscent of White Burgundy than Champagne. The palate is electric, so young and clean, loaded with citrus, amazingly dynamic, creamy, and powerful. This bottle disappeared quickly among 4 of us, but I saved 1/3 of a glass for several hours. At the end of the evening it was even better, amazingly complex on the nose and palate, vinous, powerful, clean. A 1990 Krug served next to this was blown off the table by this young baby.
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Took to the Corkage Free night at Canlis. Bottle was placed in an ice bucket upon arrival and once popped, I let it stand on the table. At first it was quite reticent and too cold, but still clearly better than the earlier stuff. After about an hour it had really changed. I was surprised at the freshness and vibrancy from an 11 year old wine. It simply dances on the palate and lingers for ever begging for more. I can see how this could develop further in years to come, but Holy Cow is this good now!
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Drank before italian food-nice light gold,tight small bubbles..biscuit and cream crackers on nose and palette..also a little lemony, acidic...needs more time
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Drank a bottle with family on a very hot night in Mahon. A very good drink, nice fizz with good acidity and notes if apple, pear and lemon. Very nice and dry on the palate. However, can only get better with time, this is slighlty too young to drink now.
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Maybe our expectations were too high, but we were generally disappointed with this wine. We shared this with four other wine drinking friends, some of whom drink champagne regularly. I think it's fair to say it didn't really do it for any of us. There was nothing wrong with it, with good fizz, some nice biscuit and yeast and a reasonable finish. But quite honestly, it was hard to tell it from a regular house champagne. So, in our minds, certainly not worth the huge premium in cost terms. I guess that it's probably still far too young to be showing any exceptional qualities and maybe we need to return to our second bottle in about ten years time. Possibly fifteen years. So the moral is, if you only have one bottle, keep it a lot longer. Sorry, we only give it 85.
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I'll rate this conservatively for now because I am sure there is much more to come in 5 - 10 years. Explosively bubbly but very tightly wound. Yet with just 15 minutes in the glass some of the hidden reserves of wheat and citric fruit peek out and it becomes more interesting with each sip. Even at this very young age, the '96 DP seems more interesting than the '90 or '95.
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When in Romanée... (Eleven Madison Park): Playing its cards a little closer to the vest than the last time I had this wine, this continues to show its huge proportions and rich lemon-custard fruit—once again I found it more like a blanc-de-blancs in character than any other Dom I can remember—but the toasty, flinty thing seems to have been swallowed by all the fruit.
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What can I say? This must be the best glass of wine I ever been tasted. Heavenly in my mouth and even I haven't been near this class in Champagne, I know this is the right thing. Served with lobster and good friends around the table.
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Dennis' summer tasting: Light yellow. Bread, lemon and nutty aromas and flavors. Broad and round. Maybe a bit closed? A really classic and wonderful champagne. 95+.
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Farewell to a Friend: The third time I've had the chance to try this, the first was stunning and the second couldn't have been more disappointing as it was corked! This bottle was very much the equal of the first and served at a perfect time in the meal as an incredibly indulgent "palate cleanser" before dessert. Citrus peel, lemon meringue, toast and cherries on the nose. Beautifully elegant on the palate with brilliant acid structure and depth. Outstanding length and even though it is young, it is already an incredible wine.
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Charityworks - 100 point wine dinner: This is champagne! I am not a champagne lover but I understand why people can like champagne. Floral and citrusy with no sharp acidity.
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Spectacular, elegant, exquisite Champagne!! Very crisp acids support a exceptionally well-endowed wine with copious notes of candied lemons/oranges, and subtle hints of brioche and hazelnut. It should drink well for 20-25 years, possibly longer.
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Second of four bottles enjoyed for a special occasion. Vibrant mousse with small beads. Lemon and othe citrus fruit and a little spice on the nose and palate. Wonderful mouthfeel on the midpalate and finish. Toasty fruit and long finish with a bit of pepper. Good juice!
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Tasted April 1, 2007 at an offline. Opened and served immediately. Light yellow color in the glass, clear hue throughout with a light mousse. Nose of brioche, pears and a little yellow apple. Flavors of yellow apples, pears and some cherry fizz on the finish. Medium acidity and body. Drink or hold.
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One of the finest Champagne's I've ever had. Elegant comes to mind in describing it's body and structure. Apple and pear flavors on the palate with a very nice smooth finish.
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I really wish I could dislike Dom Pérignon (motto: billions and billions served) but it's not to be. This is a distinctive Champagne and a great example of Dom, already expressive of that flinty/gunmetal/metallic mineral depth that the best vintages of Dom have, and this one is packed with it. The fruit is bright, bracing, and lemony, almost Blanc de Blancs-like in its precision. A dense, well-structured Champagne with lots of character.
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Very good. Nothing missing. I especially enjoyed the nuttiness, hazelnuts and almond on the finish. Wish I had another bottle to try in about 5-10 years.
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drank for xmas dinner with starters light yellow color, small bubbles. on the nose i got toast, vanilla and some cream, semi dry flavor, creamy, biscuity flavor, left all wanting more
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Light yellow color. Yummy - what a great smell - classic and classy champagne - butter, vanilla, nuts and lemon. Tastewise it's round, integrated, pleasing and open for business, but with great additional potential. Toffee and more nuts. I really like this, but it's nowhere near the level of the Taittinger Comtes. Rating: 94+
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A very dynamic bottle. Begins with a very tart and somewhat closed attitude, as though it wants something to go with it. As soon as we paired it with some caviar, the choir was in complete harmony! Did not work as well with reindeer or cheeses - but with caviar absolutely stunning.
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In a flight of champagne on New Year's Eve this 1996 Cuvee was the finest of the lot. Almost too perfect. In fact, most guests preferred the nearly unknown Ellner 1996 for its unigue taste but everyone agreed that DP has the old world class of a great champagne.
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All I can say is it was one of the best champagnes I have ever had. Yeasty, nutty and citrusy with exceptional balance. It bested the 1990 Winston Churchill drank earlier this year which was my prior benchmark.
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Just fabulous on Xmas Eve with family. Wines like Dom are meant to be shared - but once I had an opportunity to smell and taste this beauty, I was yearning for another bottle. The nose just keeps coming at you, persistent citrus, lemon peel, nuts and a creme brulee aroma. YUM. Such a silky wine, the finish literally lasts for a couple of minutes. As close to a perfect bottle of wine I've ever tasted.
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Lost Verse generously brought this to the Courtrights dinner. 3rd time I have had this (previous scores were a 91 and 95). It is back to 91 points for me this time. I noticed a some skunkiness on the nose which detracted a bit overall. 91 points.
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Atlanta Off-line (Bone's Restaurant, Atlanta, GA): Bright and floral nose. Light on its feet, this has impeccable delineation of flavors of lightly toasted almond, pear, yeast and light lemon zest with excellent structure and detail punctuated with absolutely the finest effervescence. Crisp acidity throughout with a long and fine finish.
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3rd time i taste this beauty and i adore this wine. Everything is in harmony, fantastic nose, very crisp and lovely citrus taste. Will only get better.
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Eight wines and eight courses.... (Cafe Jorge "Mi Casa"): Wow...never expected to get such a harmony of fruit on the nose upon opening, what a treat in that it was an all fruit texture and had a velvet grip that was way to easy to drink...simply delicious, it paired very well with: Smoked Scottish Salmon with Creole Cream Cheese and Chives on Stone Ground Cornmeal Blinis with a Sevruga Caviar Garnish. The sweet blinis, rich...but, light cheese and chives, with the salty salmon and caviar...while an exceptional tasty match, were more of an adornment to the Dom's personality, as the champagne stole the show.
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Chicago's Best Bordeaux Tasting Ever? (Ken's Home): Clean and bright with great dry white fruit flavors wound in vibrant acidity and minerals. Nice classy wine with long finish. Just great with Quail eggs and the cucumberScallops. Great start to a wild evening.
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A very fine bead. Cherry, toast, vanilla, mushroom, flint and herbs on a nose of brilliant depth, just from the nose this is a step up in class. An utterly charming palate that was elegant and almost perfectly structured, while at the same time having breathtaking depth, intensity and an incredibly long, sublime finish. Obviously this is young and not the wine that it will be in time, but it is already shows a level of complexity that belies its age. This was genuinely stunning, a monumental wine.
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Tasted August 19, 2006 at an offline. Opened and served immediately in a Riedel Vinum Cuvee Prestige glass. Light yellow to yellow color in the glass, clear hue throughout with solid medium bead. Nose of pears, crème fraiche, yellow apple and a little biscuit. Flavors of biscuits, pears, yellow apples and a little citrus fruits. Good acidity. Medium bodied. Well balanced. Sticking with my 3 previous ratings of 95 points. Can be drank now but can be cellared for many years. Based on a current retail price hovering around $125.00 a bottle I’d still say the value here is between recommended and highly recommended. Once again, if you were fortunate enough to get this wine early on around $90.00 a bottle you got yourself an outstanding value.
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It's a stunning champagne, but very young. It comes with a lot of dark bred notes mixed with a small touch of vanilla, butter and a god portion of Porcini mushrooms. Young yes. But still deep and complex, but not so balanced yet. Someone at the table said it smelled of ”fart” in a positive way , but the mushrooms are certainly there and reveals that the champagne needs more time to come together.. The taste is medium to full-bodied but the finish is very long. I left a little portion for later and eventhough the mousse had evaporated it was still very complex like a white Burgundy. (95) for now but it can go higher.
Tasted September 2004 vs Belle Epoque 1996
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No rating since I very rarely drink vintage Champagne but this stuff is killer. Had over two nights and was at its best the second night. A bit Yeasty with wonderful citrus flavor, I will stop here as I can not do this Champagne justice with a TN.
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Nice way to kick off a 10th anniversary weekend at the coast. This bubbly has so much going on it almost needs to be warm to properly taste it. Then the burnt toast, yeast, and mineral flavors come on strong. Mighty fine juice and with lots (and lots) of life left.
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Tasted June 5, 2006 at an offline. Opened and served immediately in a Riedel Champagne flute. Light yellow almost straw color in the glass, clear throughout with solid medium bead. Nose of biscuits, apples, pears, a touch of citrus fruits and some almond paste. Flavors of pears and yellow apples dominates with a splash of orange and a little cherry fizz on the finish. Refreshing acidity begs for another pour. Very well balanced and a pleasure to drink. Sticking with my previous two ratings of 95 points. Can be drank now but should drinking well for upwards of 20 years. Value recommendation based on a current price point of approaching $110.00 a bottle is still highly recommended. If you were lucky enough to have bought this around the $90.00 a bottle price point before the ratings came out you got yourself an outstanding value.
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Notes from memory. Pale golden color with ultra fine beeds, typical Dom style (5/5) Crisp and acidic nose with notes of green apple, citrus, toasted bread, and butter (14/15). Very fruity and creamy in the mouth, but with great acid to balance it out. Apples, tropical fruits, butter, nuts, and smoke, very mutifasetted (18/20) Beautifully crafted! A truly great champagne with great potential to become legendary. 97 pts!
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When Parker scored this a 98 and said it was the finest Dom ever produced, I thought his swollen liver had finally detached and made it's way up to his brain. I'm going to have to agree with him. I Had the 1996 Cristal the week before and the 1996 Dom totally blew it out of the water and at nearly half the cost. This champagne is beautifully integrated.....nutty, creamy, silky smooth with a perfect bite of candied citrus. I've never scored a wine 100 pts, but this is as close as it gets to perfection in a champagne. I'm really interested to see how this champagne ages, considering it's this good in it's youth! Truly elegant and fantastic.
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First growth Bordeaux at Michael Gordon's (Bellevue, WA): Wow, not a great showing for a great wine. Very aggressive, almost overbearing. Huge and packed with waves of citrus, nuts, very concentrated, but also a bit astringent. Let 'em sleep.
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Lighter in color than the Krug, but a simply outstanding nose - very creamy and mushroomy. Fills the mouth with its incredible presence - it is simply delicious.
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OH!... to have the '96 Dom again. Bottle #6. The wine is pure and balanced, and incredibly nimble... like the Imperial Reserve caviar we are having to celebrate our tenth! Tasted six times with perfect consistancy.
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Spectacular champagne. Honey and baked apple on the nose. More honey, light yeast, lemon and kiwi in the mouth. Mouth watering and smooth. Can't wait to have another of these.
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This wine keeps climbing up the scoring ladder as I come across more bottles and begin to understand it better. This particular one was served by Hugh as one of the 16(!) bottles of champagne he opened for New Years Eve. Remarkably interesting panoply of citrus fruits with lime the most prominent, followed by hints of the more exotic, such as persimmon and kiwi, with only a hint of lemon. There was much less jarring acidity than usual for a '96; perhaps the intensity of juicy fruit made the wine seem almost sweet. Delicious right now and it made the '90 DP seem rather dull in comparison. There does seem to be a lot of bottle variation with the '96, not surprising given the 100,000+ case production, but the '90 DP by contrast has been quite consistent.
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Blind Taste Test from 6 Different Champagnes by 7 different people: 1997 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut - 96 1996 Cuvée Dom Pérignon - 93 N.V. Rene Geoffroy Champagne Cuvee Prestige - 88 1988 Krug Champagne Brut - 86 N.V. Taittinger Champagne Brut La Française - 83 N.V. Korbel Chardonnay Brut Methode Champenoise - 80
Results: The Dom Perignon and Cristal placed top two among a majority of the tasters, while the 1988 Krug surprisingly placed 4th and 5th on many of the lists.
One of the better Dom’s in last 10 years, with a slight aroma, full body and a complex taste. Easy to drink while leaving a pleasurable after taste.
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Our first Dom and a major disappointment; no "wow" factor; little nose or finish; fairly unimpressive light, citrusy taste (were we the victims of bottle variation?)
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I found the doughy nutty nose rich with toast, and burnt oak. It was interesting as I wasn't expecting such aggressive burnt oak treatment. The palate was sweet with almonds, ripe bananas and sour with lime - clean and fresh citric acid. There was a richness and full bodied nature to it on the palate, but well balanced and tightly wound with sharp acid and beady bubbles, an awesome contrast. This wine seems to still be a bit unresolved with the acid balance, it's seriously forefront on the palate with extreme zest, it obviously would benefit from cellar time......not that that's any surprise. The finish was beautifully rich and long in spite it's acid, I love that about Dom. This wine is inevitably much better than the '90 I had four years ago, much richer with a longer length of finish. This also had a much more aromatic nose than the '90 too, and more bracing acidity, it was definitely better in over all enjoyment. Cellar for 10 more years for best tasting results, or drink one now if you have a 1/2 case. She's a beauty. 96 pnts now, could become 98 with a little patience.
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Seattle Tasting Group 'End of Year Dinner' #3 (Sammamish, WA): The moment I first sniffed this it simply exploded from the glass, and the first sip was a similar explosion of powerful and vinous Champagne. It seemed pretty obvious what this wine was, because I have never tasted another champagne as massive, packed with citrus oils, minerality and huge expansiveness on the palate. This is simply a bruiser, and I loved every sip, although it is obvious that far better drinking is yet to come.
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2nd Annual Cellar Treasures Tasting (Long) (Asti Trattoria): Still seems young given that it's 9 years old. Only beginning to show the yeasty, nutty flavors one will expect in years to come. Still, one of the best bubblies I've ever had the opportunity to drink.
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Much more evolved than one year ago, the citrus and freshness has been replaced by yeast and toast. I feel the wine can really be enjoyed from now on and the potential is simply amazing.
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Stellar bottle of Champagne. Nice crisp acidity, great body, fruit and dough nicely integrated. One of the best bubblies I have ever had. Buy it if you see it.
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Pinot Envy also bought a case of this for the Friday Champagne reception. My 2nd favorite of the weekend. Pure and refined. Notes of hazelnut, flowers and citrus. The finish just swirled on your palate. Excellent. 94-95 points.
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Bold, slightly caramelized nose with some baked apple and floral notes. Accessible and well balanced with bold yeasty flavors supported by ample acidity. Another excellent bottle of '96 Dom. The uncharacteristic, slightly sherried, caramel notes make me think this bottle may have seen a bit of heat but it's certainly no worse for it at this point. ****-/5
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Pale yellow/clear colour with green tinges. Aromas of toast, oatmeal biscuit, lemon, pear, yeast/bread dough. Medium-bodied, lovely mouthfeel. Creamy, with hazelnuts, pear, and lemon. Moderate finish, 30-35s with nuts, toast.
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From Pinot Envy's case at the Bubbles & Caviar reception; Lovely champagne. I felt like this did not show as well as in the past but it was still great.
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Finally, an outstanding bottle of this celebrated champagne, brought by Greg to Nobu. I have passed up purchasing this before because last year I had it twice and was unimpressed. This bottle, purchased at Costco, was distinguished by its incredible pin-point bubbles and delicate flavors of mixed citrus. Not at all heavy, yeasty or bready. Young of course but not overpowered by acidity like many other '96s. Does not possess a lot of power or length but it's charming and delighful even now.
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Light to medium yellow color. Closed nose, but elegant in the mouth. Grand Cru Burgundy - with bubbles. Buttery, rich, and crisp. Racy might be more appropriate. Infinitely long aftertaste. Really grows on you.
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We drank this bottle at my wine tasting dinner and everyone loved it. It is a beautiful champagne. Not too sweet, crisp, refreshing and very elegant. Wonderful.
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Dom Perignon Tasting (Chicago IL): Tasting. Citrus comes through on the nose. Same lemon and lemon peel on the palate with just traces of richer tropical fruit on the finish. Amazing minerality helps provide a texture amongst the best I've ever had in a Champagne. Elegant and subtle.
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Beautiful straw color and a refined mousse. Nice light yeast and some toasted nuttiness on the nose. Refreshing citrus explosion on the attack, and amazingly light and elegant on the palate. Just my style of champagne!
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Tried alongside the '95 which was more developed and less refined. Was closed on the nose but opened up on the palate with a very fine mousse and lots of light delicate fruit, balanced with light acidity. The '96 was actually left and finished later in the evening.
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Austere with bold green apple and toasted brioche. Crisp acids but with well balanced sweetness and a nice yeasty note. Mousse fell apart quickly, probably more on account of the glasses than the bottle. ****-
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Cleveland Offline (Lockkeeper's): Crisp and lively, much less flint and smoke on the nose than 8 months ago. Toasted nuts and soft fruit layers. Not very expressive, but potential shines through.
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Fantastic, of course, but I think others here have put their finger on why this doesn't blow me away: it may be dozing for a couple of years. I find some soft white fruit on an otherwise quiet nose, and some hazelnut on the palate. That's about all. And I'm not necessarily a fan of the light- to medium-bodied style. Restrained or no, though, it's quite pretty. Indeed, I could drink it by the truckload if I could afford to. I'm open to the notion that this will pick up another point or two when it matures. For now, I give it high marks for an otherworldly, almondy finish.
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So this is what champagne is supposed to taste like! I had this with friends prior to taking the water taxi downtown for dinner. Enjoyed this on a beautiful Seattle summer evening in my backyard and we all thought it was great. Very crisp and a beautiful straw color. Will be getting more. Went well with the oysters served at Casa Sutton prior to dinner downtown.
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Purchased a case of 12 bottles within the first week the wine was released. This is the first bottle opened.
Reviews including R. Parker brought this vintage to international acclaim and demand with scoring that was near perfect. A great bottle to keep for 20 years for a special occasion or to sell providing that you have a proper cellar for storage.
On the eye the wine shows very fine beeds in classic champagne golden coloured wine. On the nose the wine provides citrus aromas well blended with a biscuit with a touch of floral notes. In the mouth there is a solid acidic backbone that doesn't overpower but is quite firm. This is a full bodied style of Champagne that should continue to develop in bottle for some years to come. For those that enjoy "big" and "bold" wines drinking this wine now will provide immense enjoyment. For those that are seeking a more subdued Champagne in which the acidity takes a backseat allowing for more tertiary characteristics to come to the forefront a number of years will need to pass by before opening.
A superb Champagne!
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Softer than previous tastings of this wine. Cork had good flaring and almost explosive carbonation. Golden straw color. Nose of tightly wound up citrus, with more expressive pear and apricot. Fine mousse. Mouthcoating, wonderfully deep flavors of pear, lemon and ripe peach, doughy bread, with hazelnuts, balanced by somewhat softened acid with excellent delineation in both the mid-palate and remarkably extended finish. Delicate layering of clearly distinguishable fruit flavors and intensities in the mid-palate. Though still very young, either some maturation has taken place since I first tried this wine last year, or another demonstration of bottle variation.
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Not much nose. palate was super tight and very carbonated, fantastic to drink at cocktails, went down like water, but really not memorable yet. I am sure it will be great, i am useless at tasting young champagne.
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Well, the others, who were tasting this blind, were finding brioche, butter etc on the nose and were loving it, while I, who knew what it was, was struggling to find much taste at all.
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Pale yellow with a very light greenish hue. Brioche, yeast, brie, mushroom, marzipan and truffles? on the nose. The palate is light and fruity, a touch yeasty, with green apple morphing into grapefruit. The finish is very complex, fairly light, yet VERY long. This is a nice, fresh, champagne that shows excellent balance, excellent complexity, and a lovely subtle finish. Incidentally, this was an absolutely stunning pair with light crackers and Morbier cheese.
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I guess one benefit of going on a cruise was being able to drink the 1996 Dom for $115. After having multiple bottles of this on the cruise, I am convinced that it's one of my favorite champagnes. I'm curious to know how beautiful it will be with a few more years of aging. I was talking to a guy at a wine dinner last night and he told me that this was the worst champange and tasted like water. Hmmmm...I'd like to move to where he lives if his water tastes like the 1996 Dom. I love the elegence and the beautiful texture, in which the bubbles dance in your mouth. I just love the nose of lemon zest, tropical fruits, roasted cashew and brioche. I could have drank a few more bottles while on the cruise but my parents were starting to look at me funny so stopped....
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S.F. - Rubicon High End Rhone Wines (Rubicon, S.F.): Lacy and elegant. Almost the definition of finesse. Tremendous concentration of light citrus fruits and brilliant integration of acid, bubbles and fruit. Young and delicious.
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Ken's First Father's Day (Home): Wow. What a champagne. I've seen a few notes suggesting that this was closing down. While it was tight and clearly young, it was still very expressive. Unfortunately, this is my first taste of this champagne, so I can't say that it was more open some time ago. But if this is closed, then whoa nellie. Anyway, this big guy showed me great citrus, a flash of yeast, and some deep nuttiness. What was amazing, though, was how well that whole package was integrated. I may have to pick more of these guys up -- and I'll definitely be a buyer on the magnum release.
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Clearly I'm in the minority here. This was good, don't get me wrong, but it wasn't life-changing. It had aromas and flavors of burnt toast, some yeast, lots of structure, but not much fruit. Maybe an off bottle or maybe it just needs time to settle down, at least for my palate.
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Farewell Party for Lisa and Steven: Slightly lighter in color than the ’95, with a mousse that is a little bit less aggressive – both visually and on entry. On the palate, the mousse never turns creamy, but seems to maintain an amazing definition that makes each and every tiny bubble distinct. This sensation persists until the wine is swallowed. Nose is very, very closed, showing little more than a bit of very tight apple and grapefruit, plus a tiny element of unrisen dough and nut. It never really opens up to show anything more. Palate has citrus, acidity, and surprising body above and beyond the bubbles. Finish shows a little minerality. Completely different from the ’95, seeming to be much more than a year younger. Even though this is a very big wine, balance throughout was perfect and this clearly isn’t showing a tenth of what it has in store. For drinking today, the ’95 is a clear winner. And it may always be, at least for my palate.
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Seattle Tasting Group does 1994 California Cabernet (Bellevue, WA): This is my seventh taste of this wine and the tightest example yet. The nose shows very obvious notes of smokey minerality and fairly overt wood aromatics as well. The palate is massively structured yet 'sleeping', holding back tons of fruit, just loads of minerals, very tight. If this bottle is any indication, I think it's time to let these sleep for about 6 years.
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CellarTracker's 1-year anniversary! (Seattle, WA, USA): Such a champagne. I really need to lay off of these, but they are just so delicious. This bottle showed a little more smoke and vanilla than prior bottles, but as it warmed there was a hint of yeastiness amidst the expressive nose. The palate is broad and vinous, loaded with explosive, smoky minerals and rich citrus fruits. This is such a beast of a young champagne, very enjoyable and special.
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This was served a little cold and needed more time to open up. It is still a bit sharp, but has a lot under the covers. Aromas of lemon peel, toasted nuts and yeast. The palate was very cleansing with quite a bit of acidity and a nice citrusy finish.
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Cellartracker Anniversary (Chez LeVine): This is a wonderful young Champagne. The nose is dominated by chalk, oyster shells, stones, and peach. There is a TON of minerality here, and the palate is full of peach, citrus, dirt, and sweet vanilla on the long finish. My first experience with the 96 Dom, this is clearly a super wine with a great future.
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A 98 point dinner at Steve Cramer's (West Seattle, WA, USA): This continues to be spectacular yet also very tight and young. Fresh and precise with loads of citrus and minerality, this was less forthcoming than I recall from prior tastes. However, with air and food (darned if this stuff didn't match well with nearly any food I tasted all night), this became more expressive. Smokey minerals and some mushroom character became very prominent, yet the wine was always clean, gripping, powerful and focused. What a pleasure to have this again!
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The Dirty half dozen - 6 Champagnes (Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park): My first experience of this was not good - an ever so slightly corked bottle at Cafe de Paix in Paris. The most frustrating thing was that you could feel greatness lurking under the taint. Tonight I felt it first hand. This is Champagne at its haunting best, its only fault was its youth . In a few years this will be as god as it gets. It is so perfectly weighted in fruit and flavour, which is in turn immaculately balanced by clean almost lush acidity. Fruit, toast, shortbread, truffle, honeysuckle, Terroir all make an appearance as it dances like an angel across the senses. The anticipation of the joy of things to come only heightens the experience. Awe inspiring stuff.
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I can't add a lot to the TNs other than "WOW". This should be great when mature. It may best the 1990. We had this with good sushi and it was just sublime.
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Beautiful pale straw color, with aromas of yeast, citrus and nuts. Amazingly full and crisp in the mouth. The well focused and delineated flavors jump off your tongue. LONG clean finish. AMAZING!
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San Francisco offline at Bizou (San Francisco, CA): Oh my, such vinosity and grip on the unmistakeable and stunning young wine. This is my fourth taste of this gorgeous beauty, and I am so glad for my ridiculously silly 18-bottle purchase recently. It is simply that great!
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Finally got to try one of these. It certainly lives up to the hype. Piercing nose and palate. Very fine mousse and great acidity. My wife got all giggly drinking this so I opened another.
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This was absolutely fantastic, I had read a lot about this wine but tasting it was great. pale in color and with very fine bubbles, the nose was a mix of grilled hazelnuts and citrus. On the mouth it was very structured with a very good level of acidity and extraordinary length. It is probably infanticide to drink it now, I will keep a few bottles for at least 10 years from now. Wonderful wine
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New Years Eve dinner at Jimmy and Ellen’s. This deserves 2 points more but with everyone saying it will only get better with age I have to leave some room to move. Balance in every aspect as chardonnay aromas jump from the glass as if being chased by light yeasty notes. It only gets better as the smooth creamy citrus flavors dance across the tong. No sharp acidity, it all just fits together. The finish begs you to take another sip until suddenly your glass is empty.
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Golden color, with very fine beads. Nose of bread dough and floral notes, with a palate of white peach, citrus, and spice. VERY concentrated and consistent. The focus of the wine from beginning to end is amazing. It's very, very good, but young. It will be incredible.
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My second tasting of this wine, I was able to appreciate more what all of the hoopla is about. Still quite young, the wine nonetheless shows great balance of acidity and ripe, intensely flavored fruit, now a mixture of peach, citrus, and apple. On the nose, just the first hints of maturity, with a distinct bouquet of white flowers accompanied by a note of yeast.
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STG - woopin it up at Roys (Roys Crib): I had a lot of anticipation waiting for this as I have purchased quite a bit and it did not disappoint. In a few years this is going to be amazing. Lots of acidity, yet it seemed smooth. There is some yeast and tropical fruits but the secondary nuances that will make this amazing are not there yet.
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Year end SG Dinner #2 (House of Hersh): I smelled this on in my sinuses. Tingly is not strong enough a word. It simple attacked my nose. The palate was huge, deep, and simply awesome. This offers everything you could want in an young Champagne. I must get more. This was my bottle.
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Seattle Tasting Group 'End of Year Dinner' #2 (Sammamish, WA, USA): Correctly guessed. I suspected that someone would bring a Dom, as most of us have this in our cellars. The nose is gorgeous with notes of smokey minerality and even a hint of nutmeg. Wow, the palate is so broad and sweeping, stretch your arms out as wide as you can imagine, and it doesn’t even compare to the way this wine moves sideways across your mouth. I didn’t even try to put words on the complexity and richness of this wine, but I have never tasted a champagne with so much “wine” character to it, stunning.
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Costco bottle. Excellent condition. Clear light yellow. Vigorous mousse, bead, couronne. Small bubbles, not pin point. Shy attractive nose, citrus and vanilla. On the palate, good balance, not too acidic. Quite delicate. Seems almost like a Blanc de Blancs. Light. Generic good young champagne. Lacks stuffing, though. Pass at $109.
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Impressive young champagne already showing some aged champagne characteristics, with very fine bubbles. Still very young and needs time but has the potential to become a truly great champagne. Not particularly interesting to drink right now, hold for at least 4-5 years (assuming you like aged champagne).
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Thanksgiving dinner note from memory. Spectacular. Bursting with citrus notes -- peach and pineapple came to mind first. Wonderful complexity, with creamy and yeasty elements still in the background. Absolutely thrilling, and every bit of what you'd expect from this label -- worth every penny.
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Firm nose of lemon, peach and pear. Delicate, sustaining mousse. Mouthcoating, wonderfully deep flavors of pear and ripe peach, balanced by searing acid and fantastic delineation in both the mid-palate and remarkably extended finish. Delicate layering of clearly distinguishable fruit flavors and intensities in the mid-palate. A top Champagne of this style, buy very young still.
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Bright straw yellow. Notes of peach, apple, and citrus with a faint note of minerality on the nose. The minerality is more obvious in the mouth, as is the intensity of still largely primary fruit flavors, heightened by the bracing acidity of the wine. Very sharply delineated, with compelling mineral tones continuing through in the finish. Still, I have to think this particular bottle at least needed more time--it seems as if I caught it in the transitional period where the primary characteristics are slowly fusing together, but the secondary creaminess and notes of bread and yeast have not yet emerged. I'd say give this Champagne some more time. Could rate substantially higher down the road...
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Believe the hype. This is a stupendous wine, let alone Champagne. The balance is something to behold. A wine that exudes class and grace (in a time when fewer and fewer do). Just a baby now, but what a future this has. Can't wait until this begins to exhibit the complexity that the 1990 Dom shows. And what a mouthfeel on this wine - the mousse fills your entire mouth and coats your palate with pinpoint bubbles that explode like perfect caviar. Tremendous.
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Some weekend drinks for Jo's Birthday (Cambridge): Very pale colour with good mousse. Wonderful citrus and earthy aromas. Tasted for a third time now, and just superb on each occaision. On the palate great integration of citrus fruits, toasty oak and acidity. Wish I had more.
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Good mousse. Very light and fine, but it has power and complexity. Subtle and graceful. Perfectly pure, with delicate buscuit and lemon flavours and a very long citric aftertaste. This champagne came with a reputation to live up to, and did not disappoint.
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London Italian Blowout.. 24 Tn's: (London): Flirting with PERFECTION.... Back up the truck.. This Champagne is KILLER.... ELegant, crisp, Vibrant, balanced with just the right amount of acidity.. The true definition of finess. Citrus undertones with brilliannt integration of acid, fruit and acidity. You don't truly love wine unless you have a few bottles of this in your cellar.
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Wine Icons tasting with Sarah Ahmed/Oddbins Fine Wine (Alba Restaurant, London): 50% Chardonnay/50% Pinot Noir, 6-8 yrs on lees. Pale straw-gold colour with a fine mousse and beading. Ripe apples, citrus and peach notes on the nose, intertwined with toasted brioche, biscuity notes and roasted hazelnut. On the palate there is a high acidity and good length, with a fine mouthfeel and complex notes of ripe green fruits, peach and some lingering nuttyness. Quite austere currently. Very nice, needs some time to finesse in bottle.
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7th Anniversary dinner at Daniel (New York City, New York, USA): Ordered by the glass. Wow, I had this last month with Jason & Tracy, and at the time this was glorious. However, tonight this even at another level. The nose was remarkably expressive, bursting with citrus fruit, and toasty, faintly oaky notes. On the palate this is explosive, so vinous, broad and powerful, amazingly long with incredible minerality. An absolute revelation with smoked lobster.
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Tasted with Eric and Tracy. I admit to being a Champagne neophyte, but I really wanted to try this wine because everyone was raving about it. Now I get it. The nose was decadent with great yeast notes and a strong tropical fruit element. The palate showed a persistent but very fine mousse. I also enjoyed the minerality and nuttiness. With age this should lose some of the grapiness that hit the finish. The depth and length, however, were truly extraordinary.
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Decadence (Issaquah, WA, USA): The aromatics on this were initially restrained with minerality and some yeastiness, a whiff of vanilla. However, the palate was a revelation, huge and broad with explosive minerality and a light saline character. This was just so massive and concentrated across the palate. The finish was extremely long and lemony with some stoney character and a faint nuttiness. Gorgeous champagne!
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a beautiful way to say hello and kick off the evening. my first taste of this incredible elixir, which is a review in itself. lots of recent posts singing it's praises, and now i can add my voice to the chorus. young, vibrant, lovely acidity and balance. crisp and delicious. it received 3 votes for WOTN. outstanding.
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lacy and elegant. Almost the definition of finesse. Tremendous concentration of light citrus fruits and brilliant integration of acid, bubbles and fruit. Young and delicious.
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I just don’t get the raves from Parker and others. Vigorous mousse of large bubbles. Very gingery and bready but seems to drop off in the mid palate. Typical strong acidity of this vintage. I don’t see the stuffing for long term aging.
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4/17/2024 - N.Bonaparte wrote: 95 Points
2nd of 6 and two months since my last bottle. This is still robust and youthful and benefitted from 30 plus minutes in the glass. Toast and lemon peel up front. This is well balanced with good depth throughout. Likely drinking in its prime with absolutely no rush to drink. These should drink well for a couple of decades on its balance and zippy upfront lemon zest. Revisit 2025
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4/1/2024 - LorenGrossman wrote: 98 Points
Fantastic. Cellared since release and the last of the case. Lovely lemon chiffon, marzipan, lime flower. Bright and energetic on the palate with minerals and lemon zest. Still bright ebullience and lively mousse. In no hurry though it absolutely defines elegance. Ridiculously delicious.
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3/23/2024 - Eric Wright Likes this wine: 94 Points
Showing really well. Creaminess is the number one note on the nose. Brioche is present but more subtle. Fruit almost totally gone. Delicious palate. Bubbles are there for a moment, but then it is almost like a still wine (however it doesn't go flat). Delicious
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3/15/2024 - steinersing wrote: 96 Points
This is still great with good length. Think it will hold.
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3/7/2024 - ifishtoo Likes this wine: 97 Points
New Years day 2024. Just wonderful. A great way to welcome the new year.
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2/22/2024 - acyso wrote: flawed
(Not a) birthday dinner (Hinsdale, IL): Yeah, between the 1995 and 1996, I can pretty confidently say that Moët has been dealing with a giant batch of TCA-ridden corks, because this is not the first time I've had an off bottle of this wine. Happy to have liquidated all of mine.
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2/7/2024 - N.Bonaparte wrote: 95 Points
1st of 6. Good pop on the cork. This needed 30 min in the glass to open up. This reminds me a lot of 2008 but far more balanced. The sheer power of this 28 year old bottle along with a significant amount of mouth coating fruit, suggests this has a very long life ahead. The depth on this wine is incredible. For me, this is in its prime but will be fun to drink over the next couple of decades. This still falls short of the 96 Krug for me because it’s not quite as precise or weightless but given the price difference, I’d drink this over the Krug everyday of the week. This deserves to be drank without food.
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1/14/2024 - onboisduvin Likes this wine: 93 Points
Marvelous performance of old champagne. Coconut candy added?
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1/2/2024 - oleksarewa wrote: 92 Points
Silk, smooth and velvety mouth feel. Fresh on the palate, hints of citrus and fruits. Still some effervescence but quickly dissipated.
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1/1/2024 - Mhbeaune Likes this wine: 98 Points
I just don’t know what more I could want from a bottle of champagne. Perfection in a glass accompanied by lightly salted crisps(chips). I could never get bored with bottle no 10 of 12. They seem to have got better for 20 years and then just glided on. When I think of the price compared top claret it just seems much better value IMO. Then again apart from a couple of bottles I’ve never had truly great claret older than 1996 so what do I know. More research to be done I suppose.
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12/31/2023 - JRockEsq Likes this wine: 93 Points
Method: Glasvin universal; chilled; pop and pour
Look: deep- gold (very nice color; no browning)
Nose: brioche, browned yellow apple, fresh mushroom, cinnmon french toast, hint of cream, nugat
Palate: yellow apple, brioche, light raw mushrooms, honey, lemon, baking spice; medium finish of baking spice, honey, mineral, light chalk; medium body with medium- pinpoint bubbles; medium+ acidity
Overall thoughts: I don't drink much Dom, but whenever I do it doesn't seem to quite be in a style I prefer, and this was the case here. Still, despite that, I couldn't help but be impressed by this wine as there's so much quality evident in this bottle with a lot of complexity, wonderful pinpoint bubbles, light tertiary notes, and a lot of energy despite the age. A lot of life left. Great wine.
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12/31/2023 - hargy Likes this wine: 95 Points
lovely, this is so delicate but full of life - fabulous champagne
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11/30/2023 - Tartiflette wrote: 95 Points
(Søllerød Kro) In a perfect place right now. Don’t wait since it won’t improve from here.
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11/24/2023 - royalscam Likes this wine: 96 Points
Bought these at Costco about 20+ years ago at a good price! I am concerned reading recent CT tasting notes and its possible downside evolution, I opened a bottle last night with good friends and family to try myself.
Wow! The nose not so revealing but what a beautiful fine fizz and as bubbly as you would expect for 27 years! The color a fine yellow/gold. The body bursting with a strong acidic structure and concentration. We got citrusy notes, pear, chard apple and minerality. Very focused in the palate and a great finish. It's still kicking man!
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11/23/2023 - acidqueen wrote: 95 Points
Still remarkably fresh for a 1996 from the original release. Light biscuit notes along with orange peel. Lively acids. In a good balance between age and freshness. I think this has plenty of life ahead but it drinks so well right now that I will certainly have at least a few more in the next year or two.
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11/19/2023 - diffwine Likes this wine: 95 Points
Bought at auction. The color had me worried for a moment. Still a decent bit of fizz that lasted. A pale amber, then I smelled it honey, lemon peel, marzipan, candied ginger.
On the palate there was some lemon and honey that tasted fresher and it still had baked and bruised apple. And then on the finish intense freshly baked bread—like that deep reddish-brown color crust, it was so powerful and delicious.
This isn’t going to get any better from here, might even be on its decline. Drink up.
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11/17/2023 - LeroyHilarious Likes this wine: 95 Points
En lätt pysning när korken drogs men desto mer bubblor i glaset. Guld i färgen och doft av lätta mognadstoner. Otrolig energi i smaken, med mycket frukt och bra syra. Nästan så det pirrade i läpparna när jag drack, som om det vore stark mat. Inte varit med om det tidigare. Begynnande mognad och i perfekt drickfönster enligt mina smaklökar. En värld i skillnad jämfört med 06:an jag drack senast. Vilken upplevelse till födelsedagsbubbel!
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11/15/2023 - csimm wrote: 94 Points
A great showing, especially for the first part of consumption. After being open for a bit and/or resting in the glass for a while, it started to fade. That said, the first sampling of this was quite compelling. The oxidative notes played well with the lingering yellow and bronzed fruit. Effervescence was minimal but enough to hold it all together and keep it moving. A really nice unctuousness here.
I last had this about five years ago and it was livelier and more enticing for my palate. Best advice here is to drink now and in the near term so as to harness its remaining freshness.
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11/13/2023 - robertek wrote: flawed
Corked....
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11/12/2023 - AaronMaxwell Likes this wine: 96 Points
This is in a really fun state right now. Not oxidized to the point of feeling flat, but settled down enough to show off the complexity of the fruit. Honey, lychee, and richness that’s incredibly food friendly.
Drink now, IMO
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11/11/2023 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine: 94 Points
Duck, duck, abortion!; 11/11/2023-11/17/2023: Nice toasty and bready-ness that is subtly propped up against the fruit. A deep, yet clean, fresh yellow fruit notes of Golden Delicious apples and fresh, yellow pears.
Clean, and smooth fruits on the palate, with a mineral and hay finish. Nice fruits here, but almost seemed like still wine, seemed a bit flat with time.. It could be due to its age in that it may fall flat sooner(?). I’m sure this can still go for years though.
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11/11/2023 - bsumoba Likes this wine: 97 Points
Most likely WOTN in terms of bubbles for the evening and this wine had some stiff competition (see story). This is in an incredibly good spot right now and even with 27 years under its belt for age, this champ is now in its drink now phase of its life.
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11/1/2023 - Daldari Likes this wine: 93 Points
The cork broke upon opening which was a bit of a letdown since the condition of this bottle was a coin toss with a fill level of half an inch below capsule. Turns out this still had a ton of life on it to everybody's surprise.
Pours deep clear amber with very fine bubbles like a great riesling. A good interplay between well rounded acid and bruised apple, sherrylike aged notes with some spice to wrap it up. Almost beerlike. Very enjoyable but I expect the bottle to go downhill from here.
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10/30/2023 - JulianSkeels wrote: 95 Points
This bottle had noticeably less freshness. Fine mousse, big in the mouth and shorter finish and less definition. Faded in the glass, but still very impressive. 95pts and same descriptors as last note. Seems lesser bottles need drinking up
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9/2/2023 - ricknat1 Likes this wine: 95 Points
this wine has finally come into its own but has not yet peaked. it is in a beautiful spot between young and mature
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8/25/2023 - WST Likes this wine:
Purchased on release; original disgorgement. Opened for our 27th anniversary.
Ambrosial; sweet orange, acacia honey, ginger, white button mushrooms, crème brûlée. Luscious mouthfeel. Maturing, at peak for my palate. My WOTY. MB preferred this when it was younger.
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8/17/2023 - JulianSkeels wrote: 97 Points
lovely deep mid-palate which distinguishes this from other vintages. Brioche, ginger and long finish is epic. I think I prefer this to 90 and 75 DP. It’s that good. Points depends upon bottle and level of fizz but this is in the 96-98pt range consistently. It’s really improved in the last few years and can’t recommend this enough
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8/12/2023 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 96 Points
Although I'm more of a Krug vintage guy, I really enjoy the '96 DP. My notes of several months ago are the same for this most recent bottle.
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8/3/2023 - Benoit Hardy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dress on old gold. Discreet effervescence.
Nose of nuts, almonds and grilled hazelnuts.
The patina of age begins to have its effect on the 1996. Here the wine is creamy in the mouth, with aromas of vanilla and hazelnuts. The dosage gives a sensation of richness to a dense, perfectly balanced and structured juice. Great honeyed and saline finish that coats the throat over a nice length.
Excellent
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7/16/2023 - remyworldpeace Likes this wine: 96 Points
Lovely mature Champagne. Concentrated with "mature" (think left out in the air for a few mins) apples and lemon along with hints of marzipan and honey. A great toastiness and slightly reductive, stoney smokiness on the lengthy finish.
Initially tasted blind. An absolute pleasure to try this along with the 2002 and 2012 vintage in the first flight of what had been billed to me as "casual Sunday evening drinks"!
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7/15/2023 - liber Likes this wine: 97 Points
27th of 36......consistent and little changed from bottles noted in 18 and 2020, if any thing bit more relaxed expression of fruit with lovely biscuit flavours which come to fully mature DP whilst retaining energy in fine mousse, hard to imagine better Champagne than this, no rush but hard to see upside from here. A perhaps mean VF+ (19).
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7/15/2023 - liber wrote: flawed
26th of 36..........CORKED (unusual in Champagne).........grrrrrrh!!!
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7/9/2023 - Happy Sommelier wrote: 93 Points
Drink now
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6/29/2023 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 94 Points
A bit darker color, as it sat in the glass, those last sips were very good.
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5/23/2023 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 97 Points
Still getting better every time we drink this. Incredible to continue growing and developing in the glass. 3 hrs later real smooth. Makes me question who quickly I drink a glass when I should just put it down and come back later.
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5/22/2023 - Burgundy Al wrote: 93 Points
Pausing for the Cause Fundraiser and Dinner (Galit - Chicago IL): Still wonderful, but one of the more mature examples of this wine I have tasted. Interesting in its evolution, with apple, pear, poached pear, and earth notes, this still retains its long and fun finish.
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5/6/2023 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 96 Points
Still getting better with age. Green apple, lemon zest, touch of honeysuckle and then a faint touch of hazelnut at the long finish. Will consume my last few over the next handful of years.
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4/29/2023 - Julien D Likes this wine: 97 Points
Right out of the bottle this wine does not show its age very much, with foamy bubbles and a gold robe. The nose is subtle but fantastic. It evolved from summer to fall, from bright notes of pear, peach and honey to hazelnut, nutmeg, pie crust and baked apple. In mouth it’s lively but it also shows the patine that comes with age. Sharp acidity intermingles with a creamy texture and notes of vanilla custard and lemon zest, all in subtlety. Like a middle-aged person who’s fit and healthy. Incredible for a 27yo wine.
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4/27/2023 - Peech Likes this wine: 94 Points
nice and caramelized, a little bit of sugar cane and also marmalade. Nice and smooth now, and still very lively.
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4/14/2023 - Eric wrote: 96 Points
Bisato with friends: At a wonderful stage of maturity, gentle bubbles now, not the vinous giant it was in its youth, actually quite delicate, lacy and pretty. Spiny interplay of mineral, yeast and citrus. This goes down so easily, just delicious!
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4/3/2023 - brigcampbell wrote:
There was some concern about this specific bottle and whether it had survived storage. Watching this bottle being opened was interesting. First of all the foil capsule was literally disintegrating as it was peeled off like dust. And then the cork was basically a wood plug, extremely dense, but I've seen this before with other Dom bottles and upon removal it barely made a whisper.
Very light mousse and a fairly obvious hay or dried straw aroma. A pleasant golden apple flavor with a hint of caramel on the attack. It's backed up with a little bit of pineapple and a rounded out mouth feel.
Really nice bottle of wine and glad it represented the 1996 vintage so well.
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3/19/2023 - drjb Likes this wine: 96 Points
At a private dinner, Coorparoo. A fine bottle of Dom, this opened with a slight touch of deepening straw colour and a lovely lifted nose of Delicious apples, white stone fruits, yuzu, brioche, nougat and cashew. The palate has a weightless vigour and touch of silk that is the signature of the best of Dom Perignon. The balance of complexity and elegance is accentuated by ageing . Delicious !
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2/26/2023 - Loathesome wrote: 88 Points
In its youth it was the best Champagne of the age that i had ever tasted. At 26 years old I was a bit disappointed. Storage was not a problem but the cork had shrunk and the fizz noticeably reduced. Golden colour and more yeasty and advanced than expected. Others liked it more than I did. maybe a not great bottle.
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2/17/2023 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 97 Points
Wow super clean color for its age. Lots of Meyer lemon, granny apple and creamy butter on the palate. Long finish. Great way to start an evening with great friends.
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2/9/2023 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 97 Points
blind
I nailed it. one month before I had the 96 P2. I would go with the regular disgorged bottle but the gap is getting smaller. Toasted toast, sea breeze, still fresh, comes close to his peak. 97
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2/8/2023 - Le Monty wrote:
Perfectly aged DP, and my favorite post-80's vintage of this Champagne along with '08. Lot's of toast and honeysuckle on the nose, red apples, peach and pear on the palate. Long, sweet finish with plenty of acidity.
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2/8/2023 - kenthecpa Does not like this wine: 70 Points
Oxidized
Larry stored since release.
A big birthday disappointment.
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1/7/2023 - sdr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Latour, Latour, Latour (WineWatch, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida): Nicely mature now; gingery and minerally. Strong acidity, as usual for this vintage. Will last well.
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1/6/2023 - ifishtoo wrote: 98 Points
New Year's eve. Wow! It doesn't get much better than this. Lemony fruit with perfect balancing acidity and mature tertiary notes. We were going to save some for New Year's day but it was so good we drank it all.............
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1/1/2023 - Mhbeaune Likes this wine: 96 Points
Fabulous. Lemon followed by biscuit then brioche. Smooth but has the lemon lift at the fore.
Tiny bubbles which is no surprise at 26 years of age.
Always impressive.
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12/30/2022 - Michael Hung Likes this wine: 97 Points
Lemon core, gold rims. Nose of coffee, butterscotch/light caramel, brown sugar, latte/cream, toasted hazelnuts, ripe bruised apples. Quite tertiary palate of butterscotch, caramel, bruised apples, vanilla, honeyed apples, nutty hazelnuts, like a latte/mocha. Still holding high racy acid with a fine mousse. Spectacular right now and I’d say this is peaking for sure in terms of tertiary complexity while still holding balance with all the other flavors. Just all around amazing, exactly what you would want from an aged Champagne. 97-98
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12/30/2022 - soyhead wrote:
rich and concentrated , honeyed, with notes of candied orange. Excellent acidity. Impressive
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12/15/2022 - PJT Likes this wine: 94 Points
Fruit upfront with really nice nuttiness and bread dough on the palate finishing slightly oxidized.
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12/9/2022 - TWSA Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nose: Nutty, honey, caramel, white flower, sesame
Notes: some nice nutty and honey notes coming out. An old Dom is always a safe choice and has a pretty high chance of delivering. A long but lovely finish with an almost distinct sugar cane aftertaste of Dom I think this is something wonderful to drink now.
Drink: now - 2040
Rating: 92
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11/24/2022 - walkerjfw wrote: 98 Points
Thanksgiving in New Hope with the family: Bottle in my cellar from around 2001. Decided this Thanksgiving was time to open it...As an aperitif with some cheeses and appetizers pre-dinner.
Deep golden color. Elegant nose of almonds, brioche, minerals. Soft, fined bubbles. Crisp and refined palate showing citrus, macadamia, toffee(?) minerals. Persists through mid palate.
I dont have as broad a palate experience with champagne as other wines - while I like it I just don't drink it as much. With that disclaimer, I will echo other tasters impressions of this as a "near perfect" champagne.
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11/19/2022 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 94 Points
Great bottle of this, best in a while. Brioche, toast, yeasty, subtle smoke. Some honey sweetness and cereal grains. Crunchy white and yellow fruit with just enough citrus zip.
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11/19/2022 - e-r.portzline wrote: 97 Points
The nearly perfect champagne ... soft sparkling, dry, hints of almonds and macadamias. Simply beautiful brioche on the nose. Since the last bottle, the citrus has all but disappeared, but the nose, front, mid, and finish are all elegant, long and lingering. If I had more in the cellar, I don't think I would wait another 11 years to open. This has changed quite a lot from 2011 when we last opened one.
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11/16/2022 - dnicewicz wrote: 95 Points
Still remarkably fresh, this Dom feels like it could survive another few decades! Toasted brioche, caramel and toffee notes on the perfume are reflected beautifully in the palate with a citrusy zing and minerality with excellent structure. Racy champagne
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11/10/2022 - steinersing wrote: 94 Points
Good freshness still but not super complex - overall enjoyable
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11/9/2022 - cdunn wrote: 97 Points
My last and best bottle of this great wine, enjoyed with good friends in celebration of my 75th birthday. Deep golden color with a steady stream of minuscule beads to the very end. Zesty lemon/lime on the edge of the palate, with somewhat richer white fruit and lightly roasted nuts in the core. Extremely long and scintillating finish. A seamless combination of power and elegance. Certainly one of my all-time favorite Champagnes. 1996 was a gold mine for Champagne. For my taste, the Dom, the Taittinger CdC and the Deutz WD Rose', are among the finest bubblies ever. What a treat!
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9/16/2022 - aquacongas wrote: 96 Points
Not blind
I love this wine. Oyster shell, toasted toast, lemon , no oxidative style, precise and long finish. Still prefer the regular degorgement over Oeno. 96-97
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9/8/2022 - Burgundy Al wrote: 94 Points
1996 Dinner...Top Champagne, Burgundy, Bordeaux (Park Ridge Country Club): Wonderful richness, lots of apple, Meyer lemon, lemon curd with a long, powerful finish.
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9/7/2022 - wa2ofd Likes this wine:
JC’s 60th…brioche on the nose, subtle, warm…still fresh and vibrant. A treat!
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8/27/2022 - Aravind Asok wrote:
Just wow, see previous note from several years ago.
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8/17/2022 - sh6k Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drinking great — wide open from the start, fruit, flinty mineral, a little more dosage than is in favor today, a perfect rendition of Dom. But… there’s nothing that totally grabs me and forces me to pay attention. It’s more like a supremely smooth and pleasant background.
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8/13/2022 - JSLevine05 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Delicate and refined with subdued and soft bubbles. Laced with lemon zest and apricot along with toast, roasted nuts and tertiary notes of smoke and honey. Creamy and suberb!
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6/11/2022 - shifter Likes this wine: 94 Points
Pre-2002 Rousseau Dinner (WS NYC): Still fresh, but very open. Vibrant acid. Great way to open the evening.
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6/4/2022 - winot Likes this wine: 98 Points
OK, this is all of that and more. One of the best wines I've ever had. Incredible balance, poise and complexity, this is the real deal. Still fresh and effervescent. Wow.
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6/3/2022 - jhngo Likes this wine: 95 Points
Compared to the 96 oeno this was a bit more advanced and toffeed.
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3/30/2022 - BenBlu Likes this wine: 96 Points
Another great showing blind during a 90s champagne dinner of this reliably fantastic champagne. Consistent with previous notes and I did pick that one out blind.
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3/19/2022 - Clube Likes this wine: 100 Points
The best champagne I ever tasted !
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2/21/2022 - drwine2001 wrote:
Medium yellow with fairly persistent bubbles for a wine of its age. A whiff of truffle, fino, and caramel before freshening to brioche and citrus. Full bodied, driving bitter citrus and soil with the tremendous enlivening acidity of the year in full force. It would be hard to ask more of a 26 year old Champagne. Just spectacular, that's about all I can say to inarticulately sum it up. I envision it going strong for another 10 or 15 years.
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2/15/2022 - Artem Gulyaev Likes this wine: 99 Points
Fantastic 🔥
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1/8/2022 - cct wrote: 97 Points
Bought on release. Drunk over a few hours.
On the nose, brioche, mushroom, citrus and orchard fruit skin, delicate florals, and some honey. This has beautifully fine mousse. It's texturally brilliant and beautifully balanced. Terrific focus and detail. It's chalky, complex and with some hints of truffle on the back end. This has a ton going on and it is seamless. Brilliant. Terrific 97
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1/3/2022 - BLACK SHEEP Likes this wine: 98 Points
BEAUTIFUL WINE. The vintage the made me love the Dom and this vintage I have followed over many years, my last bottle and still drinking fresh but with extra levels of beautifulness, just lovely 98 big points!
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12/16/2021 - Rollerball wrote: 92 Points
Apple dominant; sophisticated and elegant with a sense (in flavor and mouth feel) of a source of light in its core. Precise and interesting with gentle brioche and a hint of washed rind with slight white pepper, almond, ginger, and lemon notes. Rounding the corner to the first days of autumn but still taut and plenty effervescent. Best serverd at 50 degrees or warmer.
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12/15/2021 - finediningnyc Likes this wine: 94 Points
A great bottle! The outstanding 96 vintage is showing great evolution and complexity, while retaining excellent focus and precision on the palate. In a great place with plenty of life left in a well stored bottle.
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12/10/2021 - AValdes wrote:
Dom Perignon P2/P3 Dinner (New York City): First of the 96 flight. Not offensive. Reasonable balance. Just felt mostly flat / simple. Didn't have much depth for me.
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12/10/2021 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
DP Extravaganza! (Friend's place): So sacrilege but this was my favorite of the '96s mostly because it was the one that had the most age on it. This has the secondary notes. It's not quite right but there's a stewed white fruit style to it (but in a good way). Surprised me. Split the table.
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12/10/2021 - lozatron Likes this wine:
Most Splendid Game Dinner: On the nose - really expressive, much more so than the 85. On the palate - starts off bold, but there's something in the middle - a hint of TCA perhaps? It comes and goes, and with the food it really seemed put together. Still an enjoyable drink but I suspect we did not taste the best that 96 DP has to offer.
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12/9/2021 - NickA Likes this wine: 91 Points
Gareth's glorious game dinner (Canary Wharf): A fair amount of drive and more straightforwardly creamy than the 1985, but on this showing somewhat further advanced and less energetic than that wine. Lots to like here, although there were suspicions of low level TCA that hollowed out the mid-palate.
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12/1/2021 - alamoave Likes this wine: 96 Points
Perhaps my favorite champagne of all time. Vibrant acidity and fruit. Fabulous finish. Balanced. Long life ahead.
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11/25/2021 - starkravingmad Likes this wine: 100 Points
Hint of honey, violets.
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11/5/2021 - S1 Likes this wine:
Chas Offlineorama VI, Another embarrassment of riches; 11/3/2021-11/7/2021 (Various locations): Youthful. Best one of these to date IMO. Mild reductive quality with a great mineral acid backbone and lots of tart lemon and green apple to add weight to floral aromatics. Great.
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11/5/2021 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Charleston VI; 11/3/2021-11/7/2021 (Charleston, SC (various locations)): Young and fresh and clearly well stored. This was really impressive in just how very young the wine was. It tasted almost like a recent vintage and yet it was much more interesting than young DP ever is. One of the surprises of the evening for me and goes to show how different a wine can be based on the storage.
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11/4/2021 - winesteward Likes this wine: 93 Points
As always, a lovely champagne. Medium bodied, sourdough, cafe au lait, and nougat. Very vibrant. Maybe a young adult. Plenty of life in this. I wouldn't be surprised if this lasted another 15 years or so. No hurry to drink it up. Serve it just a degree warmer than ideal white wine temp to capture all the nuances. Outstanding.
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11/1/2021 - The Vines That Bind wrote: flawed
I think faintly affected. Hard to tell with Champagne but somewhat muted.
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11/1/2021 - MS86 Likes this wine: 97 Points
What a perfect wine to celebrate an engagement! Beautiful deep golden in colour.
From the nose through the palate this wine shows stunning freshness. Shockingly youthful for a 25 year old wine.
Lovely nose of green and red apple, peach, mandarine and age notes of honey and toasted caramel.
Light and fresh on the palate but with a density and fullness. I often find the best wines have this unique ability to feel fresh and powerful at the same time. There is precise, persistent acidity. Delicate bubbles.
More than on the nose, the flavours show clear signs of development. Deeply mineral with cheese, toast and almond all wrapped a core of freshly picked apples.
Tremendous length.
This will continue to develop for a decade+ but it is drinking wonderfully now.
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10/30/2021 - dcwino wrote: 99 Points
A small gathering at Bryan's (Bryan's place): Incredibly perfumed nose displaying unbelievably youthful pure white fruit with a hint of yellow, white peach, pear, granny smith, lemon curd, spearmint, white pepper, honeysuckle and limestone. Perfect balance and precision, beautifully layered pure white fruit, very fresh and energetic, very fine generous mousse, perfect amount of acidity and mineral and a seamless long generous pure white fruit driven finish with honeysuckle and spearmint at the end. The best example of the 96 DP in my life. Based on the last two examples, I dare say that the 96 DP is starting to surpass the 96 Salon. The fruit of DP remains white where the 96 Salon is more yellow at this point.
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10/23/2021 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 98 Points
not blind
One of my favourite champagnes. I prefer it compared to the 96 oeno because it is more balanced at the moment. Better than the good bottle I had 2 weeks before. 98
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10/10/2021 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 97 Points
Dom Pérignon / Vosne-Romanée Tasting-cum-Lunch (Restaurant Slagerij De Beurs, Amsterdam, NL): Richly developed aromas on a foundation of firm acidity, hint of cheese rind, red apple, hint of butterscotch, a perfect bottle, everything you expect from aged Dom Pérignon
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10/8/2021 - blanquito wrote: 95 Points
Another sensational bottle. Bested a very deep field of tete du cuvees.
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10/3/2021 - KPieper Likes this wine: 98 Points
Served with savory pear tart topped with caviar. A wow nose of nutmeg and toast. Jumped out of the glass. Palate, nutty notes, apple and apricot. This was in a perfect place for me. Smooth, long finish.
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9/30/2021 - Sean Tay Likes this wine: 96 Points
Medium lemon in colour. Pronounced nose intensity with notes of toast, sea shell, bread, baked green apple. Medium body and long finish.
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9/30/2021 - NarunP Likes this wine: 93 Points
60% Pinot Noir 40% Chardonnay
Ageing: 7 years on the lees, Dosage: 4 g/l, Alcohol: 12.5%
Fine beads, medium plus straw color. Clear and transparent.
Complex nose of bright citrus commingling with smoke, yeast, apple, sourdough, toasted almond.
On the palate, this wine shows deep minerality and pronounced limestone notes, plenty of stone fruits. Precise and expressive. Very long.
This is champagne at its finest. No reason to wait. However, I would suggest leaving it alone for half an hour for bubbles to settle a little before consumption. One of the best champagne I've tasted. Drink now. 93.
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9/28/2021 - aquacongas wrote: 98 Points
not blind
One of the best of 1996. I love this wine. Now close to reach his peak from regular bottle and regular disgorgement. Still great acidity but getting some nice aging signs. Toast, brioche but still oyster shells. Fine bubbles and precise long finish. A gem and not at his end. Now overlapping with the P2 in greatness. If you prefer young champagnes go for the P2 starting to get balanced. If you prefer a more complex wine go for regular disgorgement. 97-98
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9/25/2021 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 96 Points
Everything you want with a classic vintage champagne. Good bread, aged components, silky, good volume on the palate. Drink.
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9/7/2021 - DAN BAILEY wrote:
Bright gold colour. Very bready/toasty. Grumpy!!
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9/5/2021 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Epic Bordeaux for an Epic Birthday!; 9/1/2021-9/12/2021 (Paris & Bordeaux): Bought the bottle in town on our morning walk and popped it maybe an hour later over lunch. This was just singing from the beginning. There's that sweet spot where the wine is still fresh and yet it's had time to mature and this was just heading into there. A bit more toasty and some nutty notes and just very fresh and bright.
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9/4/2021 - BenBlu Likes this wine: 95 Points
My last bottle of a 6 pack and served side by side 96 Oenoteque which was an interesting pair to drink side by side over the course of 2 hours. Very similar, clearly same juice. Same quality level and actually no real preference for me. The P1 more giving, voluptuous while the Oeno drier (lower dosage) and chalky qualities. Long life ahead for both.
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8/28/2021 - WST Likes this wine:
Worth the wait; I bought this 16 years ago. Opened for our 25th and friends' 39th Anniversary.
I had high expectations, and we weren't disappointed. Power and grace, with great complexity and balance. Lemon and sweet orange, yellow apples, jasmine, and a great whiff of brioche. This is wearing its 25 years well, with faint cider, coffee and hazelnut notes only adding to the complexity. This was a great bottle.
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8/28/2021 - acyso wrote: flawed
Eh, I'm now wondering what I saw in this previously, or if this is just an iffy bottle. A funny story first -- a few weeks ago, there was a 1996 Champagne dinner that I unfortunately missed, where the participants told me a wine was corked -- to which my immediate response was "96 Dom?". This bottle does seem to have some sort of odd reductive funk going on (and once in a while maybe a hint of TCA), but for the most part it is clean. Very nutty and surprisingly sweet and autolytic, without the shapely delineation that I would have expected from 1996 (Salon on the mind). The palate doesn't show much intensity either. It's clearly a champagne of high calibre but completely fails to excite. I'll also note that this bottle is from the same lot as one where a previous bottle I did find exciting, so it seems unlikely that storage is the culprit. Perhaps just plain old inconsistency (weird to say for such a large-production wine).
Revisiting this a few hours later: it's corked.
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8/22/2021 - Mr T wrote:
Opened this for 27th anniversary
The wine is a bit more mature but still fresh and vibrant and delicious. Absolute delight although hangover the next day was rough
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8/20/2021 - DWStyle wrote: 95 Points
In a great place now.
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8/12/2021 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 94 Points
Lovely swallow. Wife and son said too much yeast, which I didn’t get so their glass was in my belly. Drink.
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8/8/2021 - RKLSomm wrote:
Over
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7/17/2021 - timomj Likes this wine: 95 Points
Alternating taste from sip to another.
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7/12/2021 - Xavier94 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great stuff and may have warranted a higher scores if served a touch warmer, maybe more breathing time? Lovely nose of ginger-like freshness with marzipan, baked apple and apricot fruits with vanilla bean/brown spice sweetness. I like the “tightness” and energy that works so well in contast to the rich, generous flavors. This is still holding back yet! Needs a bit more time and or attention. I would highly suggest not serving this too cold as the aromatic dimension can be compromised. So much to enjoy! Impressive richness vs. freshness.
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7/11/2021 - jmoore431 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Despite a light gold color and ultra fine beading indicating some age to it, the nose on this was shy at first and fairly linear; some baked apple, brioche slowly emerge with a high note of apricot. Over several minutes this slowly unfurled into a nicely complex wine. While not effusive with loads of charm and complexity like other top Champagnes, this is more revealing of the vintage. Didn’t shoot the lights out but it is fun to follow over a couple hours. 93+
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6/30/2021 - jshufelt wrote: 93 Points
Slow-oxed for an hour before service. In the glass, pale gold with a slight tinge of copper, with medium-fine bubbles on the pour that disappeared almost immediately. On the nose, toast, marmalade, and an oxidative node reminiscent of sherry. On the palate, still effervescent on the attack despite the MIA bubbles, with a mix of plums, yeast, briny oyster, and that slight oxidative note.
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6/29/2021 - godx wrote: 94 Points
Simply brilliant. This wine always seems to show up and this bottle was no different. At 25 years old it’s starting to show some development but still plenty of verve and freshness. My favourite of the four 96s we drank this week. Outstanding.
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6/22/2021 - tadams66 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Fresh and integrated flavors. Very small bubbles. Nice brioche, layers of honey, pineapple, some citrus. Quite a celebration.
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5/16/2021 - Burgundy Al wrote: 94 Points
COVID-19 in the Rear-View Mirror...with Lots of Dom Perignon (Park Ridge Country Club): After a terrible first bottle, I helped convince a friend to open a 2nd bottle, which was correct and beautiful. So much apple and pear throughout, there were just enough berry hints to add another layer. Very dense and beautifully textured. One of tonight's highlights.
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5/16/2021 - Burgundy Al wrote: flawed
COVID-19 in the Rear-View Mirror...with Lots of Dom Perignon (Park Ridge Country Club): First of two bottles opened tonight, this bottle was so clearly heat damaged and tired, unlike any previous bottles I have tasted of this great wine. Thankfully, the 2nd bottle was correct.
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5/1/2021 - Formerwinemaker Likes this wine: 92 Points
Showing more age than other bottles I’ve had recently. A touch of aldehyde on the nose, lacks a little freshness, marmalade and quince characters, good bead, soft acidity, and medium length. Not sure if this is tiring or just this bottle (likely the latter). Very enjoyable, just not quite at the standard expected.
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3/26/2021 - KristianT Likes this wine: 96 Points
Oh joy. Looks so young. Lively mousse and ever so creamy texture. Wonderful nose with brioche, coffee and a slight oxidative note (but not in a bad way). Perfectly mature but surely a long life ahead of it (if you like mature Champagne).
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3/11/2021 - atbarbar Likes this wine: 95 Points
Bottle sourced from Belmont Wine Exchange and kept in eurocave since 2015. Golden color (way less deep than Dom 95). Very fine carbonation. Reticent nose. Whereas the 1995 was delivering as soon as opened, this one took a good hour to start showing some interesting features. Whereas the 1995 was exuberant and tropical this one was more conservative, more yeasty and mineral, with a greater structure. Much less edonistic and more focused on mineral and structure. This said, I am afraid that we did not experience this wine in its full potential. Not enough time to let it open up. I liked a lot its structure, but I think that it needs more cellaring time to fully develop. I tried the 96 P2 as well which was even more backward. I think that this wine is not at an optimal spot right now and should be cellared for a bit longer to unleash its full potential.
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3/6/2021 - BillyT wrote: 96 Points
One of the best expressions of the produce and vintage and I have had Oenotheque and P2. Brioche, lemon custard, cream, and much more. Sorry nothing more. At dinner for my wife becoming US citizen.
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2/27/2021 - jhngo Likes this wine: 95 Points
Gorgeous salinity and rich round mousse
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2/5/2021 - RED AND BLACK wrote: 95 Points
This is good! The nose gives intense toasty, biscuity notes with an underlying fruit character of strawberries, oyster shells and chalk dust. Very crisp, fine, still youthful and fresh in the mouth, the finish has layers of minerals, citrus and creaminess. Very precise, rich, but elegant, great wine
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1/30/2021 - ctwomey Likes this wine:
This was found in a supermarket shelf in 2008 and was priced near the going rate at the time for more recent vintages. I think around €130. Obviously always a bit worrying when you source wine in this manner but I think Champagne is a bit more robust. The label got scuffed from dragging it in and out of the Eurocave over the years. Pale gold in colour. Ripe fruit, ripe red apple and pear with secondary aromas of caramel. Medium acidity. Low alcohol at 12.5% vol.
Surprisingly youthful, Should not have been worried about its initial storage. Secondary aromas became more pronounced as it warmed up in the glass. Delighted I took the risk on the purchase when I did. Not to sure I would pay the premium for this excellent vintage now. Great experience though.
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1/16/2021 - Formerwinemaker Likes this wine: 93 Points
Not as fresh as other bottles recently. Light bead, nose of gingerbread, quince, marmalade, good body on the palate, but just lacking a touch of vitality. Very nice nonetheless. Damned by faint praise?
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1/7/2021 - Papies wrote:
This is definitely now fully mature, tertiary fruit, truffle feel too. Very vinous and has lost the champagne edge but still a very pretty wine if that is what one looks for. We are a bit disappointed it has lost its energy as 1996 was meant to be a a top end vintage and we loved it in its youth. It could be our bottles... no rating this time as we could not agree on one.. a very rare occasion. we have two more bottles.
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12/31/2020 - Rupert wrote: 93 Points
It's amazing how these plum up and get all buttery. This was quite sumptuous. Not the deepest DP, though.
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12/31/2020 - EM_MB Likes this wine: 94 Points
PNP and drank over 2 hours. Still tight, wonderful aromas and would never have guessed its age. Can easily go for another decade.
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12/30/2020 - sirpat00 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Incredibly precise with lots of breaded notes and a truckload of caramel. Candid pear fruit with citric elements. Steely mineral notes and a few nutty aromas in there as well. Mineral and fresh, crisp even, on the palate. Amazingly firm with a long finish. In terms of flavours green apple and citrus and more nutty notes here. This is quite spectacular and all the proof you need that you'll be rewarded for patiently cellaring Champagne. 97+
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12/30/2020 - Cailles wrote: 98 Points
Tasted double blind. After the first nose an sip, it was clear that this must be something great. My guess was Dom Perignon 1990, although this seemed to have too much freshness. This is a superb wine, so intense, tertiary, with good fruit and excellent precision, superbly fresh and fine. The complete package. A wow wine.
TN: Superb nose with bready and caramel notes, super clean and nice, medium+ intensity. Very inviting. The bomb on the palate. Super intense, caramel, citrus, bruised apple, a lot of brioche and bakery. So intense and precise. Medium complexity but so wonderfully painted. Very harmonious with fine mousse a perfect but well integrated acidity. Long brioche and carmel, nougat finish.
Decanting: Not decanted, no decanting necessary.
Glass: Zalto White
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12/30/2020 - Dave Canada wrote: 93 Points
Nose is a bit tight initially but this opens up with pretty floral notes, salted caramel, lemon, minerals, bread dough and pear but this still seems like it is not ready for Broadway quite yet...even at 25 years. Give it another 5-10...but this is a fantastic vintage that can go for many more years.
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12/30/2020 - Ridgerunner Likes this wine: 95 Points
Just an excellent iteration of this incredible champagne house.
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12/24/2020 - Peech Likes this wine: 93 Points
nice and a little floral, a little cotton candy. Mellow, rounded, nice ripeness but not too much. Very elegant and easy to drink. More toasty with caramel notes 30 minutes later, with more depth on the palate.
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12/23/2020 - BenBlu Likes this wine: 95 Points
Consistent with previous notes from bottles from the same well stored case. This is in the zone now and I like it in large glass format (even Zalto Burg it can stand up to). Quite rich and fat but still measured and pulls back in the right moment. Wondering where this will go with another decade, it's surely a classic Dom.
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12/11/2020 - wineismylife wrote: 94 Points
WIML94
Tasted non blind. Opened and served immediately. Followed over two hours. Re-visited 24 hours later.
Light yellow to yellow color in the glass, clear looking throughout with medium, steady beading. Nose of mushroom, brandied pears and yellow apples. A bit more sherry like on the nose 24 hours later. Bright flavors of yellow pears, lemon and minerals. Bright acidity, full bodied. Drink now with a little air to blow of any potential bottle funk or continue to hold.
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11/26/2020 - Chuck B Likes this wine: 98 Points
Excellent! Plenty of flavor and complexity. This is easily the best Champaign that I have had.
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11/7/2020 - liber Likes this wine: 97 Points
23rd of 36, pnp, compressed cork as expected, in line with my previous notes in March and October 2018, lovely still energetic mousse, biscuity, very nuanced, long and persistent and with a depth of flavour which would work well with food, champagne simply doesn't get better, but can't see any upside from here, no rush though. VF+ (19).
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11/7/2020 - drjb wrote: 96 Points
At Shunsai, East Brisbane. This bottle opened beautifully with an appropriately developed lemon colour and a fine bead with a fresh yet complex nose of apple, yuzu, white peach, pale cherry, nougat and cashew. The palate is vigorous and flavoursome with that weightlessness and silk character of the best of Dom that just goes on and on. Really delicious yet again.
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10/29/2020 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 93 Points
Lots of brioche and toast on this example. Not the freshest bottle as the fruit was a little more bruised apple as opposed to sharp citrus. Almond and praline on the palate, in a nice way, toasted. Still a classic.
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10/22/2020 - gth865a Likes this wine: 98 Points
Hard to imagine champagne better than this!
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10/18/2020 - Mhbeaune Likes this wine: 96 Points
Exceptional bubbles. Purchased 12 in 2004. Very smooth mousse. Very small bubbles. Almost no pop from the bottle. Lively acidity and gentle fruit but overwhelming the taste of biscuits with a little follow through o something hinting at sous bois or truffle. Such a joy to savour. Shame is we only have 3 bottles left !
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9/20/2020 - ubercuvee wrote:
Brilliant stuff. Had it right after a bottle of 2008 P1 and it's easy to see that wine developing in this direction with another decade.
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9/15/2020 - UTPK wrote:
This is now finally ready to drink. I have had it 6 times since release and it is now bursting from the glass with burnt caramel, orchards, orange peel and some clove/allspice. On the palate it combines a wonderful freshness with heavy, mature fruit. Powering on all cylinders. Stayed fresh and complex for 3 hours even after reaching room temperature.
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8/27/2020 - Nanda wrote: 95 Points
Very impressive original bottling that is packed with rich orchard fruit and smoky flavors. Still so powerful and energetic even at almost 25 years old.
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8/27/2020 - Burgundy Al wrote: 95 Points
Great Champagne and Burgundy Dinner (Park Ridge Country Club): Plenty of ripe apple and pear start-to-finish with floral, spice and toasted brioche all in the near background. Very clean, bright and long with enticing freshness on finish. I bought this at release and it was well stored since.
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8/25/2020 - WST Likes this wine: 96 Points
I thought I only had very old disgorgements, but this was an auction purchase from 2018 that I suspect was a more recent disgorgement.
Upon opening a bit cold, this was restrained but with perfect balance and little tertiary characteristics. It took a bit of air and warming to show its true character. Once it opened up, it was a thriller. Dense and generous, with lemon, orange, yellow orchard fruit, heady brioche, roasting hazelnuts, jasmine and some very savory note I couldn’t put a name on. This bottle could have lasted another decade or more. I don’t know how this can be so good considering how many cases they produce.
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8/1/2020 - grapenomad wrote: 95 Points
Easily the best Dom I've tried to date, close or maybe even better than the 2002. Pours strong in the glass with a deep golden hue. Nose is showing some firm development, but there is still a chunk of life left in this. Aromas of yellow fruit, brioche, some caramel. The tropical fruit richness really shows on the palate and is complemented by a sturdy body. Acid is still laser-sharp which caught me off guard to be honest. Bubbles are fine and finish is gorgeous. A Champagne I want to relive every day.
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7/20/2020 - CHarder wrote:
No score unfortunately slightly off. Not completely but clearly lacking sparkle...
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7/17/2020 - Burgundy Mitch Likes this wine: 95 Points
Classic, stately, early maturity and secondary character coming along now. This is in a very good place and has unclenched compared to earlier examples. Long, persistent, fine mousse, brioche, yeast, Classic Dom.
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7/17/2020 - Jmwestiv Likes this wine: 99 Points
Amazing.
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7/15/2020 - BenBlu Likes this wine: 96 Points
Great showing! Out of Zalto White Burgundy glasses (67 PM special) this delivered the goods to kick of a great dinner with friends. Fat, roasted nuts, deep and long. Proper Dom and felt in a sweet spot to many.
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7/12/2020 - Wine_lvr wrote: 93 Points
A bit of a tired bottle. Overall ok but not at par with the 96 Oenotheque next to it. 92/100
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6/25/2020 - englishman's claret wrote: 95 Points
As always, utterly delicious. One of those special champagnes that manages to maintain great freshness while cultivating maturity. Fresh lemon, brioche, white button mushroom, and acacia. This has so much left to say.
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6/25/2020 - _water.into.wine_ Likes this wine: 95 Points
Golden yellow. Lively bubbles. Warm baked apples. Biscuits. So much acidity. I thought ever so slightly corked upon opening but blew off. Lovely champagne that is drinking perfectly now. From GT
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6/23/2020 - Claret & CdP Gang Likes this wine: 95 Points
Very fresh, biscuity, creamy, as it got bit warmer and longer in the glass it put on weight and tasted like a high end Puligny Montrachet, drank over 3 hours & it was interesting to track its evolution, excellent DP
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6/11/2020 - pas.vino Likes this wine: 94 Points
Simply wonderful! Young, vibrant, crisp and such elegant tiny bubbles.
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6/6/2020 - jhngo Likes this wine: 98 Points
Wow amazingly fresh with some age showing.
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5/30/2020 - JamesSanders Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very youthful color, maybe just a hint of light gold. Focused and structured. Seems to be in an awkward, middle phase. Fruit is starting to recede, but it is not yet developing mature flavors. This bottle had years to go.
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5/12/2020 - La Flama Blanca Likes this wine: 94 Points
After having a mind blowing ‘90 DP a couple months back, this bottle of 1996 Dom Pérignon showed a bit more developed than I would have expected with earlier notes of tertiary complexity - not that this is meant to be a knock to the wine at all.
Fine bubbles sparkle within the deep, rich golden potion. A touch of reductive funk ( in a healthy fetish kind of way ) yields to complex notes of earth, mushroom, smoked paprika, roasted Marcona almonds and aged Dom brioche.
This 1996 Dom Pérignon is an intellectual Champagne, likened to Sherlock Holmes. Mature flavors consist of lemon custard, orange preserves and soft bruised apple. The delicate and creamy mousse bestows a Champagne of early acclaimed Hollywood era sophistication and elegance. If only they still made movies like they do Champagne.
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4/26/2020 - Brenda King Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious and beautiful golden color. Still has plenty of time to age but had wonderful aromas and was light in flavor. Smells of white flowers and stone fruit and tasted similar in the bottle.
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4/17/2020 - BenBlu Likes this wine: 95 Points
A lovely bottle from a perfectly stored case. Possibly not quite as developed as the last version I had (which I scored a bit higher) and not quite as in the zone today as a beautiful 95 I enjoyed two weeks prior (again also rated 96), but that is nit picking / possible bottle variation. The 96 Dom is on a great path and it is drinking now and should provide immense pleasure over the next 2 decades.
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4/11/2020 - Bmrlady58 wrote:
Needed to be drank. Less effervescent than you would expect but nose and flavor good
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3/29/2020 - tpoyser Likes this wine: 94 Points
Excellent wine. Deep color, taste is more interesting than nose. Still developing. Would not open another 750 for 5 years, mags for 10-15.
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3/28/2020 - Peech Likes this wine: 92 Points
nice and ripe, smooth, rounded, and elegant on the palate.
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3/20/2020 - NickA Likes this wine: 92 Points
The Last Chance Saloon: Quite dark in colour, but still had sufficient energy. Very relaxed and easy - all the corners smoothed off and just lovely to drink.
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3/12/2020 - Life At Your Leisure 🍷 wrote: 96 Points
Just tasted a 1996 Dom Perignon. To this day, this still remains to be my favorite. Pale gold turning yellow straw at the rim. It has a glorious nose of nectarines and flowers. Still sharp, upbeat, focused, and pure. Very refined, elegantly creamy, and balanced. Finishes long and heightened with hints of citrus peel. Drink now until 2026. 96+
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2/21/2020 - drwine2001 wrote:
Dull yellow, light froth. Mushroomy aromas. Much fresher in the mouth than the nose suggests-no sherried tones, some bright citrus, yet the mellow flavors of mature Champagne. On the finish, the tremendous acidity of the vintage bores through, along with an unusual amount of soil. Complex, long, and altogether great.
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2/16/2020 - dcwino wrote: flawed
Unfortunately corked.
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2/16/2020 - fclarity wrote: 94 Points
This wine had a nice light color and an attractive mousse. It showed good minerality and length. While not stunning, it was very nice.
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1/26/2020 - strijbosmh Likes this wine: 96 Points
Very good. More brioche and toast which counters the high acidity. Spectacular.
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1/11/2020 - Ronin78 Likes this wine: 95 Points
From a 750mL bottle recently purchased at auction. My first experience with properly aged Dom. Flint, grilled lemon, creamy vanilla, and earth. Drinking beautifully now — balanced between freshness and complexity. Probably at its peak age for me, but will hold for many years.
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1/9/2020 - aquacongas wrote: flawed
blind
slightly corked, you could taste still the toastieness of DP
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1/7/2020 - sdr Likes this wine: 92 Points
DP, DPR, DPO, DPP2 (Ft. Lauderdale, Florida): Only Dom Pérignon can taste so young at almost a quarter of a century. There’s some evidence of maturity yet it’s still delicate and citric. A very fine Dom Pérignon to drink now but no rush at all. While some of the 1996 champagnes are become erratic the Dom Pérignon has been very consistent since release.
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12/25/2019 - Jth3 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Magnificent, rich and still fresh. Best Dom I have tasted. I suspect it is near its apex from an aging standpoint.
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12/25/2019 - acidqueen wrote: 95 Points
Light gold color. Tight cork, nice effervescence on pour and then settled down to minimal bubbles in the glass. Toasted rye bread, orange marmalade and light smoke. Still bright acid and overall good balance. Good with food.
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12/24/2019 - rmcbrayer wrote: 96 Points
A wonderful bottle. I would not have picked this for a 20+ yr old bottle. Vibrant with great acidity. Light gold with no browning. Fresh aromas of apple, peach, honey, brioche and lemon. Just beautiful.
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12/10/2019 - hprphf wrote: 93 Points
Acker BYO 2019 (Tribecal Grill): Good layer, sweetness and depth. 93
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12/7/2019 - Nanda wrote: 95 Points
Wines tasted at Zachy's Chicago Watch Party (Formentos): Side by side with the 96 Cristal, and I preferred the Dom. More rich and concentrated with a nice toasty character. Still quite fresh and energetic. A great bottle.
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12/7/2019 - acyso wrote: 95 Points
Zachys auction at Formento's (Chicago, IL): Great bottle of this; fairly in line with the bottle I opened at the HDH recently. This clearly has that funky thing that happens when a fairly reductive wine ages, and has also picked up some bready qualities along the way. Fairly balanced, but not as serene and composed as the 96 Cristal alongside (which I preferred).
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12/7/2019 - Burgundy Al wrote: 94 Points
Some Wine Tasted at the Zachys Auction (Formento's - Chicago IL): Yellow and green apple with both ripe and lean character, lots of complexity. Very good weight and length, and jut enough faint hints of earth for even further complexity.
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12/6/2019 - hprphf wrote: 93 Points
Zachy's BYO 2019: Quite oaky, aged cheese, bright acidity. 93
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11/21/2019 - Jammy Wine wrote: 92 Points
The 1996 Dom Perignon is drinking superbly today. A rich and exuberant nose of zingy ripe orchard fruit, creamy biscuit and hints of brioche. Medium bodied with great acidity. (92/100)
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11/16/2019 - BenBlu Likes this wine: 96 Points
Corton Charlemagne Dinner (110 Taillevent London): Possibly a bit more developed than I would have expected - however nothing taking away from its qualities: Lovely deep nuttiness, creme brulee, coffee, some acidic lift on the mineral finish. Lingers long. Very good aged Dom! Already in a nice sweet spot for drinking. Drink now-2035 (from standard).
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11/16/2019 - acyso wrote: 95 Points
HDH Bordeaux Auction (Chicago, IL): Certainly shows the expected reductive funk of older DP, but it's a very clean and bright bottle. Lots of intensity and plenty of the acidity. Correct for what it is (and consistent with the best bottles of this I've had), and really delicious.
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11/1/2019 - Magnolian Likes this wine: 93 Points
Not an expert at all on mature champagne, but this was pretty darn tasty. Pale yellow. Bread and citrus on the nose. Thick mousse that faded quickly. Not many bubbles, but still effervescent. Intense lemon, grapefruit, and toast on the palate. Long and lingering finish.
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10/24/2019 - Keith Cooper Likes this wine: 95 Points
This was very generously served as aperitif by our lunch host. We tasted it blind, with just the clues that it was a vintage champagne. Light gold in colour with good bubbles, the nose was fresh, light and yeasty. We thought it was probably about 10 years old, which demonstrates just how well this Dom Perignon has aged. Light and fruity on the palate, with hints of pineapple and melon. Creamy, quite long on the finish. We were amazed when he announced the producer and vintage, we didn't think it could have kept so well, will probably go on for another 20 years. A superb champagne and thanks very much to our friends for sharing it with us.
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10/18/2019 - dcwino wrote: 98 Points
Annual Chicago winos visit - Champagne, White Burg, DRC, La La and SQN (Officina - Washington D.C.): Absolutely captivating nose displaying elegant white and yellow fruit, apple, pear, starfruit, lemon curd, honey, beeswax, smoke, lightly burnt sugar, brioche and limestone. Perfectly harmonious palate, very finely layered subtle white fruit, elegant, energetic and beautifully detailed. Incredibly fine generous mousse, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a long subtle white fruit driven finish with smoke and honey at the end. This is a really clean example, i.e. no lees. 2013 disgorgement. One of the best examples of the 96 DP Oeno.
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9/25/2019 - CamWheeler wrote: 92 Points
SLDS October 2019: Chocolate, earth and orange peel on the nose. Good fruit depth still showing on the palate, has taken on some complexity with further spice and earth. Very good but maybe just lacking the excitement and energy of previous bottles.
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9/22/2019 - acyso wrote: flawed
Lunch at Sun Wah (Chicago, IL): Not entirely sure that this bottle was correct. Given the source of the bottle, there was a high probability it was corked and while for a moment or two I thought I picked up the wet cardboard here, it never really seemed to materialize, and it also didn't get worse with air. Nonetheless, this just wasn't quite there; it seemed a little hollow and didn't have the concentration and complexity that I would have expected. The bright 1996 acids are there, as well as some bottle funk (not related to the imaginary TCA) and a slight bit of mushroom. Overall though, this just didn't really work. I hope it's an off-bottle even if I can't identify the flaw.
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9/18/2019 - paul195 Likes this wine: 95 Points
#2 of 6. PnP light color, energetic mousse, clean bright nose with citrus notes, nice acidity. Texture is both creamy and lively giving a wonderful balance to this really great bottle of DP. Clearly evolving beautifully since my first bottle in 2016
This was superior to a regular 96 and the equal of a 96 Oneo tasted at the Acker Auction two weeks ago.
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9/11/2019 - strijbosmh Likes this wine: 96 Points
Amazing. Perfect champagne. Acidity has settled down a bit further. Finest bubbles on the planet.
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8/30/2019 - MikeJK Likes this wine: 96 Points
Granted it was opened on my wedding night... seems to be at a peak showing bottle maturity.
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8/16/2019 - hargy Likes this wine: 94 Points
still so pale but what a wonderfully balanced champagne - delicate but long - delicious!
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7/11/2019 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 93 Points
Another good showing, but not as smoky as some of my others, started a touch muted and then grew into a more or less consistent example.
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7/3/2019 - _water.into.wine_ Likes this wine: 94 Points
A real treat to try this champagne given its legendary status. It was served blind to me and I guessed 1990 champagne. Its golden in colour and showing lots of nice developed savory notes. The bubbles are now very fine and delicate. I had the 1998 just a few weeks earlier and found this was more developed as the 98 was actually very lively, so not sure if that is just bottle various. This was a very big wine though, and after the bubbles faded, it was like a big grand cru burgundy. Would love to try again. Served by St at his home.
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6/19/2019 - aZzaZz wrote: 98 Points
Unreal. This is a perfect vintage at a fantastic drinking age. Perfect balance, amazing flavour that’s not overpowering..
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6/18/2019 - Robnsn Likes this wine: 96 Points
Wow! Had for my birthday with my wife and daughter. Fantastic! Have only three bottles left! Very complex. We don't do Champagne very often, but I can't wait for another occasion to have another bottle.
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6/15/2019 - Raizes Likes this wine: 93 Points
金黄色，细腻轻柔的气泡，来自成熟的年份。柠檬、柑橘，甜美的奶油蛋糕，淡淡的花蜜和矿物气息，纯净而不缺深度。入口集中度无懈可击，香气高雅、结构宏大，成熟的性感和高挑的酸度相得益彰。依旧非常年轻。
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6/12/2019 - englishman's claret wrote: 95 Points
2019 Palmerathon: Fabulous Dom; fresh, young, and lively. Lots of lemony zip and mineral, but also rich brioche and cream. Very fresh and still very young, this has the potential to do even better for itself in a few years, as is true for most of the great 96 champagnes.
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6/3/2019 - DAN BAILEY Likes this wine:
Great bottle. Very similar to the 95. White fruit, balance and class all round.
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6/2/2019 - tcosgriff Likes this wine: 93 Points
Golden color with a very toasty bouquet and flavor with hints of dilute balsamic vinegar. Bubbles mostly gone with nice acidity. Good balance with a moderate finish. Not a wow but very nice.
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5/12/2019 - Mike V wrote: 94 Points
Opened for my 1996 boys Graduation in Boulder. This is in a terrific place. Unfortunately 23 year olds don’t have proper stems but the wine was full of fruit and delicious.
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4/29/2019 - Burgundynick Likes this wine: 95 Points
Happy Easter everyone. Delicious stuff, fruity dry brioche and honey. What a wine to celebrate a beautiful sunny day. It's got lots of complexity and is so fresh and showing no sign of aging. Wish I had a case, sadly I only had 1 bottle. 95 points
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4/25/2019 - Raizes wrote: flawed
Corked.酒的质感没问题，气泡很少，香气是典型的Cork香气，后来发现先喝汝拉黄酒再喝它，可以借机感受到非常明显的加糖甜味，于是一发不可收拾地当做雪碧喝掉了……
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4/21/2019 - skifree wrote:
Very toasty with a bit of oxidation that brought out a lot of nuttiness. Excellent, but not what I expected so no score (slightly flawed?). Still, a wonderful drink to accompany the Easter egg hunt in the yard.
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4/19/2019 - ifishtoo Likes this wine: 96 Points
Popped for my 70th birthday. Really coming along with tertiary characteristics just getting started. A terrific wine!!!
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4/14/2019 - Tree512 wrote: 96 Points
In a perfect place. Lots of acid and lots of fruit, with a strong honeyed note like the greatest Champagnes get with age. I think this will keep developing, but I don't see how it gets better since it drinks so well right now.
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3/31/2019 - Tartiflette wrote: 94 Points
Strangely enough still an infant with its high acidity still hiding the underlying fruit. Citrus, flint, sourdough, brioche and minerality. But only giving it away reluctantly. Long aftertaste. All the wonderful things normally tasted and enjoyed only surfaced now and then. But it is there so I am not to worried for the future.
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3/7/2019 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Charleston Food & Wine Festival; 3/7/2019-3/10/2019 (Charleston, SC (various locations)): A bit more tired than I expected it to be but could just be the bottle and storage conditions. It's old Dom though which to me is always great (the young stuff I just don't understand). Lots of toast and almost a hint of bitterness to it which more makes it a bit interesting. Quite fine and an amazing pairing with fried oysters.
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2/19/2019 - rwpalmer wrote: 95 Points
Astonishingly pale. The nose is delicate with a touch of citrus and lemon, but it is in the palate that this really explodes with the finest, mouth-filling mousse; concentration yet lightness, and perfect pitch finish.
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2/16/2019 - Argrath wrote: 95 Points
(Blind tasting)
Full, deep nose. Roasted nuts, yellow orchard fruit, marzipan. Very, very nice depth. Complex development. Elegant.
Fullish and densely fruity. Very rich and hedonistic. Toasty nuts, orchard fruits and refreshing citrus finish. Almost perfumed. Succulent, pure and mature.
Actually more elegant than expected. Could not decide if this or Cristal was the best.
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1/25/2019 - NoTrollingerPlease Likes this wine: 95 Points
Pinot Noir and some Champagne (Restaurant Brunnenstube, Beinstein): Medium golden color, much lighter than the 1996 Belle Epoque. Clean nose, at first a bit muted, needs time, air and I guess a certain temperature to fully open up. Very fresh and young.
Dry, finest mousseux of all Champagne we had this night. Lots of chalky mineral notes, racy acidity. Very elegant and fine, but also with lots of grip and pressure. Long and lingering finish. Still very young with lots of potential. Wonderful experience! 94-95++
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1/3/2019 - UFGators Likes this wine: 98 Points
I’m not usually a fan of champagne but this blew me away. Every sip was interesting to me and the wine seemed to gain depth and complexity with air. Ripe but not overripe with lemon curd, citrus and a long long finish. As wine warms gets even better. Don’t overchill this beauty. This chapamagne will charm even the red wine drinker.
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12/31/2018 - jsebiri wrote:
Excellent, somewhat aged Champagne. Specimen.
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12/22/2018 - Burgundy Al wrote: flawed
Holiday Champagne Gala (Park Ridge Country Club): So much here, but ever-so-slightly corked, coming through just enough to distract on both nose and palate.
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11/29/2018 - bexleytaylor wrote:
Had this as part of a birthday celebration with carrot cake. Started off with a slightly anemic string of beads, but picked up as the wine opened. A rounder mouthfeel, some of the acidity has melted away. Ripe sweet apples, yeasty notes, and plenty of citrus notes to complement the beginning notes of age. Elegant and easy to drink.
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11/9/2018 - robertek wrote: 95 Points
Great
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11/2/2018 - fontaine wrote: 93 Points
Un champagne dans un registre différent du Selosse bu précédemment. Celui-ci parait plus agé, moins éclatant mais plus complexe. On y retrouve des fruits comme la lime, la pomme mais aussi des noix et un côté minéral.
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10/20/2018 - liber Likes this wine: 97 Points
Chez G, as my March bottle and early in the zone of peak pleasure, having lost over acid edge of youth and now showing more biscuit whilst retaining energetic fine mousse. VF+ (19).
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10/13/2018 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 94 Points
A more enjoyable bottle than some other recents. Clean profile, balanced minerality and depth of fruit, very nice.
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10/1/2018 - Jeff Leve wrote: 97 Points
Continuing to develop nicely, the wine now marries elegance, complexity, freshness to fresh, citrus, flowers, toasted bread and almonds. The purity in the fruit stands out. This is effortless to drink.
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9/29/2018 - drjb Likes this wine: 96 Points
This is a beautiful bottle of mature Dom with plenty of freshness and drive. There is a fine, vigorous bead with a fresh yet complex nose of apple, yuzu, white peach, pale cherry, nougat and cashew. The palate is vigorous and flavoursome with that weightlessness and silk character of the best of Dom that just goes on and on. A great bottle of Champagne.
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8/25/2018 - Aravind Asok wrote:
I always want to dislike Dom, but I never can. This was a glorious mature btl. After the Vilmart, which was already glorious, this was showing the youngster how it is done. Loads of nuts and rich citrus, great acidity, good salinity and just perfect with the uni course.
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8/11/2018 - retired_and_roving Likes this wine: 92 Points
Syrah from Afar with a Champagne Flight to start (Long Island, NY): I really tend to like Dom and was looking forward to trying the '96 for the first time. Unfortunately it paled a bit in comparison to the Selosse VO served previously. Typical richer styled Dom with lots of toast and yeast, some oxidative and nutty notes coming through but the I think this was missing some acidity to give it more tension. Nice but not as special particularly given the price.
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8/11/2018 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine: 93 Points
An Afternoon in LI w/Friends (Champagne Reception, Syrah from Afar) (Long Island): Tough coming on the heels of a Selosse V.O. which was just rocking. This was tasty, but didn't feel like quite the same level. Different than the last time we had the wine - this time it was mostly a nice aged caramel that I found quite nice. It was more like a 'standard champagne' style, but very well done.
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8/10/2018 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 92 Points
A rounder, fuller fruit, lower acid and less exciting bottle of this wine. 92-
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8/4/2018 - csimm wrote: 97 Points
Sine Qua Non (SQN) Magnum Extravaganza + Bevan, Mike Smith, Sparkling/Champagne, and others (Calistoga): This was the sparkler of the evening, with superb balance and delivery of flavors across the palate from entry to the finish. Mature oxidative notes of salty butterscotch, bruised lemon peel, brioche, and poached pear. But also driven and energetic, with oyster shell, quince, and some chalk on the back end.
Not a harsh edge to be found here, but no rounded-out slouch either. The posture on this Champagne was extraordinary, with just enough grip to hold the flavors gorgeously intact. A juxtaposition of mouth-coating unctuousness and vibrant acidity. Drink now, but can still hold up for a number of years to come. 96-97 points.
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6/25/2018 - bugles Likes this wine: 98 Points
I had the pleasure of drinking this in HK recently. Usually DP is really not my cup of tea and my style tends to lean more on grower champagnes with the limit to appreciate Krug from the big houses.
However this bottle of the '96 DP stood out head over heels over any of the best champagnes I have ever tasted. Without being too shallow, I felt that what this bottle is is something that no grower champagne can ever be. Although my friends seem to agree that this is purely due to the age the bottle has seen and perhaps there is some truth in there. How often do you actually get to try 20+ years aged champagnes. Probably not much unless you are some oligarch.
This was creamy, saline, very so slightly oxidative, but the balance was on point. The length was amazing, not long but just amazing. This is more of quality than quantity in every aspect. Rich and sumptuous. I know this is not cheap but look at it this way, instead of wasting your money on a Armand de Brignac or a Salon or a Selosse or Krug CdM, this is what you ought to seek out. If it has been well kept of course. I guarantee this wont disappoint. It will be amazing with food but I think I enjoyed it even more without it.
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6/22/2018 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 96 Points
A private dinner (Restaurant Bak, Amsterdam, NL): Absolutely beautiful, youthful but mature nose, classical Dom Pérignon, lemon butter on toast, lovely chalky salinity; beautifully delineated palate, creamy lemon, perfectly integrated acidity, very fresh and lively, silky palate, still that hint of reduction, so relaxed and flowing; beautifully complete and long finish. At peak, but with many years ahead.
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6/9/2018 - Papies wrote:
Champagne BBQ at the Papies (The Papies, Elizabeth St, London): Not at par to earlier bottles we have had ( most recent Papies 95 in 2017) and had a light touch of cork feel. We shall call it a miss.
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5/24/2018 - ElGreco Likes this wine: 95 Points
Aromatics: Very honey dominant. Earthy, mushroom (wild ones). A bit of oxidative funk.
Palate: Round mouthfeel with subtle bubbles (much more of a still wine at this point). A Kaleidoscope of flavors: honey, baked goods, caramelized bread crust, apple crisp, mushroom, and dried fruits (especially fig) on the palate. Plenty of lifted acid and minerality on the finish.
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5/3/2018 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Hommage a DryCab - Washington Wines release; 5/3/2018-5/5/2018 (Various spots in Walla Walla): Really firing on all cylinders tonight. This wine was fresh and young and shows what Dom can be with a bit more age. Super bright. Almost a hint of sweetness. Honeycomb. A bit less brioche than I sometimes associate with the style and a bit more lightness and freshness. Very nice.
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4/21/2018 - Kemo Sabe Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very good showing tonight. Medium yellow color but drinks much fresher. 96 acid in balance and this wine had plenty of toast, coffee bean, lemon, brioche. Still a ton of energy and tension in the wine. Saw what you will I am big DP fan across all their iterations. Highly consistent wines and this 96 was no exception.
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4/20/2018 - Vinophiliac559 wrote: 94 Points
2008 Napa Cab Retrospective (Fresno): Starter wine for the night. Holding up very well, still with energetic acidity and bubbles, classic toasty dom nose with notes of smoke and brioche. Palate was full and rich as expected. This wine never disappoints, always very consistent and shows even better in a great vintage like 96.
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4/20/2018 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 93 Points
Another consistent example. Particularly yeasty.
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3/14/2018 - liber Likes this wine: 97 Points
20th of 36, pnp, compressed cork, showing more maturity than last May's bottle, more harmonious and rich with the acidity of yore now nicely integrated, should continue to develop for a few more years but now mature. VF+ (19).
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2/18/2018 - Michael T. Zoppo Likes this wine:
This showed really nicely; notes of lemon peel and biscuit on the palate with slight oxidative/nutty notes. This has the stuffing to go at least another 10 more years. As "hip" as it might be to drink "grower champagne," there is no denying the quality of Dom.
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1/27/2018 - strijbosmh Likes this wine: 98 Points
Amazing. So much flavor, so much acidity...pure finesse. Much better than the 1985 I had recently.
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1/13/2018 - hajoha wrote: 96 Points
Åpner med et deilig sukk.
Fantastisk nese med sødmefulle saftige epler, søtt bakverk, krydder, svakt av lys karamell og hint av nøtter.
Finner ikke kaffe her enda.
Strålende intensitet.
Nydelig mousse av mikroskopiske bobler - smooth munnfølelse.
Konsentrert rik frukt møter 96-nerven på en fortreffelig måte.
Livlig, intens, elegant, formfull og forførende vin.
Vanskelig å sette fra seg.
Lineær kurve og ender i en meget lang finish.
Syre og mineraler biter godt i kinnene.
En fabelaktig god DP 96 - nydelig nå, men har mange gode år foran seg.
Har hatt noen av disse - tror denne var den beste så langt. 95-96p
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1/6/2018 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 96 Points
Delivers as always, Inspiring, Oyster, toasted toast, fresh, en pointdrank it from Zalto Burgundy glas, in this case I would prefer a smaller glass, maybe Zalto universal. Great length, precise and powerful. At the end ripe yellow fruits, peaches. At this stage better than the DP Oenotheque because of the beginning tertiary notes, in 10 yaers things can Change. 96
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12/31/2017 - nick&nora Likes this wine:
Consistent with prior bottle. Wonderful
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12/31/2017 - StasMedvedev.lv Likes this wine: 97 Points
Great opportunity to taste side by side DP'96 and DP'96 Œnotheque.
Rich and generous aromas of nuts and candied fruits showing the maturity of this Champagne.
On the palate it's very rich, with citrus hints, pears and buttery. Acidity is medium(+).
It definitely lacks the depth and freshness of Œnotheque, but if tasted alone, you'd be surprised how deep and massive it is.
Disgorged in 2003 it still has lots of hidden potential.
Super vintage of ‘96 which DP shows at its best.
---
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12/29/2017 - Kemo Sabe wrote: flawed
Funk on the nose, cardboard, brett. Hints of oxidation. Some toffee. I know this wine and its better than this. Defective bottle.
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12/25/2017 - nick&nora Likes this wine:
This is excellent. Powerful and delicious.
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12/24/2017 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 95 Points
Crisp and precise with soft edges and small bubbles. Very nice.
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12/19/2017 - Paul S wrote: 94 Points
Bin-End Italian Dinner (Gattopardo Restaurant, Tras Street, Singapore): Nicely maturing, but still really fresh and lively - this was a delight to drink. It had a lovely, generous nose, with wafting layers of cream and brioche, white fruit and flinty mineral, along with a creeping note of caramel at the sides. With time, a little lilt of white meat started coming out as well. Really attractive. The palate still had a good hit of juicy acidity and fine, but gentle mousse running through full, delicious flavours of red apples, lemon zest and smoky mineral, all laced with a touch of spice and burnt caramel tailing away into a delightfully lingering finish. As compelling as always, but this bottle was a touch fresher and less developed than the last couple I had. One of the great modern DP vintages for sure.
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12/16/2017 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 99 Points
The 1996 iteration of Dom Pérignon was a prodigy upon release and has now fulfilled its destiny of becoming a virtuoso. Medium golden in color, it retains a brisk tiny bead and possesses everything that one could want from a tête de cuvée. Citrus, stone fruits, pine nuts, brioche, marzipan and lavender characterize the nose and medium-bodied palate, with crisp acidity that keeps everything vibrant throughout the middle palate and lengthy back end. Now 21 years of age, impressively complex and with beautiful tension from start to finish, this wine flirts with perfection. Well-cellared bottles should easily see their 30th birthday. Drink now-2026.
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12/10/2017 - Bourgognefreak Likes this wine: 93 Points
still very compact and with a lot of power in reserve. It is still quite developed and excellent to drink now. Impressive.
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12/7/2017 - Kemo Sabe Likes this wine: 93 Points
Acid party. Quite a noticeable uptick from the 95 in the next glass. Good complexity and energy. While I very much like this its tasting like its time to drink up. Not in decline but not sure I am seeing upside from here. Its all about how the fruit and acid will balance in the future.
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12/6/2017 - Peech Likes this wine: 93 Points
very ripe and mature. Softened up on the palate, and so round now.
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12/6/2017 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 93 Points
Champagne Showdown: 1995 v. 1996 (Atera): Consistent notes. Stylistically and aromatically distinctive with that Dommy brioche nose. A deeper and richer nose than that on the ‘95, nice minerality but with good creaminess too. Mmm, every time.
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11/17/2017 - gfm10 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Unbelievable!!!
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11/13/2017 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Rich and complex with layers of flavour. It has creamy orchard fruits some vanilla and other spice. Balance is exquisite and it is all class. Drinking fabulously well right now.
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11/11/2017 - psmith wrote: 95 Points
Now we're talking. My last few bottles of this have been Oenotheques, which have never matched the original disgorgements. This is still young in most every way. There is, however, an ephemeral quality that suggests that there's a lot more to come. The softened mousse is maybe the only real sign of age. With that exception, it's all classic Dom smoke and salinity, with citrus playing more of a supporting role. This has a ton of upside.
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11/11/2017 - asparagus Likes this wine: 95 Points
Va va voom. Still very tight - this took 2 hours plus to unfurl. A gorgeous beauty that will last decades more
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11/4/2017 - jee27 wrote: 93 Points
Un champagne dans un registre différent du Selosse bu précédemment. Celui-ci parait plus agé, moins éclatant mais plus complexe. On y retrouve des fruits comme la lime, la pomme mais aussi des noix et des arômes de popcorn. Semble être la proie d'une oxydation avancée..
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11/2/2017 - mattiasjansson wrote: 97 Points
Latour and Sine Qua Non weekend; 11/2/2017-11/3/2017 (Edina, MN): Very good showing. Simultaneously very precise/steely and soft/complex, if that makes any sense. Simply delicious.
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10/27/2017 - Burgundy Al wrote: flawed
Wine Dinner Extravaganza (Mirabelle - Washington, DC): Great underlying fruit, but that rare slightly corked Champagne.
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10/20/2017 - DAN BAILEY Likes this wine:
Lovely bottle. Strong nose of poster shell and cold steel. Lovely, crisp, elegant and rich palate with more oyster shell. Drunk too quickly!
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10/13/2017 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 93 Points
Another textbook example of this. Developed toasty yeast and bright citrus fruit each in a great place. Big energy, great balance.
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10/1/2017 - Rupert wrote:
Muted fizz, warm and buttery, a bit of toast - served a bit cold to start with but, curiously, as it reached optimal temperature it tightened up.
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9/8/2017 - Papies wrote: 95 Points
Ah the value of perfect a perfect case vs single bottle random purchases. This first of our 6 and what a start, back to the beauty of when we tried this 4-5 years ago.
Energetic albeit evolved, rich and yeasty but with solid acidity and that light touch of Green apple and light honey finish. Light smoky too at times. Super solid 95
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8/26/2017 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 95 Points
Still seems young to me. Crisp green apple, lemon peel, straw, slight touch of hazelnut. Still more yellow than gold in color. Full bead. 20+ second finish.
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8/25/2017 - drjb Likes this wine: 96 Points
This wine has been a little up and down with bottle variation but this was a beautiful bottle of Champagne. There is a fine, vigorous bead and a lovely nose of apple, yuzu, white peach, pale cherry, nougat and cashew. The palate is vigorous and young with that weightless Dom character leading into a long fine finish. Delicious tonight.
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8/23/2017 - sdr Likes this wine: 95 Points
Mark's bottle. Terrific example of DP from a great vintage, this bottle showed flair, pizzazz and all those hard to define qualities that mark out DP at its best in its transition from young to early middle age. Medium dark yellow color, much deeper than the Oenotheque and much more advanced in flavor profile as well. So far, the first set of the match goes to this original bottling.
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8/16/2017 - TayoW Likes this wine: 96 Points
Still incredibly fresh, long life ahead. wonderfully balanced.
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8/14/2017 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
A touch of mustiness from the cork marred would should have been a spectacular bottle. There was some toast and red fruits. It was rich and layered with a strong line of minerally acidity.
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7/30/2017 - dcwino wrote: 95 Points
Kelly’s 61st - Champ, Monfortino, Burgundy and a ringer ('14 Summum) (The Grill Room at the Rosewood DC): Beautifully mature nose displaying decadent sweet yellow fruits, lemon curd, tarte tatin, sweet spices, honey and mineral. Excellent concentration, piercing acidity, fine mousse, strong mineral presence and a long finish with decadent yellow fruit and mineral at the end. The bright acidity and strong mineral presence provide good precision and freshness. It has reached the peak but won’t decline anytime soon.
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7/17/2017 - DAN BAILEY Likes this wine:
Just slight hint of gold in the colour. Wonderfully pure and balanced with only a tiny hint of broadening at this stage. Has everything to be a truly great DP in another decade or so. Amazing to consider how young this showed in every way relative to any 1996 white burgundy out there.
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7/17/2017 - SimonG wrote: 95 Points
DP @ Medlar (Medlar, London): Mid to full straw. A curious albeit faint nose of Shipham's bloater paste, though fortunately this seems to lift. Really lovely from attack to finish. Fresh and poised. Very proper. Complete and harmonious. Perfect shape and line. Consistent with my previous experience of this, though others have had more variable bottles. *****
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6/18/2017 - chbeaumont wrote: 93 Points
Expressive, impressive & drinking well. Biscuity, more than a touch of class. A long distance runner.
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6/17/2017 - Winemoments Likes this wine: 93 Points
Had this beauty at a very exclusive winetasting in a winelover friend's house. Still youthfull with fair amount of acidity. Toasted bread and butter dominate fruity flavors in the background. I'm not regretful to crunch 20 years of history, would do it again
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6/11/2017 - acheng wrote: 93 Points
Fantastic rich golden Dom. Pear, lemon peel, brioche and ginger. Very fine bubbles. A real pleasure.
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6/11/2017 - Burgnick wrote: 92 Points
Consistent with previous note. You need to have patience on this wine. Otherwise, you can just open a 06 dom
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5/26/2017 - bordeaux456 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Incredible. Really starting to show its maturity now. Golden (honey like) colour. Sophisticated flavours of green apple and biscuit. A treat to enjoy something like this.
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5/24/2017 - liber Likes this wine: 95 Points
18th of 36, perfect level, suitably constricted cork, previous notes fine or better, now starting to darken, less fine mousse, better integrated, hint of biscuit, harmonious now, just enough acidity, classy fruit, long life ahead and still improving, as yet not quite the grace of the '82 say! VF (18.5).
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5/12/2017 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 95 Points
Just starting to turn golden and show its full range of complexity. Lemon mousse, hints of green apple, mandarin orange peel, hints of hazelnut. Long finish and excellent balance.
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5/11/2017 - RolfT wrote: 91 Points
Confusing wine. First well-evolved with coffee notes. After 5 min my first glas suddenly seemed over the hill. When I sniffed my second glas I was certain it was corked... but it blew off with some air and was suddenly very clean, very fresh and slightly... under-evolved and a bit restrained. Much more elegant than I would expect. Hmm... drink now? Store? 4.25 stars. Good but certainly not that memorable.
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4/21/2017 - dcwino wrote: 96 Points
Annual gathering with Chicago winos in Chicago - Burgs, old Bordeauxs and SQNs (Smyth and The Loyalist - Chicago IL): Decadent fully mature nose displaying sweet yellow fruit, candied lemon peel, apple cooked in cinnamon, caramel, limestone and honey. Fully integrated palate, abundant fine mousse, sweet spices and cooked apple driven palate impression, perfect amount of acidity, excellent mineral presence and a sweet deeply toned finish. This particular bottle is fully mature but still retains good freshness and precision. Excellent showing.
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4/21/2017 - Burgundy Al wrote: 94 Points
Wine Dinner Extravaganza; 4/21/2017-4/22/2017 (Smyth and The Loyalist - Chicago IL): Powerful combination of apple aromas and flavors , with a wonderful cross-section of ripe and under-ripe fruit across the green/ yellow/ red spectrum with some richer baked apple notes on finish. Very wonderful now, but I won't hold my few remaining bottles past 2020, even if I understand while others liked older styled Champagne might.
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4/21/2017 - KenK Likes this wine: 95 Points
Really good bottle, rich sweet fruit with nice streak of brightness. Sophisticated, long, dense. Beautiful.
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4/16/2017 - tcosgriff Likes this wine: 95 Points
Yellow color with very nice effervescence. Bouquet and flavor of toast, hazelnut, and citrus. Very nice depth and balance with good supporting acidity. Quite long finish. Wonderful accompaniment to the Easter meal and a WOW wine.
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4/14/2017 - tcarter Likes this wine: 96 Points
Really fantastic champagne. Still youthful now, with years and years ahead of it.
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4/13/2017 - jhngo Likes this wine: 95 Points
Beautiful Mousse starting to develop slight sweet coffee notes. So pretty
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4/5/2017 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 94 Points
Full on the palate, presenting an impressive range of elements. Has put on weight and matured since I last had it, but still requires more time. Good upside potential here. 94-95+
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4/5/2017 - lepetitchateau wrote: 95 Points
This bottle had life and exuberance while not all 1996 Champagnes still do - bubbles and length, depth and vitality. While it was still light on its feet, it had started to show evolution of the fruit on the mid-palate.
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3/31/2017 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 94 Points
Honey, hay color, great nose, smooth, delicious.
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3/26/2017 - jsebiri wrote:
Popped and poured , was excellent . 1.5 hours later , maybe a little fading ?
Superb showing .
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3/20/2017 - steinersing wrote: 94 Points
good wine, but the Oeno 96 was more interesting and complex
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2/28/2017 - Nanda wrote: 95 Points
50th Birthday Winefoolishness (Chicago, IL): A great bottle and held its own with a spectacular 96 Krug CdM tasted in the same flight. Very powerful and youthful white fruit. Tons of energy and fresh but to support the big white fruits. Outstanding showing.
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2/28/2017 - Burgundy Al wrote: 94 Points
50th Birthday Celebration Dinner with Wine (Hughes House - Chicago IL): A great powerhouse with excellent concentration and great length. Great now, upside from here.
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2/28/2017 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 96 Points
This wine is really coming around beautifully. Fulsome and steady bead. Oranges and cream, some green apple underneath with a layer of hazelnut emerging. 20+ second finish.
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2/28/2017 - Simply Wine Likes this wine: 97 Points
Vibrant and young, outstanding.
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2/18/2017 - ricknat1 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Totally delicious
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2/18/2017 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 93 Points
Extremely fresh bottle putting out a strong nose of candied lemon citrus, honey, dom toast, and smoke. Crackling effervescence and energy up the palate with bright citrus flavours developing more yeasty and cereal tones. A great bottle of this that smoked a slightly tired '90 side-by-side.
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2/10/2017 - Papies wrote: 93 Points
True to form and a solid wine from start to finish. It is showing its age and we would suggest one drinks sooner than later while it has freshness and vitality. Ripe and yeasty good depth. Solid 93-94
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2/9/2017 - hajoha wrote: 95 Points
En vindunderlig tiltalende parfymert nese på denne 96.
Har holdt seg godt med saftige gule epler, blomster og søtbakst.
Ren og elegant.
Har akkurat nok frukt til å takle den ekstreme syren.
Vil ikke kalle det perfekt balansert, men helvetes godt er det.
Bra trøkk gjennom hele her.
Modningen kjennes best i finish, hvor frukten viser seg som voksen.
Lang elektrisk finish.
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2/8/2017 - Bad to the Beaune Likes this wine: 94 Points
so much concentration, power, and richness right now. Lemon curd and yellow apple as well as very eggy brioche notes. Incredibly textural and nearly chewy on the palate with ample acidity to cut through it all. This wine is singing right now.
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2/3/2017 - Zweder wrote: flawed
Game dinner with friends Champagne and Northern Rhône: Corked unfortunately.
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2/3/2017 - Strikermax wrote: flawed
Kurk.
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2/2/2017 - Tartiflette wrote: 93 Points
(Gastromé, Aarhus) Still a pleasure. In a very nice place right now. Good balance.
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1/28/2017 - microship Likes this wine: 95 Points
Noisy bubbles in the glass before they calmed down. Lovely golden hue, flavours of peach, almonds and apricots. Absolutly delicious champagne. Still has many years left.
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1/22/2017 - mye wrote: 90 Points
golden colors with little effervescence, almost a still wine in fact.
Nose of brioche, lime, and hint of pear. Delicious but honestly not worth the fare. Did not rise to the level of greatness as the prior bottle we had.
have another one and hoping for the best!
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1/21/2017 - lepetitchateau wrote: 95 Points
Despite lacking the expected bubble exuberance, this was divine on the palate, tastey and regal.
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1/13/2017 - etyc Likes this wine:
1996-themed dinner at Am Club.
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12/31/2016 - ngamer Likes this wine: 96 Points
I have had this one in my cellar fro 10 years and well worth the wait. This is one of the best champagne's that I have had.
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12/31/2016 - Cambonz wrote:
Lovely
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12/20/2016 - Burgundy Al wrote: 95 Points
Dom Perignon Dinner (Cherry Circle Room - Chicago IL): Apple, pear and some lemon custard. Excellent concentration, balance and length. While others disagreed, I slightly preferred this over the wonderful 1996 P2 in the next glass. Still incredibly fresh and vibrant.
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12/10/2016 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 97 Points
A private tasting (Restaurant De Ertepeller, Papendrecht. NL): Tasted blind. Light but lively colour, green tinge, very fine mousse; very expressive nose, a bouquet of flowers, honeysuckle, complex and deep; wonderfully silky and seamless style, so flowing and harmonious, a panoply of citrus flavours; very complete and long finish with just a hint of evolution, extremely long. Even better than on previous occasions, at perfect peak with time in hand.
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12/2/2016 - ricknat1 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Truly elegant and delightful
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12/1/2016 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 94 Points
Dom Pérignon Dinner (Atara): Terrific as always. Reads younger than the '96 Oenothèques enjoyed recently, if less concentrated and developed. Putting out a huge and complex nose tonight, green almond, praline, stonefruit, candies citrus. Rich and hugely flavourful on the palate. Wicked acidity and minerality. A star.
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11/26/2016 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 97 Points
Prestige Cuvees Zurich 2016 (Carlton Restaurant Zurich): Again a stunner, the WOTN, not only for me, (14 out of 16), drank it blind, still in an early stage, citrus, typical oyster and seabreeze notes, some toast, nuts in the finish, for me better than the oenotheque 96, at least now, 97-98
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11/19/2016 - peternelson wrote: 94 Points
Pale gold-yellow; lovely yeasty-biscuity notes, some old apricot/peach pit, sappy, great nose; Beautiful rich entry, sappy, excellent concentration and a light vinous quality. Fine persistent bubbles, great balance and intensity. Very long tangy finish, but without the searing high acidity of other '96's I've had. In a very good place right now and will hold. Saved a bit for after the tasting and it was like a great Burgundy with some age on it.
Ultra Rare Bordeaux Tasting-Class at Monopole.
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10/25/2016 - joshabramson Likes this wine: 96 Points
Beautiful! This is aging very nicely. The flavor profile reminded me of some of the great aged white burgundy wines I've had in the past.
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10/19/2016 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 95 Points
Had this bottle with my son and his wife to celebrate the birth if their first child and my first grandchild Sierra. A fitting bottle. Bright and fresh. Delicious Champagne. Will have to get more to celebrate future events in her life.
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10/9/2016 - peternelson wrote: flawed
Corked
Blind at Dirty Dozen tasting.
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10/8/2016 - Papies wrote: 94 Points
Decades of 6 (The Papies, Elizabeth St, London): Beautiful wine as always, well round now, good rich bready side, yeasty richness, a touch of citrus too to finish the mix. Had a touch of a musty edge on the finish but away from that a beautiful wine full of charm and elegance. We would suggest one drinks sooner than later.94
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10/5/2016 - Burgnick wrote: 92 Points
Very young. Big mouthful feel of oxidative yellow fruit, coffee bean and stone fruit. Lots of minerality and freshness. Needs a lot more time for the layers and nut fruit to emerge. Great potential.
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9/12/2016 - LWI wrote: 94 Points
1996 Champagne: Some coffee and camphor; big mouthfeel, balanced and complex, pleasant
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9/12/2016 - hajoha wrote: 95 Points
Champagnesmaking av 1996 årgangen (Oslo): Elegant og fantastisk på duft.
Klokkeren nese.
Dette er så balansert og deilig.
Nydelig fruktkvalitet og et lekkert syrespill.
Meget lang finish som sitter så presist i munnen.
En harmonisk og vakker vin!
Drikker nydelig, men tåler mange år.
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8/27/2016 - sdr Likes this wine: 90 Points
Of course it's good, it's 96 DP. But it seems to be in an awkward stage right now, screechy and inharmonious. Terrific mousse from this bottle, purchased soon after release. A little light and the youthful fruit has faded. Acidity is just adequate. I think DP needs to reach at least age 25 before it develops the wonderful richness and depth of flavor with a light touch so I am optimistic the '96 will develop along the lines of the '90 or even the majestic '85, but I will have to be patient - or try another bottle to see if this one was an aberration.
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8/25/2016 - Paul S wrote: 93 Points
Epic Champagne dinner (Taberna, Bukit Merah): Good, but one of the less impressive bottle of 1996 DP I have had in recent times - this was very much overshadowed by its 1996 peer group on the night. The nose was bright, fresh and attractive, with sprigs of green herb spirnkled over some aromas cream and bread, and something that reminded me of toasted buckwheat. Attractive. The palate was still full of energy, with a strong, but very fine mousse and some lovely round acidity lending a juicy twang to a sweet blush of fruit, apples and strawberries - all very round, ripe and friendly, with some brioche on the midpalate, and little sprinkle of spice and mineral at the finish. Attractive, and yummy, but somehow less noble than either of the Selosse or Salon 1996 wines in the same flight.
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8/25/2016 - paul195 wrote: 94 Points
Took a good 30 mins to show itself. Clean nose with nice fresh fruit and bready notes. Fine mousse, good acidity and balance. Not as creamy as the 2002 I had a few months back. Long finish. I don't have a lot of experience with champagne but this seems to be at the front of its drinking window with a good 10 years of runway to to go. Very enjoyable and festive.
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8/25/2016 - WST Likes this wine:
Dense on the nose and palate, this was more toasty/yeasty than I had remembered. It has evolved a lot since my last bottle three years ago. There were faint oxidative aromas on top of the dense orchard fruit, lemon and ginger. Great wine, seems to be settling into a nice drinking window.
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8/24/2016 - Simply Wine Likes this wine: 96 Points
Terrific showing. Showing some maturity but still vibrant with a long future ahead.
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8/23/2016 - Burgundy Al wrote: 95 Points
Gregg's Belated Birthday (Formento's - Chicago IL): A little warm to start, but clearly showing great orchard fruit and overall great concentration. Fleshy and opulent, but texturally vibrant as well. Great now, but with upside.
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8/14/2016 - sunalsorises wrote: 95 Points
Great nose. Toasty with good depth. Lost its fizz very quickly.
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7/31/2016 - fclarity wrote: 92 Points
This wine had a medium yellow center and attractive small bubbles. The medium intensity nose was not what I expected as it showed heavy lees, white soil, and some citrus.
In the mouth, the bubbles and the structure were firm but the wine did not seem to have enough fruit and soil flavors to balance things out.
Was this an off bottle?
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7/14/2016 - CamWheeler wrote: flawed
Bastille Day with GMs and Mivvy: A little corked.
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6/3/2016 - CamWheeler wrote: 94 Points
Decades of Decadence - x6s (Tetsuya's, Sydney, Australia): Butter, honeysuckle, some truffle and nutty notes and a little candied sugar. Good depth to the palate with the fruit and acid still quite bright and giving it a good lift. This bottle was at a good point for drinking now. Never quite had a bottle that has fully lived up to the first one I had of this in 2006, but this was pretty close!
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5/30/2016 - RayOB wrote: 98 Points
Drank in Hong Kong
Just like my previous note this is incredible. It is actually getting better. Really outshines the '02 at the moment.
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5/22/2016 - dansamsoe Likes this wine:
For my taste one of the best 96s right now. Still showing youthful, citrus, smoke, creamy. Good length and balance.
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5/21/2016 - Ajnate wrote:
Delicious. Paired with an asian inspired roast salmon with ginger, scallions and sesame, and the subtle yet clear yeast/acidity and gently refreshing bright notes could not have matched any better. Equally delicious on its own.
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5/13/2016 - ricknat1 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Right now, this may be my favorite 96 to date. Need to do a side by side with Krug. This is totally ready, rich, ripe, complex, multilayered and delicious. I love it
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5/2/2016 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 95 Points
Very creamy and rich but with nice precision. Toasted caramel, lemon zest, and honey. Bubbles began to fade after 30 minutes. Not thinking it's going to improve from this point.
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4/9/2016 - KenK Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drinking great. Fresh baking bread aromas with a clean lemon note. Nice firm stony mineral dusted pure fruit core. Nice depth and tension, quite textured, but delicate. Really improved as it warmed a few degrees. Very good stuff.
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3/20/2016 - WineCenturyAZ Likes this wine: 92 Points
Golden yellow in the glass, soft endless bubbles, high acidity followed tart citrus, Apple, stone fruits, lemon curd, chalk and a yeastiness. Nice.
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3/20/2016 - RaphaelMalago wrote: 94 Points
Fresh and structured. This has long life ahead!
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3/5/2016 - la turque wrote: 95 Points
Bright, vibrant, straw coloured, beautiful complexity, drinking now.
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2/19/2016 - Peech Likes this wine: 95 Points
pretty smooth, initially light on the palate, but gradually opened up and became more acidic on the finish. With more aeration this turned into a beautiful wine, with incredibly nutty and toasty nose.
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2/8/2016 - aquacongas wrote: flawed
The Ultimative 1996 Champagne Tasting with Richard Juhlin (Behrens am Kai in Düsseldorf 1 star restaurant): cork
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2/7/2016 - Wine_lvr wrote: 93 Points
1996 Champagne Tasting: Below expectations but still great
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2/5/2016 - AudunG wrote: 90 Points
Tasted late in the evening, as wine no 35, resulting in insufficient notes. But the wine did not impress as much as expected and is far behind a Krug 1996 tasted a while ago. Nice, fresh in the mouth, though, with citrus and yeast aromas.
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2/3/2016 - abh wrote:
Perhaps the best bottle I can remember of this. So well balanced and subtle now, with many layers beneath the initial toastyness.
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1/29/2016 - EhrlichDY wrote: 95 Points
Lunch with 2012 and 2013 Fourrier CSJ and Griotte, 95 Raveneau Blanchot, 05 Leflaive Chevalier and more (Black Salt, Washington DC): This wine was incredibly fresh and youthful for a 20 year old champagne. The color was only slightly darker than that of the 2007 Cristal it was served behind but it offered more depth and complexity. This is a generous wine in all respects offering an abundance of fruit and acid.
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1/22/2016 - Alex H wrote: 91 Points
Rich developed and sweet peach, lemon tea and pear juice. Lovely stage of development with cashews , toasty peanuts and almonds atop freshly whipped cream and biscotti.
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1/17/2016 - Koods wrote:
Incredible now.
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1/9/2016 - Paul S wrote: 94 Points
1996 & 1999 Vosne Grand Cru Dinner (Holland Park): The 1996 Dom Perignon started its life as a really precocious vintage, promising great things for the future. It sure has taken some time to come around since then, but if this bottle was anything to go by, it may well be hitting prime time right about now. On the night, this had a lovely nose, just starting to smell nicely matured, with honey and toasty caramel notes floating around a core of ripe red apples, dried strawberries and a little thread of minerally aromas. A very rich and punchy bouquet. On the palate, there was still a really muscular inseam of juicy citrus acidity and serious minerality running through otherwise rich, powerful notes of the ripest apples and strawberries. This filled the mouth in very a full, generous fashion, with a fat creamy mousse and lots of power and super-impressive depth, but as always with the 1996, it was still that sinewy structure that struck me at first taste. This time round though, there was also a sense the wine was rounding out and starting to mellow and mature, with some honeyed, slightly oxidative notes just starting to float out from behind the layers of fruit and acid and mineral. If anything, the wine actually felt a little clunkier than usual, a little less precise perhaps on the midpalate. That was my only complain though. It pulled together nicely again at the finish, where a hint of bittersweet lemon zest, spice and mineral then trailed away into the distance. All in all, a great champagne, starting to drink really nicely.
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1/8/2016 - PanosKakaviatos wrote: flawed
Annual holiday dinner with DC winos: fabulous wines kick off 2016! (Ripple Restaurant in Washington D.C.): Corked. Very much so. So sad. It was one bottle I brought to our holiday dinner.
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12/25/2015 - PopularCar Likes this wine: 93 Points
From the cellar to Zalto white wine glass was a bit too warm. Beautiful after some time on ice. Firm with beautiful acidity. Drink with food. Good now or hold.
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12/13/2015 - Cpo wrote: flawed
Is it old , or was it an bad bottle
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12/12/2015 - dkwins Likes this wine: 93 Points
Similar feelings as before, this is a very nice champagne, but not my favorite vintage. A nice clean pear taste, but more subtle and less lovely than other vintages.
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11/21/2015 - ggj wrote: flawed
Heat damaged or otherwise mis-handled. Recent auction purchase from K&L
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11/14/2015 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 92 Points
Not much evolution thus far- still quite tight, and only opened up after being open for a couple of hours and allowing to warm closer to room temp. Very enjoyable- this will be fun to taste in ten years...
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11/14/2015 - vespasian wrote:
A very nice maturing champagne nose, good interest and complexity; lovely refined palate, very good length - this was lovely but I wonder if the 2002 might outdo it in time.
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11/6/2015 - gr8vino Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drinking beautifully. Opened and consumed at Laurelhurst Market with friends for 50th birthday celebration. Everyone was blown away, not by the name but by the delicious vintage champagne in it's prime. I am glad I have 3 more of these so I can enjoy it as it continues to age and gain complexity.
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10/24/2015 - Tartiflette Likes this wine: 93 Points
Brought to restaurant Miro, Århus, Denmark, so no notes. Very good and easy drinking. Almost too easy. The high acidity had definitely mellowed out in this bottle.
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10/15/2015 - GrandeSerataFuori wrote: 92 Points
A highlight of our 10th anniversary. We held this bottle for 9 years. While delicious and fantastic in many ways, I think my expectations were too high. At first I was concerned something was off with the bottle, but it got better throughout with the last glass being the best. Elegant and delicate.
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10/4/2015 - Javachip wrote: 94 Points
Clear light gold-yellow with persistent vigorous fine bubbles. Subtle, complex bouquet of citrus, apple cider, madeleine or ladyfinger biscuit, chalk, butterscotch, chamomile, sherry, cognac, with hints of almonds appearing later. Similar on the palate, medium body, crisp, fresh, pure with lingering finish.
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9/17/2015 - wilypod Likes this wine: 95 Points
I've not had many vintage champagnes. The best I've had was a 2002 Krug. This would be second best. The virtues of the Krug were a fabulous depth of flavor and a seemingly endless complexity, rivaling or besting the best white Burgundies. The virtues of this Dom Perignon are perhaps more abstract: elegance, a seamless unity of aromas and taste and finish, and the creamiest, finest, micro-beaded mousse. The latter quality is especially striking.
Did not taste dated or oxidized or in danger of the downward slope.
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9/11/2015 - dcwino wrote: flawed
Rousseau Chambertin Clos de Beze event; 9/11/2015-9/12/2015 (Capella Hotel Georgetown): For my palate, slightly muted, perhaps a slight hint of TCA. Very fresh though.
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9/11/2015 - Alex H wrote: 91 Points
Succulent bready with peaches and supple creamy racy nectarines.
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8/22/2015 - Peech Likes this wine: 95 Points
this has always been a vintage that drank well, even at a young age. Now almost 20 years old, this tasted a lot more mature than I remembered. Very well-balanced between the ripeness and the acidity on the palate. Wonderful.
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7/26/2015 - dansamsoe Likes this wine:
A very fine 1996 champagne. Only a touch of matchstick on the nose. Otherwise citrus, lime and white yellow fruits with excellent acidity and balance. A little creaminess on the palate and good length. Very tasty.
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7/24/2015 - andtheodor wrote: 94 Points
Wow, so fresh, saline, rich, nice balance of maturity and youthful vigor. Let this warm up and go flat and I could guzzle this all night.
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7/21/2015 - blanquito wrote: 94 Points
Wow. Awesome fizz. Coming from a very cold cellar, this showed quite young without any sherry or oxidized notes at all. More about fruit and balance right now than nuance and complexity. The bottle was drained way too fast. I found the balance ideal here, not too sweet, not to austere, not too bright, just right. I love Dom. Bottles with this provenance have huge upside.
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7/19/2015 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
It's been several years since the last one, and this seems to be fulfilling its destiny quite nicely. Having entered a very early stage of maturity - but with the obvious stuffing to go many decades more - this offers brilliant purity, precision and a graceful tension that transitions into fantastic length. The kind of wine that is deeply satisfying and at the same time forces one to consider the absolute nobility of the region and in particular, this house. Buy all you can. highly recommended
PnP, served non-blind. From a cold cellar, stored since release.
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7/18/2015 - Wine Canuck wrote: 92 Points
Year 3 - Super Tasting 2 of 5 - Andrew does 96 Chamapgne (Langdon Hall, Cambridge, ON): A bit of a difficult showing from this bottle of Dom. The nose is focused on onion, garlic, a hint of plastic, some burlap, mango skin, pine needles and pear. All in all, enjoyable but at the same time a tad odd. The palate is well balanced with high acid and typical dosage. The finish has decent length, repeating mango notes. The impression I get is that this needs some more time to settle down.
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7/18/2015 - Dave Canada wrote: 92 Points
Year 3 - Super Tasting 2 of 5 - Andrew does 1996 Champagne (Langdon Hall - Andrew Little's Rooom (Also known as the Red Room)): This was not a fabulous showing for this bottle...too young? In a weird place?
Nose was dominated by garlic, citrus fruit, sweat, mushroom, earth, burlap and an ode to Nirvana and puberty that we called "Smells like Teen spirit"
Palate is dominated by hazelnuts, citrus notes, earth and mushroom.
Finish is long but seems clamped....
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7/11/2015 - Claret & CdP Gang Likes this wine: 92 Points
Color: light golden yellow
Nose: nutty caramel
Palate: lovely mature Dom, very nice indeed , still fresh and zesty
Rating: 92
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7/3/2015 - ilee Likes this wine: 96 Points
Dinner with Mrs L's lawyer girlfriends + other halves (At home, Hong Kong): Wow this bubbly beauty is starting to show its stuff. Two years ago I remember it being a little young and tight, but it is now mature and noticeably rounder at the edges, with even hints of pineapple and ripe pear coming through. Still very zesty though, this would be terrific to drink for another decade at least
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6/25/2015 - vinole Likes this wine: 95 Points
What I look for in mature vintage champagne with complex notes of almond, ginger, honey, dough, and lemon. Small bead with light to moderate carbonation and medium to high acidity. In a very nice spot right now.
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6/25/2015 - dkwins Likes this wine: 92 Points
I enjoyed the champagne on a happy occasion, but preferred the 1990 and the 2000 I have had recently. It opened a bit flat, which was unexpected and made me wonder if it was not stored properly, though I purchased from a reputable store a couple of years ago.
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6/21/2015 - Winetex Likes this wine: 95 Points
A great Champagne. It was really *all that*. Somewhat lighter in weight than some of the top tier 96s but makes up for it in complexity.
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6/7/2015 - AllRed wrote: 95 Points
Second Sunday Group: 2005 Chateauneuf-du-Pape (Barb's): Another courtesy of Neil. Lighter color than the Heidsieck. Apple, vanilla creme, almond, white flowers and lemon blossom notes. Racy acidity; flavors of stone, mineral, almond, citrus and honeycomb with orchard fruit and stone flavors carrying on the long finish. Fine bead. Excellent. 95-96 pts.
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6/4/2015 - Tikkanen Likes this wine: 97 Points
A beauty. At its topp right now. Still quite zesty but beginning to show som cellaring aromas. Still very fruity. Loong full taste.
The wine looks light gold colored. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like lemon, apple, orange blossom, bready and baker's yeast. It tastes like lemon, orange, baker's yeast and bready. The body is medium/full. The wine has round texture. The wine finishes long. The wine has high acidity.
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5/10/2015 - jhngo Likes this wine: 96 Points
Starting to develop some secondary notes slight roundness. Not as sharp or piercing. Very enjoyable. going to age gracefully.
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5/10/2015 - dchain Likes this wine: 96 Points
Knocked the socks off the Cristal 2005. This has so much more substance. Really good nose of yeasty brioche and apple/pear fruit. Real great body and substance in the mouth, rich and coats the mouth with its gloriously heathy fruit. Probably even better with food and due to its richness maybe a bit too much as an aperitif. Still certainly cannot complain if served this at any stage of the day or night. Wonderful. Thanks Basil!
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5/9/2015 - bill00 wrote: 92 Points
This was surprisingly open knit. Sweet, forward fruit without the acid structure I would expect from a '96. Very nice but not quite as serious as I would hope for or want.
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5/1/2015 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 96 Points
A private tasting and dinner at a friend's (Amsterdam): Inimitable Dom Pérignon character, retains its freshness after almost two decades, silky and lively style, well-integrated acidity, is starting to develop wonderful tertiary complexity and intensity, very together and harmonious, excellent length.
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4/29/2015 - Champagneinhand wrote: 97 Points
this was up with the almighty 95 Krug and 2004 DP. Both the DP vintages had 2 bottles at the table. Amazing stuff. Showing darker than the 2004, but with almost every flavor 2004 had and acidity to match. If it wasn't for the darker color, the mouthfeel is so light. I've done many notes on this but once again showing of champagne greats are stored cold and dark they age so slowly and rock the house. Tight fruits but toasted pastry keeps everything evolving and through and through enjoyable. Hard to drink and smile so hard.
Just behind the Krug in impressiveness with stiff competition. Excellent finish lasted longer than 2004, but 2004 is no slacker either.
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4/26/2015 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 98 Points
REally wonderful, In the past I had no the best experiences with DP 1996 despite the high ratings, but in this case I agree this is a monumental champagne. First impression oyster, seabreeze, iodine, just a little bit brioche, toast, butter and nuts. This champagne starts to become big, still fresh,citrus, perfectly balanced, no maturity signs, very long finish, drink it over the next 30 years. 98+
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4/25/2015 - Champagneinhand wrote: 96 Points
the same as the other bottle. Great storage in consistent cool passive cellar that only has one screw in light bulb. Just a hair behind a brilliant 1995 Krug Brut and a couple spots ahead of a similarly great 2004 DP, only more mature by a touch and longer in finish and complexity
Amazing and we did a huge flight the night before. Foie Gras and cheeses plus fruit and breads to compliment.
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4/24/2015 - CamWheeler wrote: 93 Points
Rockstars of Burgundy: Smells great - lemon, honey, oyster shell and earthy spice. Palate shows a fair bit of development, there is still good lemon acidity and a creamy mouthfeel, this has great balance though this bottle probably needed to be opened before it developed further.
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4/19/2015 - LWI wrote: 95 Points
Some Champagnes: Slight development, tight at first but develops with air and higher temperature. Structured and intriguing, emerging complexity, wonderful balance. It has enough fruit to handle the 96-acidity. More development to come and will be a great DP.
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3/19/2015 - umichbri wrote: 85 Points
To me it was past its prime and I should have drank it sooner. Very few bubbles left. Still drinkable but I didn't like as much as I probably would have had it been 5 years earlier.
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2/23/2015 - mye Likes this wine: 95 Points
Bright golden yellow color. Amazing just to look at.
Nose of toast, walnut, peach and lemon rinds. Clearly not the power of a young bubbly, but overall plenty of effervescence and still very enjoyable. Nuttiness on the palate with lemon and a creaminess that is rich and mouth coating. medium acidity rounding out beautifully in a lush, lengthy finish. What a treat. Thanks Alan/Sophia!
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2/16/2015 - Old School Fan wrote: 94 Points
A beautiful wine. Still showing fine bubbles with a gorgeous (light) golden color and a nose of caramelized sugar, toast and pear. Very full in the mouth with a nice interplay of lemon and buttercream emerging. Again, a very rich wine that is in a very good place right now but which feels like it can go for long time.
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1/29/2015 - aagrawal wrote: 95 Points
Joel's Birthday Party (The Palace, Mission, SF): Classic toasty, yeast; palate has fabulous over-the-top acidity, dry, freshness, citrus, lime. Very classic, young, very nice, perhaps more the classically well balanced champagne than the Selosse, but still much less unique and much more like other Champagnes. Faded with time in the glass, so the rating is from first taste. 94-95++
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1/24/2015 - Zorg wrote:
Tasted blind among 20 other sparkling wines from all over the world and everybody around the table, even the champagne-experts, agreed that this was no super wine. Maybe we had a slightly off bottle but everybody was very surprised when we learned which wine we had in the glass. Nothing wrong with it, just nothing special. 84p.
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1/24/2015 - Livermore wrote: 85 Points
This was dissapointing. Tasted blind and everyone was surprised it didn't fare better. Maybe the bottle was off.
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1/2/2015 - tooch wrote: 93 Points
Dinner at Sun Wah (Sun Wah BBQ - Chicago, IL): Hadn't had one of these in a couple years, and it seemed to taste even younger now. The bead was a bit tighter, the flavors a bit more wound up. Lots to love even with the wine buzzing in your ear. Elegant yeasty notes, beautiful lemon, and pears, with great acidity. Might make sense to decant this in the future.
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1/2/2015 - acyso wrote: 93 Points
Dinner at Sun Wah (Chicago, IL): Peaches. Yeast. Bread. This is quite big, and comes off as a bit more advanced and ripe than my recollection of the bottle I had two years or so ago. The palate does have the exuberance that I remember, but there's a bit of grilled sweet fruit at the end that makes me wonder if this bottle is totally spot on. The acidity isn't as high as I remember it to be either. In any case, this is still a good wine, and it's always a treat to have Champagne from 1996.
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1/1/2015 - ctbob Likes this wine:
Terrific. Beautiful structure on this wine. Best bubbly of the night by a mile. This bottle seemed to be at its zenith.
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1/1/2015 - sandwich Likes this wine: 96 Points
Simply beautiful. Drank early on New Years eve with caviar and homemade blini. Perfect crispness and a great mellow finish. So happy I have six more of these on the way.
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12/18/2014 - Bill Bucklew wrote: 95 Points
Continues to be one of my favorite Dom's, ethereal nose of bright lemon, quince and a subtle yeast component. Incredibly elegant palate of citrus (think muted, mulled, lemon/lime). Brioche and an almost mineral component. A great balance between fruit and secondaries, in a great spot.
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12/4/2014 - davidbgood Likes this wine: 95 Points
Like a golden shower of yellow crispness. Long and heavy bead. Aroma of vanilla and slightly spicy cardamon. Mildly citrus but not on the brut side Hints of Honey. Complex flavours a very long and enjoyable journey. Had with 3 others and not enough to go around. Fighting for the last glass. The best Dom I have had to date. First of the dozen and looking forward to many more years of enjoyment.
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11/30/2014 - clayfu wrote:
It was round, balanced, full of apples. Not as precise and laserlike as prior bottles I've enjoyed, this one wasn't advanced, it just shed its copious acidity.
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11/29/2014 - FYC wrote:
Slightly more golden than the Oeno, this was more forward and less acidic. Nicely balanced and drinking well now.
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11/22/2014 - Burgundy Al wrote: 93 Points
Tenth Annual White Truffle Dinner (Chez Weber - Chicago IL): Not quite as fresh as another bottles from a few months back, but still excellent with big fruit, very good acidity and overall great textures.
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11/12/2014 - soyhead wrote:
Sam G 50th BDay Celebration (Massimo's, Walnut Creek): prominent caramel, with citrusy notes, slightly bitter candied finish
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11/7/2014 - Philip B wrote: 96 Points
A bottle cellared professionally from release. Opened with a bright straw colour and beautiful citrus bouquet with some lemon and brioche flavours. Plenty of fine bead. Drank over two hours and over this time colour deepened and the flavour and bouquet revealed more aged characteristics. High levels of acid throughout. This bottle was at a level where it was drinking beautifully and needs time after opening to reveal its glory. Will clearly cellar further, however for me perfect now. 96 points
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10/30/2014 - coremill wrote: flawed
Champagne Dinner (L'Apicio): A relatively muted nose, earthy, white chocolate, salty and nutty and baked apple, but exposure to air reveals that this is oddly cidery and acetic and short. I don't think this was correct: while there's still enough material and acidity to give the wine impressive power when it's cold and fresh out of the bottle, that seems more like a glimpse of what the wine could have been. A shame, with as good as the 04 was, I would love to try a good bottle of this.
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10/29/2014 - Seth Rosenberg wrote: 92 Points
Champagne dinner (L'Apicio, NYC.): PnP. Subdued nose, some ox? Nose of ginger, spice, lemon. Also cidery - more advanced than I would expect. Also notes of gunpowder, flint, some malt balls, caramel, sea spray, bread. The palate shows some advancement as well - golden, ginger, flint, lemon, pear, cider. Solid acid builds in the palate with nice grip. Lots of stony-lemon acid at the end, a touch of vanilla, creme, citrus, some ox - malt balls. Just getting a little of that aged Dom creaminess in the middle and then the acid takes over at the end - flint and lemon. This doesn't feel integrated. My conclusion is that this bottle was not ideal, but that the 96 acid was propping it up and covering over some of the flaws - but instead of a unitary masterpiece, you end up with a juxtaposed palate. Still a good bottle of wine, but not like the previous bottle I had. Nose - 5/6, Palate - 4.5-5/6, Finish - 5.5/6, Je ne Sais quoi - 1/2 = 16.5/20.
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10/19/2014 - Alex H wrote: 92 Points
Rich creamy luxuriant but restraint. Lemon creme with rich tea biscuits and served with a dollop of freshly whipped cream. Monolithic with layers.
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10/18/2014 - Rupert wrote: 94 Points
Ripe and buttery, with a discreet power behind it. Just right.
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10/4/2014 - nortonnose wrote: 94 Points
Aging beautifully. Very golden color. Notable minerality, with wonderful yeasty highlights. Still surprisingly quite young? Hope we can find more!
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9/4/2014 - Burgundy Al wrote: 95 Points
Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande / Pichon-Longueville Baron Dinner (RPM Steak - Chicago IL): Ripe orchard fruit that retains great freshness. Long and powerful start-to-finish. Faint hints of toasted challah. A great bottle.
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8/22/2014 - Peech Likes this wine: 95 Points
from some of the very first batches to arrive in Hong Kong. A very, very well-made Champagne, with incredible balance between the acidity and ripeness.
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8/17/2014 - Shrewsram Likes this wine: 95 Points
Surprised by the shrunken cork which came out with a little sigh.
Bright appearance, very tight thread of bubbles.
Crisp, very clean and fresh aromas. Initially, youthful with citrus and floral notes although I thought it showed a little toffee or brown sugar too. Not overdone or anything, but there underneath.
Hannah commented on blackcurrant (I rolled my eyes).
This had a certain creamy patisserie quality on the nose too and with time, we noted creamed and roasted nut (walnut even), toast, honeysuckle, honey, pear liqueur and I think some aromatic blue/purple and red fruit –like creamy strawberry.
The palate was a surprise also. This is SO fresh, well-structured and has impressive mineralité – with a distinct chalky note on the finish. To be honest, this didn’t seem very long, but I loved how ethereal and lifted it all felt, and clean as a whistle too.
I think it was still a baby at 18 years. Brilliant wine.
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8/16/2014 - burgified Likes this wine: 96 Points
effervescence still very tight, amazing minerality and balance. @ Lincoln Ristorante with good friends.
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7/30/2014 - f22nickell wrote:
Summer 2014 Distinguished Cellar Auction Tasting (Spectrum Wine Auctions @ San Diego Wine Storage Solana Beach): Again ... I just don't "get" champagne ... I enjoyed it just fine, but I couldn't tell you the difference between this bottle and a dime-store sparkler.
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7/28/2014 - Koods wrote:
amazing place right now
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7/18/2014 - jhngo Does not like this wine: flawed
Finish is right. Nose fruit is okay.
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7/18/2014 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 92 Points
I was a little bit disappointed, expected very much from the giant from one of my top years. It was little bit closed, no fruitiness, no tertiary aromas, the acidity was sharp but the structure was missing, will drink the other bottles later, drank it 26/04/09 at a private champagne degustation
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7/5/2014 - JimN Likes this wine: 93 Points
Remains as youthful as it was two years ago. Earlier notes apply. You'll no doubt be rewarded for holding, but drinking very well now.
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7/4/2014 - Pknut wrote:
Just lovely. Showing less complexity and development than a bottle with Randy at Rothmann’s a couple of years ago. Very clean. Sarah gets notes of lemon, and then with more air, we both pick up on some almond notes. While this particular bottle isn’t showing much secondary development in the palate, it is notable for its poise and balance. Nothing excessive here, it’s all so well defined. Not only has the artist not colored outside the lines, but the hues are vivid and lovely. At Sarah and Jonathan's in Philly.
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6/28/2014 - Vino Me wrote: 93 Points
Mark opened this for our anniversary. 5th time I have had this but not since 2007. Moderate bead. Very fresh for being 18 years old. Doughy with notes of fresh cream and apple. Lovely feel. Some almonds on the finish. 93 points.
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6/2/2014 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 95 Points
Son's High School Graduation (Downtown Cleveland): Son's birth year wine, opened for his graduation. Light golden in color. The nose is nice. Slight mushroom quality. Nice ginger. Some citrus quality. On the palate, drinking nicely. It opened up for a couple of hours. So smooth. Nice balance and acidity. Did I say smooth? Showing tight layering that opened up with air. A beautiful starter.
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5/16/2014 - AtoZ wrote: 93 Points
Toasty coconut. Not as unready as exoected. Long. Will be better in 4-10 years. A big buttery Dom.
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5/13/2014 - jhngo Likes this wine: 96 Points
Wow. Still so youthful. Has mouth puckering tight acid. Finish is clean pure with slight toffee notes.
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5/10/2014 - AlanM68 wrote: 95 Points
Outstanding. Tiny, tiny bubbles. Pale lemon colour. Subtle flavours of brioche and caramel with a hint of citrus. Too easy to drink and too soon gone.
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5/4/2014 - Fogbound wrote: 95 Points
Opened to celebrate our home purchase.
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4/24/2014 - cephomer Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drank in Aruba with D. Wonderful nose of toast, yeast and citrus. Drank at fairly warmer temp. Tiny bubbles, mellow acidity not nearly as racy as in a young vintage. Brioche and caramel are what struck me most in this deliciously complex, mature champagne. Great length too. A fine example of how a great bottle can become even better with some bottle age. Delicious!
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3/27/2014 - la turque wrote: 96 Points
This has matured beautifully. Fresh brioche and sweet citrus on the nose, bright fruit and integrated acidity on the palate, with an incredibly long finish. Gorgeous wine, good for another 10 years.
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3/10/2014 - dcwino wrote: 97 Points
Impromtu Dinner with Michael Jessen - 96 Champanges and Red Burgundy Dinner (The Grill Room at Capella Hotel Georgetown): Served slightly warmer than usual and that is a good thing as it is more wine like. Lovely sweet yellow fruits, lemon candy, fresh granny smith, sweet spices, mineral and honey. Fine mousse, sweet fruit driven palate impression, bright acidity and long finish. Quite intense and expressive. Although still youthful really delicious. At this point, the 96 Dom shows less bottle variation than the Krug and Salon.
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2/17/2014 - Mr T wrote:
drank for Valentine's day with Sue...wonderful crisp bead even now and just the slightest bid of oxidation with age but a pleasure to drink all through dinner...I could drink this all night and especially at the price I paid for it 10 years ago
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2/14/2014 - MSheridan wrote:
My first experience of both Dom P & of a vintage champagne with this amount of age
I'd taken this out thinking I'd been given a '98 so was extremely excited to see it was in fact the hallowed 1996 but then concerned I was opening this too early.
Straw in colour, initially seemed flat but came to life shortly in the glass
Initial flavours of apple leads to unusual grapefruit note followed by rich toasted bread whose length is pretty long
Undeniably a good champagne but not being particularly much of a champagne fan I'm yet to understand the hype this receives. Thus I've chosen not to score this as it wasn't as hedonistic as many other reviews make it out to be and I derive much greater pleasure from the grapes in their still format
There are obviously many more experienced reviewers here all scoring it well so perhaps a good drop that is wasted on my inexperienced palate or perhaps prior storage conditions haven't been quite suitable and the bottle wasn't showing its best
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1/26/2014 - Lord Rayas wrote:
MNSC Annual Dinner (Country Club Grill): my favourite Dom among recent releases. simply gorgeous.
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1/25/2014 - ilee Likes this wine: 95 Points
Dinner at Beco (Kushiyaki Beco, Hong Kong): Terrific in a very DP way, nothing to add to previous notes, other than it being terrific and still very young
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1/18/2014 - Harry Cantrell Likes this wine: 96 Points
Pale yellow. Very fine and long lasting bubbles. Nose was a delight of yeast, lemon/orange, even a hint of anise. Mouth was filling and long lasting. Beautiful. And I think one of the wines of the night at a wonderful wine night.
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1/11/2014 - ilee Likes this wine: 95 Points
JL 40th birthday dinner at One Thirty One (Sai Kung, Hong Kong): Bright lemon zesty character, vivacious, with some creamy toasty floral notes in the background, this champagne showed beautifully despite the fairly high speed at which our bus was traveling. I keep waiting for this to mellow out but so far it shows little sign of aging
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1/10/2014 - Wrighty wrote:
Surprisingly flat to start but came around. Still showing citrus notes.
Personally preferred the '96 Krug but overall the Dom was more popular.
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1/9/2014 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine: 96 Points
Bordeaux matters, along with Burgundy and Champagne and Port and ... (Ripple Restaurant in Washington D.C.): On a recent Facebook exchange, Ebbe Bonde Soerensen dubbed Dom Perignon the "Coca Cola of Champagne". Tasting this, I do not see his point :-). It represents all what one wants from Champagne - and more. Purchased on release, and kept in a cold cellar, this wine is just fine today. Combines opulence with vivacity. It has lime/lemon focus, that typical Dom Perignon toast/pain grillé aspect that makes you seek further sipping. There is a mid palate richness that falls into a fine line of precision on the finish, which is long. The bottle was emptied fairly quickly among the 8 dinner participants.
The wine looks Straw colored. The legs are Medium. The body is Medium/Full. The wine has Smooth texture. The wine finishes Long. The wine has high acidity.
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1/9/2014 - lepetitchateau wrote: 95 Points
Linear, spicy and classy wine, but I detected in this bottle a hint of cork on the palate. Score reflects the underlying quality of this delicious wine, showing subtle energetic power and balance.
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1/9/2014 - dcwino wrote: 95 Points
Belated holiday dinner - Mostly Burg and Bordeaux (Ripple Restaurant in DC): Another very good showing but not as good as the last two. Perhaps a bit more mature impression. Ripe yellow fruits, baked apple, candied lemon peel, honey and white pepper. Fully body, fine mousse, light caramel, mineral and good acidity. This is a full body opulent style of Dom. Lovely showing.
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12/31/2013 - gfm10 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wow!!!
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12/22/2013 - dcwino wrote: 97 Points
Lazy Sunday group Holiday dinner (The Grill Room at Capella Hotel Georgetown): The 96 has been showing beautifully lately. Gorgeous sweet nose, ripe sweet yellow fruits, lemon candy, flowers, lime stone and honey. This particular bottle, although very youthful, also displays sweet dense yellow fruits. Excellent concentration, fine mousse, good acidity and lovely sweet finish. It is interesting to compare the 96 Krug, Salon and Dom. This time, I slightly preferred the Salon. Nevertheless incredible showing. The great vintages of Dom need time to develop as demonstrated by the 90 and the 96. I have been also impressed with the 02 as did Antonio. For the current price, I highly recommend the 02 as well as the 96.
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12/22/2013 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 96 Points
Brought to the new AOC in Los Angeles. Consumed alongside olive oils glazed almonds and pork rillette. Quite amazing champagne. Toasted buttery brioche, sweet minerality, honey dew, and marzipan.
http://maxsatisfactionwine.com/post/70769881045
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12/19/2013 - soyhead wrote:
great richness of fruit, caramel, wonderful champagne
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12/14/2013 - Mike76 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Fine bubble and gold.
It takes a while 'to bring out the aromas, the time to go from the refrigerator temp to tasting temp.
Starts with notes of citrus and chalky, but gradually turns on notes of brioche.
Then in come the final notes of yellow peach (also canned), while maintaining acidity in the mouth and a spectacular stretch fine and citrusy.
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12/3/2013 - Nanda wrote: 90 Points
Wine Flock - Wines that Ken Loves Intro Retro (Highland Park): Nose has some tired, musty apple and smoke notes. Round in the mouth with matured fruit and earth notes. Bubbles are subdued. Good but seemed tired compared to a '96 Salon tasted side by side. Could be a bad bottle as some were debating corkiness.
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12/3/2013 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Chicago Wine Flock..."Wines that Ken Loves" (Abigail's American Bistro - Highland Park IL): Tasted double blind alongside Salon 1996. Showing age. Some thought corked, but I thought it a little musty and an off bottle that lost effervescence quite quickly, but not corked. Lots of ripe fruit, moderate power and intensity.
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11/29/2013 - ggj wrote: flawed
Corked
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11/28/2013 - jhngo Likes this wine: 96 Points
youthful powerful
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11/21/2013 - DAN BAILEY wrote:
Just incredibly young. Nothing but sugar and fizz to me at this stage unfortunately. I'm sure it'll be great in another 20 years!
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11/21/2013 - SimonG wrote: 95 Points
Dom Perignon @ Medlar: Fresh, quite light on the nose. Very fresh and vibrant. Light on its feet, 96 acidity, very harmonious, beautiful line from attack to long finish. Seamless. Very fine. *****
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11/2/2013 - Eric wrote: 97 Points
Wowza great bottle. Lots of rather mature, buttery notes. Best as it warmed and sat with deeply winey, vinous, white Burgundy aspect on the palate.
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11/2/2013 - Rogershkg wrote: 90 Points
Compared with the 99 which we had at the same time, frankly disappointing. Nothing wrong with it but not the delicate toasted almond tinge that the 99 had
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10/2/2013 - bon vivant wrote:
Bottle (from original release) showing very well this evening. Initial blast of yest opens up to fresher notes; just a hint of citrus which morphs into a sweet tart yellow baked apple, some pears with some delicate spicy nuances. The mousse and bubbles are extremely delicate, mellow yet plentiful. The texture is velvety and mouth coating and the finish broad and long. Reaches peak within 20 minutes or so, at which point this becomes irresistible. A really superb bottle with complexity that is seldom experienced in Dom. The 96 remains a special vintage.
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8/24/2013 - Marc S wrote: 92 Points
- Yellow color with medium pearls. It's balanced and has flavours of grapefruit with a medium/full body. Polished texture with a medium finish.
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8/17/2013 - Champagneinhand Likes this wine:
Really a waste because my younger in-laws and myself just completed a 4 mile pub crawl. The BIL picked this so we drank it. A touch creamier than I remember. Same laser focused fruits with crisp apple and citrus. With a nice toasted and buttered brioche. Sizzling minerals and plenty of acid. Mouthwatering on the long finish. Nice yeasty notes as well with a fine beaded mousse. Really good but went to bed after. Brutal morning after like I was beat with that empty bottle. No the curiosity factor of my cellar should have been met now. Saving the last 12.
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8/16/2013 - dcwino wrote: 97 Points
Bring something really good dinner – FGs, Pomerol, Y’quem, Leroy, Vogue, Dujac and etc. (The Grill Room at Capella Hotel Georgetown): In general, I am a big fan of Dom. This is a great bottle of Dom. The nose displays intensely sweet yellow and white fruits, white flowers, mineral, white pepper, granny smith and a hint of brioche as the end note. Intense yet airy palate, candied citrus fruits, bright acidity and long finish. This seems even more youthful than the 96 Salon. Every component is in perfect harmony resulting in sweet intense yet precise and airy expression. It is interesting how the 96 Krug and Salon were raved by so many including myself, yet the 96 Dom is slowly catching up. If you are into buying a big quantity Champagne to lay down, I highly recommend Dom.
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8/12/2013 - UTPK wrote:
Very young in every aspect. Great fresh nose of citrus and bright fruit, no toast, bread or wood. Less broad and fat on the nose than last bottle a couple of years ago. Very clean but still full bodied on the palate. Great balance, and quite long finish.
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6/29/2013 - la turque wrote: 95 Points
This was toasty, yeasty, leesy, but with bright, focused fruit. A brilliant Champagne, drinking now, will age well.
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6/2/2013 - Heath Barnes wrote:
taking over to Ralph's house with others from NCV
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5/18/2013 - Burgundy Al wrote: 95 Points
Chicago Berserkerfest Dinner #2 (Sun Wah): Lots of fresh apple and pear, great lift and energy from start-to-finish. Long, precise and incredibly elegant. Faint hints of toasty character in background.
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5/18/2013 - tooch wrote: 95 Points
Chicago Berserkerfest; 5/18/2013-5/19/2013 (Chicago, IL): Dazzling wine that shows the class of the 1996 vintage. Beautiful aromas of brioche, mocha, and apples. Palate was pure and fresh with amazing balance and depth of flavor. Stunning wine.
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5/8/2013 - LizzMerr wrote: 95 Points
Absolutely riveting if a bit closed still. Quite acidic with a crisp fruity citrus note throughout. The nose was sharp with floral and tropical overtones. This was sweeter and more tightly structured than some of the doms I've tried with much less of the round yeasty warmness (though still a nice, round mouthfeel). Delicious and complex, it certainly showed better after sitting for a few moments. And though marvelous to drink now, it could stand to stay in the cellar for a few years as well. I hope I get the chance to try this again in a few years.
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4/23/2013 - Wine_lvr wrote: flawed
Behind the light TCA, there was plenty of power. I am looking forward drinking this one again. What a shame this bottle was flawed.
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3/30/2013 - Tavastgatan wrote: 95 Points
Complete Champagne, with deep dense citrus fruit. Some bitterness on the back end, but very pleasant. Long life ahead.
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3/29/2013 - St Paul wrote: 97 Points
Absolutely stunning champagne. Long time since I had this wine but due to the fact that I had a fab 96 Oenoteque last week I wanted to try this now as well and strangely enough this feels younger and less developed. It was great when released but now it has taken the direction people in the know expected it to do. Towards greatness. Nothing less.
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3/23/2013 - WST wrote: 95 Points
MB's Bday; '96 DP, '07 Dauvissat GC, '86 Figeac, '96 Lynch B, '98 Telegraphe, '63 Grahams (Le Crocodile, Vancouver, BC): Balanced and complex, full bodied yet delicate. Rich mouthfeel and firm bead. Sweet lemon and pit fruit, slightly toasty. Amply acidic. No significant oxidative notes. Sweet aftertaste, with heavier dosage than I remembered.
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3/17/2013 - acyso wrote: 95 Points
Dom Perignon dinner at L2O (Chicago, IL): Hint of shiitake mushroom. Light oxidation, very acidic, to the point you feel your teeth dissolving. Some green notes on the palate. Later on with some air, you get a hit of coconut on the nose.
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3/15/2013 - ilee wrote: 95 Points
Beijing dumpling night at home with friends (Hong Kong): A terrific DP that hits all the right notes in terms of balance, complexity and sheer bubbly pleasure. It may sound like sacrilege but I served this with a small dollop of creme de cassis at the bottom, which (for me at least) takes away some of the acidic edge and adds a sweet note which really tickles my fancy.
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3/13/2013 - Harry Cantrell Likes this wine: 96 Points
Pale Gold. Fine bubbles. Nose of yeast and citrus fruits. Taste was smooth, rich, citrus, bready. Best I've had from this bottling yet.
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3/10/2013 - grizzlymarmot wrote: 96 Points
Enticing honey hue in the glass. Plenty of bubbles. Very complex bouquet - pick your favorite chardonnay and pinot aromas - they are present in nice balance. Open and expressive flavors lemon, peach, and vanilla mated to an excellent mineral structure.
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3/9/2013 - Sweet Nancy Likes this wine:
Deep yellow color and small, lively mousse. Citrus and a hint of yeast on the palate. Long finish with a good balance of fruit and acidity.
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3/4/2013 - wcchang wrote: 95 Points
The best Champaign I have had so far. Balanced, rich flavors with mature elegance. This is drinking so well now.
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3/3/2013 - fclarity wrote: 93 Points
From a fresh looking bottle, this wine had a light yellow center and clear rims. It had nicely persistent bubbles. The medium- intensity nose showed lemons, baguette, and a hint of almond paste.
This was attractive in the mouth with an interesting interplay and integration of the brisk acidity and the tingling bubbles. It had good balance.
Overall, this was drinking but it felt like this would last, and probably improve with bottle age.
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2/25/2013 - dansamsoe wrote:
I was fearing a very reductive champagne with lots of sulphur. But the match stick nose disappeared after 2 minutes. Fruity, balanced, creamy. Actually good.
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2/18/2013 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Pure and focussed with great mineral line and all sorts of citrus and blossom notes.
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2/10/2013 - edge Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wow, this wine has really come together in the last 2 years. When will it plateau?
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2/6/2013 - duchamp wrote: 94 Points
(from memory) Medium yellow, subtle nose at first but with aeration opens to complex aromas of yeast, ginger, lemon rind, earth and brioche, mild on the attack but followed by layers of complex flavors of lemongrass, citrus and honey, glides into a ridiculously smooth finish with mineral streaks and lemon drops
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1/23/2013 - Harry Cantrell Likes this wine: 93 Points
Pale gold. Very fine bubbles. Nose was acidic, citric. Taste was the same. Seems very young-let age a few years at least. But still good.
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1/22/2013 - RayOB Likes this wine: 98 Points
Drank at Davy's
First of all I have to thank Ian for sourcing an immaculate bottle of this for us to drink. What wonderful stuff. It has the crisp freshness with a deep rich complexity in a perfect balance. The smooth small bubbles bring everything to life. A lot os smiles around the table. You know that you are having a classic when the whole table goes quite. Did I mention that it is excellent and beats the '02.
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1/18/2013 - Blake Brown Likes this wine: 96 Points
this marquee bubbly is one of the best 96` bottles I`ve had out of many I`ve enjoyed since release; a little toast, salt and spice accompany the citrusy fine mousse; it`s crisp, rich, lush and a mouthful of delight.
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1/1/2013 - chefdilletante wrote:
Questionable provenance, so notes may not reflect top quality bottle. Toasty with firm body but lacking depth.
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12/31/2012 - cucycling Likes this wine: 92 Points
good not great, expectations might have been to high or bottle is passing prime. Still a nice way to ring out the old year.
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12/31/2012 - pakabear Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very nice, but not as good as previous examples.
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12/25/2012 - JimN wrote: 94 Points
Very youthful. Meringue, buttered biscuit. This likely will score higher in the next decade. Hold.
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12/24/2012 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still very tight with alot of tangy acidity and verve. Still seems to need a considerable amount of time to hits its peak.
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12/22/2012 - DRDean58 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Super, but not as impressive as I had hoped. Unfortunately, slightly corked.
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12/15/2012 - jreis wrote: flawed
The potential was there - lots of crisp apples, limestone and beautiful crisp citrus on the nose with very similar notes and some sweet vanilla on the palate. Unfortunately, it was mildly corked and the corkiness only became more pronounced as it stayed open.
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12/9/2012 - botrytisvirtuoso1819 wrote: 96 Points
nose; acacia honey, spices, oyster shell, and minerals.
palate; lemon olive oil, biscuits, nutella, and orange peel.
medium bodied.
medium plus acidity.
45 plus second finish.
one of the best dom perignon's of the past 30 years, along with the 1982 and 1990.
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12/8/2012 - Burgundy Al wrote: 95 Points
Eighth Annual White Truffle Dinner (Chez Weber - Chicago IL): Still incredibly fresh and vibrant, lots of energy and concentration. Ripe apple with lemon and lemon oil. Comes across as lean and coiled with great long-term cellar worthiness. Served alongside the DP 96 Oenothèque, I once again preferred this "regular" bottlong to the Oenothèque.
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12/7/2012 - Blake Brown Likes this wine: 92 Points
For me, this Dom has shined beyond belief from the get go and although I`ve had a few that were somewhat tight and shutdown, all I`ve had have been very enjoyable; still youthful and evolving, this one was in the style of the others with lots of acidity, spicy, citrusy, some biscuit and floral notes along with crispness and palate pleasing texture and with great length.
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12/7/2012 - clayfu wrote:
Needed about a hour of air, but once it did it showed impeccable balance on the palate. A wonderful nose of baked bread and stone fruit while on the palate a dose of sea spray, pear, apple create a roundness on the palate. Soft textured champagne with the acidity balanced in nicely, not very concentrated but elegant and sexy.
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12/1/2012 - Papies wrote: 96 Points
A majestic wine. Both the colour and full on nose show some age here and it is in a much better stage to be enjoyed vs its oenotheque sibling as expected. Full on toasty, yeasty notes on the nose, with light citrus notes and minerality. On the palate it is still very vibrant and with depth and it's starting to shed the sharpness of its youth. Deep, long, complex and simply amazing now but with great ageing potential. 96 easy.
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11/8/2012 - Alexis A wrote: 95 Points
Side by side with the Oenotheque. Much more open and accessible. Fruitier and less austere. Lemon, peachy, pineapple, flowery. Lovely champagne and entering a really nice period.
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11/5/2012 - 16% Likes this wine: 96 Points
Still exhibited white flowers and eucalyptus on the nose. Considerable efflorescence. Crushed rock, lemon oil and pear up front.
Opened on a whim, but glad I did. Definitely past prime and not stored in perfect conditions but fantastic nonetheless. A classic.
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10/28/2012 - Jeff Leve wrote: 96 Points
1996 Dom Perignon is a mineral driven, Champagne with complicated notes of bread, citrus peel, lemon, floral and nut aromas. Rich, creamy and soft, the wine is more open, offering a lot more pleasure than it did, just a few years ago.
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9/24/2012 - abh wrote:
Classic French Lunch: Wow this is a good showing for this. Still youthful, but gaining in complexity and gracefulness all the time. Much more classic - and more balanced - than the Cristal alongside.
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9/18/2012 - lepetitchateau wrote: 96 Points
This started out super young and even not particularly impressive... but it really evolved brilliantly with some time! Yum.
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9/3/2012 - wkphang wrote: 94 Points
Great example of champagne, nice nose of fruits and minerals, fine bubbles and I can easily drink a case of this!
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8/4/2012 - Bisty Likes this wine: 93 Points
Served blind, courtesy of Magnus N!
Loads of minerality. Quite mature on the nose with very refreshing acidity and citrus notes. My wife thought Dom P immediately...
The real thing!
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6/17/2012 - abh wrote:
Drinking some old bottles...: The most withdrawn showing of this I've had so far. Clean, precise and very young seeming, but the richer, lusher aspects of its character seemed to be hiding today.
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6/12/2012 - gfm10 wrote: 95 Points
Excellent Champagne!
What can I say?!
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6/5/2012 - Wrighty wrote: 92 Points
This was still light and fresh although flat upon opening. Filled out over a couple of hours but has now lost it's early sprightlyness.
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6/2/2012 - cab blends wrote: 98 Points
100 Point Wine Dinner: My second tasting of this after the past few years and hapy to see my scoring is consistent. Smooth and dry yet a hint of dirty cellar in this bottle. A great champagne especially after a few sips.
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5/15/2012 - Burgundy Al wrote: 95 Points
Mazis-Chambertin Dinner (Sepia - Chicago IL): Second time to have this wine in less than a month, this was exactly like the bottle from last month. Great way to start our dinner. Much more fresh than most other 1996 Champagne. Sad to only have 5 bottles in my cellar.
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4/28/2012 - mxpbuy wrote: 94 Points
Sampled 4/27/12. Still a baby wine. This wine lacks a citrus or acid urgency or directness. It is more like a slightly creamy White Burg. Plenty of slightly overripe sweet tangerines and lemon notes, but not cloying and still definitely a brut. Acidity is there but understated and is a firm but also supple backbone. Some hazelnuts hiding. Some yeast, but sweet. And only a hint of the green apple I am used to in DP. A wine that is still clearly evolving and yet showing such incredible potential. I'll come back in a couple more years.
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4/27/2012 - SimonG wrote: 95 Points
Dinner with R&Y and B&A (Home): Quite pale, some fine bubbles but quite subdued. Fresh and lemony with a lovely fine, creamy mousse. Very elegant and poised. Effortless really. Very fine and very classy - ready for drinking but years of development ahead of it. *****
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4/23/2012 - psmith wrote: 95 Points
Has fattened up since the last time I had this, and taken on more of a candied orange and hazelnut profile. Rich, round, and delicious. Still quite young.
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4/23/2012 - Burgundy Al wrote: 95 Points
Dom Perignon Dinner (NAHA - Chicago IL): Still incredibly fresh, a great 96. Aromas of ripe apple and plenty of lemon. Same apple and lemon on palate, still long, precise and powerful all the way from start-to-finish. Tasted alongside the 1996 Oenotheque tonight, I once again preferred this "regular" 1996 cuvee.
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4/22/2012 - wdb001 wrote: 97 Points
Beautiful aromatics. Notes of pear, honeysuckle, and minerals. Wonderful acidity and complex and long finish. Probably my only chance to drink this wine, and it was memorable. Fantastic.
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4/14/2012 - jreis wrote: flawed
Corked!
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4/8/2012 - curtr wrote: 96 Points
In a great place right now.
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4/7/2012 - Racer117 wrote: 95 Points
Bottle generously provided by Javachip. Moderate bubble structure, lighter golden color. Muted nose of apples, mushrooms. Big flavors of mushroom, apples, yeast, and lemon based acidity. Fabulous.
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4/7/2012 - Javachip wrote: 94 Points
San Diego WineSpectator.com Offline, 4/7/2012 (Casa Red Guy, San Diego): Non-blind. Clear light yellow color with fine streams of tiny bubbles. Subdued bouquet of apples, pear, almonds, white grapefruit, chalk, limestone, croissant. Maybe even some white chocolate. Exceptionally refined, elegant, complex, magnificent. That said, I cannot justify the current price given the restrained nose on this wine. My one experience with Krug Grande Cuvee a few years ago impressed me more than this Dom. My #1 and group's FIRST PLACE in this flight of non-red wines.
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3/26/2012 - Pknut wrote:
The nose shows a bit of mustiness when first poured, giving the impression of age. The bubbles are barely a light spritz, hardly noticeable in the glass but a faint tingle on the tongue. The palate is mostly white fruit with shades of yellow gold, good poise between youthful and slight attributes of age, some flowers, ginger, brioche, almond, light mushroom that is the remnant of the initial mustiness that stays with this wine over the course of the evening. There is a suggestion of creaminess, but the wine is taut and tapered in the mouth, no fatness at all. Randy gifted me this bottle many years ago, so I brought it to dinner at Rothmann's for us to enjoy.
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3/11/2012 - tbabes wrote: 97 Points
I had bought this from the PLCB a few years ago at a good price, and honestly I was a bit worried about the provenance. A beautiful straw-gold color. A lovely bouquet, with scents of freshly baked bread, crushed stones, flowers, almonds and apple. Medium to full bodied, with a creamy mid-palate, great acidity and structure, with great focus on the finish.
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3/4/2012 - AlanM68 wrote: 92 Points
Perhaps this is going through a quiet period. It wasn't as expressive as previous occasions. It's still fine - gentle mousse, light citrus taste, good length - just not as complex as I remembered.
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2/28/2012 - tarheel17 wrote:
STG does California Cabernet (Seattle): served blind to start
I could identify it as a champagne compared to the CA sparkler it was up against. This had more minerality, less sweetness, and greater depth. I won't kid myself, however, I had no idea it was 96 Dom. (In my defense, I've only ever had this particular wine once before, and other than that, probably 2 other vintages of Dom ever). After the reveal I let it sit in the glass as we tasted the reds, where it developed more complexity, at least in my head it did.
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2/20/2012 - Shanta wrote: 96 Points
Precise, dazzling citrus flavors, in a feather light, biscuity mouthful. Sheer elegance.
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2/13/2012 - Sleepy Dave wrote: 95 Points
2012 - Lunch and Hi-Tea: Alcohol :: 12.5%
Opened for 8hrs. Medium golden. This is still pretty tight and powerful on the nose. The aromas is deep and intense, with layer and layer of honey, red apple, melon, hazelnut and touch of oxidative note that display hazelnut, yeast and vanilla oak. However, the palate was showing better here. Soft entry with tremendous richness that offer concentrated ripe yellow fruits core and accompany by touch of honey, nut, mushroom and oak and all perfectly balance and supported by the firm, fresh acidic backbone. Stunningly pure with razor sharp precision and focus. The wine flowed through the palate elegantly yet with excellent intensity and power. Especially at the finished, the wine seems got turbo charged which giving amazing grip and length. As delicious as a DP could offer. This classy DP will have no problem to age for the next decade or so and continue to drink well for another 2decades.
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2/11/2012 - BradE wrote:
A very good bottle of 96 DP. I've generally tasted this with large groups of other 96's, and its always been good, but out-shined by the Krug line-up, both Cristals, Salon, and others. It was nice to taste it by itself, and it was the best bottle I've had.
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2/9/2012 - ColinR wrote: 98 Points
Gold, lively fine mousse; oranges, shortbread, cherries, minerals; dry, apple, lemony, toasty, yeasty, minerally, light body, excellent balance, zingy acidity, excellent structure, long, long finish.
Brilliant gold with fruit, buttered toast and a saline minerality on the nose. Tightly structured but balanced with super long finish. High pedigree here, best enjoyed on its' own. WOTY.
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1/28/2012 - Bisty wrote:
Served blind.
The corked was totally stuck and had to be removed with the help of a wine opener.
Light yellow colour, with a fair string of bubbles.
Straightforward fruit reminiscent of Prosecco, although the alcohol weight was more pronounced. No traces of developed second fermentation aromas and quite oned-dimensional on the nose. No minerality whatsoever.
Straightforward fruit without concentration nor depth.
I suggested, and maintained my position, that this was not Champagne at all. I feel convinced that this was a pirate bottle or at best, the guys down at the bottling line have pulled of a fine, but costly, practical joke. Qualitywise I would give it about 80 points.
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1/18/2012 - Sleepy Dave wrote: 95 Points
Some 2009 Burgundies.... (Artisan Cellar): Alcohol :: 12.5%
Popped and poured. As expected this is very tight right out of the bottle. Ultra fine bubbles and very perfume on the nose, tight and highly intense on the palate. The wine slowly giving more with about 60mins of air. Intense aromas of white peach, red apple all wrapped by a touch of honey, hazelnut and butter that accompany with perfume yellow floral scents. Very attractive. This bottle is clearly showing much better than the previous, more open-knit with air. Ultra fine moose explode on the palate with care, very intense. Really lovely lushness and purity here, superb detail layer that gentle expand across the palate with massive concentration of sweet yellow fruits, green and red apple, mineral, honey and nut all blended perfectly well with the huge but fine and ripe acid backbone. Really delicious, everyone like it. This has such power but remain light on its feet and very elegance. I especially like the very fine detail finish that just goes on and on. Lovely.
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1/14/2012 - Champagneinhand wrote: 98 Points
This shows almost no age, but when drunk from a chardonnay glass the fruit is very apparent. Red apple and lemon to start with the brioche and a crisp acidic mineral backbone that keeps this really tight. After being opened for 90 minutes the fruits changed more towards gooseberry and hints of ginger, and butterscotch danced around. Nice fine small bubbles filled the glass and didn't really disperse, even in the large glass. This wine was still a light straw color and these '96's really have the potential to last well into 2030. They may very well out-live their Krug counterpart. The finish was long filled with mouth puckering citrus acidity.
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1/5/2012 - phansen wrote: 96 Points
One of my favorites.... Still young and tight
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1/4/2012 - fredb Likes this wine:
Laser-etched lot code on bottle: LABZCBN.
Light gold color. Medium bead with bubbles ranging from fine to coarse. Fresh and clean aromas of ginger, lime, lemon, flowers, butterscotch, and chalk. Chalky lemon-lime palate with strong ginger notes that carry into a toasty butterscotch finish that is long and full of lemony acidity. This bottle lacks the mushroomy notes of a bottle from two years back and seems much fresher. From the same purchase on release. Exquisite now with plenty of upside potential. Drink if you have many or hold if you have few.
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1/1/2012 - Chaz Bham wrote: 96 Points
All the complexity it's known for, humming at a good spot 15+ years on down the road. The haters can hate, but Dom is still Dom. I still can't get over the staggering fact that about 150,000 cases of DP are produced during a vintage year (~ 2 million bottles !). To produce wine at this quality level at such a gargantuan scale is a stupendous feat.
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1/1/2012 - pcotton wrote:
Drank with James and Jenn new years eve 2011
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12/31/2011 - Gobi wrote: 96 Points
This wine still exhibits some youthfulness with a yellow straw color and slight green on the rim with very pronounced bubbles that are a bit larger than usual. The nose is simply complex with roasted almonds, sliced green apples, smoke, toasted bread, orange peel, and a floral component on the end. On the palate the wine gushes with lush white fruits on the attack, a mix between tart green apples with pear compote. The mid-palate reveals a refreshing acidity that is not overdone but quite well integrated with citric and toasty flavors, leading into a mouth puckering dusty mineral finish. The wine has many dimensions of intense flavors, great balance, smooth texture, a full bodied structure that takes over your mouth.
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12/31/2011 - DanielJ wrote:
I had this bottle for a long time. Bought it at Marshal Fields (remember them?) Stored it at home for a couple of years in the Chicago area, then in storage for a few years while we lived in China, then moved it to Miami for a year and then to California for 2 years. After all that it was very delicious. Nice complexity and a bright/interesting carmel/honey flavor. I don't drink enough Champaign to rate it. But, it's really really good.
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12/31/2011 - jfat1202 wrote: 95 Points
Very smooth and airy. Yeasty and nutty
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12/26/2011 - mariolanza wrote: 96 Points
Still incredibly youthful, this will last another 20 years!!!
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12/26/2011 - drjb wrote: 96 Points
Xmas Day 2011 : still very young - pale straw colour, fine nose of bread, lemon, honey and green berries. Palate fine and balanced - great length. A long keeper.
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12/23/2011 - jpb2007 wrote: 89 Points
Vin carafé et servi.
Bulle fine, vin assez corseté, très droit, bonne longueur.
Me donne l'impression d'un vin fermé.
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12/20/2011 - PhDP Does not like this wine:
Nos 10 ans: Champagne 1996 (groupe du mercredi, Bruxelles, Belgium, chez PhDP): Eh bien...tombe de son piédestal ! Une légende, mais un style que je qualifierais d' 'international'. Manque de personnalité, manque d'élégance. Formaté.
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12/13/2011 - Tartiflette wrote: 93 Points
This one needs some time in the glass, before it is fair to judge. Medium, straw yellow color. Nose very closed to begin with. But with time opens up. Lots of yeast, dough, caramel, brioche, toast and citrus. Long aftertaste. And lots of acid left. I will most certainly like this one better with some more years in the cellar.
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12/8/2011 - Goldstone wrote: 94 Points
Dom Perignon Dinner (2002,1996,2000 Rose,1971) (Man Wah Restaurant, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Hong Kong): More golden in colour than the 2002 that preceded it but is still young-looking. Nose is...WOW....very light but rich acacia honey, scents of honeysuckle, hints of acetone, high notes of a violin, lots of fresh-toasted brown bread.....and lovely brioche at the back end...complex, rich but surprisingly understated. Palate is....oooh...rich, rich brioche but still with a very balancing sharp acidic cut. Very bracing.... a touch of ozone....and Epsom Salts. Surprisingly young and vibrant, although quite heady. A definite notch up from the 2002, but not as scintillating as the 1996 Oenotheque we drank alongside it.
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11/29/2011 - discoverwine wrote: 95 Points
Drank this bottle to celebrate my engagement to Rachael in May of 2011. The bubbly was divine!
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10/23/2011 - Wrighty wrote: flawed
Slightly corked and therefore a bit flat. Sense there's a
Wonderful wine in there but not this bottle :(
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10/21/2011 - Lombardi wrote: 96 Points
I've heard so many nice things about this wine and I finally got to drink it. It's better than I thought. It's in such a nice stage. We had this side by side with the DP '96 Rose (in the same night we also had '85 Cristal and '85 Salon). Hard to describe how nice the nose is with amazing toasty, kind of sweet notes. The palate was amazingly fresh and mineral with different layers of green apple, apple. Long long finish! This is pure and creamy. Having had the '96 Oenotheque recently I must say this is superior at this point, probably due to a matter of development. The Oenotheques will get here I think possibly showing even better.
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10/20/2011 - e-r.portzline Likes this wine: 98 Points
Stellar bottle of Champagne. The 1996 is as impressive as expected. Impressive on the nose with yeasty bread scents, aromas of nuts, very slight fruits scents. Medium-bodied, long on the palate. Should age incredibly well. Might even rate 100 points as it ages.
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10/8/2011 - jwolf99 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Fantastic stuff. Pear, apple, and fresh, crusty bread aromas and flavors; lively citrus notes woven throughout plus cherry accents on the long, long finish. One of the best champagnes I've had.
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9/25/2011 - JeffW wrote: 96 Points
Spectacular. Had bottle at Arroyo Chop House. Beautiful.
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9/22/2011 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 94 Points
The Big Two (Bar Boulud): Now we're talking. The acidic spine to this presents an immediate and forceful contrast to the 2002, which wasn't nearly so tensile; this is like a high-tension steel cable of a Champagne. The fruit is still bright and youthful and doesn't taste any more evolved than the '02, either, but it has developed the powerful mineral presence and craggy texture that was only hinted at in the '02. Formidable! But tasty too.
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9/20/2011 - salil wrote: 94 Points
Impressive stuff; packed with layers of fresh baked brioche, rich citrus and white fruited flavours and doughy and yeasty notes with a sense of power and freshness. There's lots of depth here, great balance and length - fantastic way to start the evening.
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9/19/2011 - J @ y H @ c k wrote: 95 Points
Starter, 60th Birthday at Del Friscos. Wonderful champagne, just the level of yeasty brioche I like in a Champagne. Not overly tart or uber-brut.
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9/19/2011 - tbabes wrote: 98 Points
A monumental champagne that is drinking wonderfully at present! Notes of brioche, white flowers, and white fruits. Rather full-bodied, with a creamy texture, great depth of flavor, and impressive delineation on the finish.
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9/5/2011 - Sleepy Dave wrote: 93 Points
Alcohol :: 12.5%
For some reasons, this has been opened and corked back for about 3weeks! I didn't know about this and I popped the cork there was a really loud POP sound, just like popping a brand new Champagne. The bottle was truly vigorous and very very fine. I thought this was opened for 3days and I was shocked when I knew this was first opened 3weeks ago! Amazing and mind bending. Light golden yellow, despite the aggressive bubbles, the nose is muted, only give away very intense chalky mineral nose and yeast but you know there are loads of material underneath. Fortunately, the palate was quite open for business. The bubble hit on the palate like a wave, very strong and explosive in the beginning but it became soft and ultra smooth when it filled the mouth. This has the usual high acidity from 1996 vintage but at the same time very good sweetness that keep this in balance and round, not sharp at all. Solidly structured, large scale and weighty but wonderfully balance and pure. A light oxidized note (due to such long aeration), layers of citrus, grapefruits, green apple with chalky mineral that leads to the very long, detail, complex finished and lingered effortlessly with the refreshing minerality. This is absolutely top class DP and will be able to age in another decade or more. 93-95
Requested from my friend to put in my impression in Chinese:
集合了天时，地利，人和再加上家族背景的加持，他的出生注定不平凡。金黄色的液体充满了强而有力但细致的气泡，就像是一位拥有鲜明的轮廓和近乎完美的强健体格的贵族公子，还很年轻，羞涩但充满无穷的活力和潜力，我相信经过时间的洗礼，琢磨。假以时日，他一定会成为一位沉稳，风度翩翩的绅士。
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7/23/2011 - Invinoverytas wrote: 96 Points
This is our go to bottle of bubbly. A great vintage that keeps on delivering. Well balanced, creamy bubbles, dry finish. Could drink this all day.
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7/8/2011 - Paul S wrote: 95 Points
Oh What a Night! aka Kelvin's Stag Party (Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck, Paragon): Boy this was a good bottle! Rather overshadowed by the stupendous 1996 Krug on the night, but at any other occasion, this would have been a world-beating Champagne. The bottle had already been opened for a bit by the time I got a glass, so it was going at full tilt. Really nice DP nose here, still a bit tight maybe, but really nice, with lovely earth notes framing gently sweet fruit scents of apples and cherries, maybe a bit of vanilla and brioche at the sides. Very pretty, but the palate was even better. It was just so wonderfully drinkable and beautifully balanced, with beautifully clear, pure red apple fruit flavours layered across a deep mid-palate. This was met by subtle floral highlights and then some cherry accents, all opening up towards a beautifully long finish where the succulent fruit mingled with delicious notes of spice, yeast and mineral. Every bit of the wine was perfectly integrated and so wonderfully pure. This was a feminine beauty to the Krug's masculine class. Such a treat to taste them side by side. Judging by the bottles we had on the night, this was rather more ready than the Krug. Quite good to go with a bit of time in the glass or the decanter actually, although I would say keep it for another 3-4 years for best effect.
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6/25/2011 - Biskuit wrote: 95 Points
Wow, this wine was on tonight - one of my favorite wines in a long time. The acidity is what separates this from the pack.
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6/24/2011 - floydtp wrote: 89 Points
CellarTracker Wisconsin June 2011; 6/24/2011-6/25/2011 (Madison, WI- various venues): Tasted non-blind at a wine dinner. Some peaches and pears. Wasn't a big fan of the texture, not very creamy with somewhat harsh bubbles. Finish was buttery. To be fair, I have never liked the house style but I have liked over vintages better. Seems to have plenty of life left in it.
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6/24/2011 - wineismylife wrote: 93 Points
CellarTracker Wisconsin Offline I - Part One (Madison, WI): WIML93+
Tasted non blind at a wine dinner.
Light yellow to yellow color in the glass, clear looking throughout with light beading. Nose of matchstick, brioche and yellow pears. Flavors of yellow apples, yellow pears and a bit of lemon zest. Medium to bright acidity, full bodied. Drink or hold.
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6/24/2011 - petitblanc wrote: 92 Points
CT Wisconsin Offline; 6/24/2011-6/25/2011 (Madison, WI): Ebullient fine bubbles forming a cheerful mousse. Musky nose that isn't particularly inviting, but very nice on the palate, showing peach, pear, nice citric acidity. Crisp finish. Fine showing, but the nose did detract a bit.
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6/19/2011 - JeffW wrote: 95 Points
Got this on a bad day. Was still great. Beautiful citrus and nice finish. Just didn't seem as powerful as other bottles.
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6/13/2011 - alamoave wrote: 93 Points
As crisp, clean and pure as could be hoped for from a full-bodied champagne. Great to for a great evening. Hard to say how long this will last. Probably decades.
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6/13/2011 - abh wrote:
Burgundy Lunch: This is in a fantastic place now. Far more open than a bottle a little less than 2 years ago. Rich, opulent fruit, while being incredibly precise and light on its feet too. Superb.
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6/10/2011 - ews3 wrote: 93 Points
not as complex as I remember prior bottles being. Remains extremely youthful, and has a long life ahead.
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5/20/2011 - jeff nowak wrote: flawed
too many in a row to be a coincidence. methinks i got a bum heat damaged case. back to the vendor.
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5/19/2011 - kstoddard wrote: flawed
Corked and heat damaged. Brought by Jeff. Hopefully someday he'll run out of this stuff.
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5/15/2011 - DrewWyman wrote:
Fantastic! A very nice fine bead, green apple and pear. Wonderful wine!
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5/14/2011 - tarheel17 wrote:
beautiful. superbly structured with a dense and long-lived finish. To quote Darth Vader, "Impressive. Most impressive."
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5/7/2011 - profiler54 wrote: 97 Points
Popped and poured at George's California Modern, La Jolla. California. Clear Pale straw color, Nose of floral, toasty oak, bread yeast apples, wild honey, stony minerals. On the palate elegant, crisp, toffee-drenched, nutty with good acid levels. Medium acid, fine mousse, excellent balance and long and lingering finish. Paired extremely well with raw oysters on half-shell. Classic Dom!
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4/16/2011 - Lord Rayas wrote:
Dinner with Warren, Martin, Eric, Philip, Andy and wives (TBLS): Very fine
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4/8/2011 - MarkC Likes this wine: 95 Points
Pure, crisp green apple, hints of yeasty bread, great mouthfeel and balance. This was soooo much better than it was 5 years ago--it's in a really great place, but it will also be interesting to see it in 5 more years. (PE: 95)
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2/26/2011 - ews3 wrote: 96 Points
incredibly youthful, with apple, nut, and citrus notes. only a very light autolytic note. still very vigorous mousse, this will age for a while yet.
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1/17/2011 - jeff nowak wrote: flawed
crikey! second bottle opened, and i think this is heat damaged. i bought a case of this from costco, and have now had a run of bad bottles after doing well initially.
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1/17/2011 - jeff nowak wrote: flawed
determined to be corked by the on site cork gurus. i just thought it was lousy.
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1/17/2011 - kstoddard wrote: flawed
G6 (Jeff): Cooked. 12.5% alcohol.
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1/17/2011 - kstoddard wrote: flawed
G6 (Jeff): Corked and cooked. Suspect provenance. Note to self: avoid Arizona Costco's for high end wine especially during the summer months. 12.5% alcohol.
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1/7/2011 - jreis wrote:
Drank alongside a 96 Henriot. Still a great consistent performer, but this bottle was a little more closed up than the last bottle I had a year ago. Very light color, intense tight nose of yeasty bread, limestone and green apples. Pure intense minerality and green apple fruit on the attack with some nice vanilla notes on a very long persistent finish. A pleasure to drink, but still on the young side.
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1/6/2011 - BuffaloBandit Likes this wine: 96 Points
An absolutely beautiful bottle of champagne. A delicate perlage with notes of toasty bread and a hint of green apple. Drinking really well right now, much better than the 1990.
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12/31/2010 - jrobs7777 wrote: 96 Points
New Years Eve Cabernet and Dom Blowout (Our House (2033 Brandywine St., Philadelphia)): Terrific. Showing aged character, but gracefully. Toasted bread, nutty caramel on the nose but also green and red apple. Palate has smoothed out. Caramel and nut covered apples. Fresh. Toasted bread and sweet baking spices. Shade oxidized. Finished very strong. Most surprised by the fresh ripe fruit. Definitely many years ahead of this one.
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12/31/2010 - ews3 wrote: 95 Points
New Years Eve Lobsterfest! (Roberts House, Philadelphia PA): mousse is still vibrant on this, with little color variation between this, an 00, and an 02 DP. lots of yeast on this. still quite youthful with green apple, and citrus notes that, combined with the acidity on this make it a wonderfully refreshing and lively champagne.
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12/31/2010 - Kirk Grant wrote: 94 Points
Dueling tête de cuvées (Miyake in Portland, Maine): So this was quite an experience...we tasted this over the period of about 3 hours. Initially it was quite tight and closed down...not offering much on the nose accept some hints of minerals and citrus. The palate showed promise, but was also quite tight. However, after about 2.5 hours the wine finally started to blossom. It really is too young to get the full potential out of this wine right now...however, it's still a pleasure to drink!
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12/31/2010 - gorm wrote: 94 Points
New Years Eve 2010/2011 (@Home): Nice and open for business. Welcoming nose of bread, lemon, nuts and toffee. Purists will find the nutty toffee flavors over the top, but to me it is part of what makes this a very pleasurable wine. Maybe not the most complex or personal champagne, but very pleasing.
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12/29/2010 - Harry Cantrell wrote: 93 Points
Pale yellow with fine bubbles. Nose of an older Champer with bread/yeast and citrus. A hint of oxydative note in the nose. Taste was similar with more citrus and vanilla. Nice, but others liked more.
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12/25/2010 - jeff nowak wrote: 91 Points
nice wine, but somewhat sweet, and not as richly textured as i would prefer. can a champagne enter a dumb phase? i clearly have been less enamored by recent bottles than earlier ones.
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12/14/2010 - Jeff Leve wrote: 97 Points
1996 Dom Perignon is rich, fat, creamy and filled with the perfect of amount of acidity to give it the right amount of lift. Citrus, yeast, stone and almond notes start off the perfume. The exudes freshness coupled with soft textures and a long finish. At close to 15 years of age, it's statring to show well, and it's only going to get better from here! This is one of the better young Champagnes I've tasted in ages. It's a stronger wine than the just released 2002.
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12/13/2010 - WetRock wrote:
Vintage Champagnes - DP, VC, Henriot, Vilmart (Legends Cellars): Pretty yet tight. Focused and concentrated. I think this needed some air and more bottle time but it clearly shows potential in a way the 02 hasn't for me. There is still some sulfur around. It didn't last long enough for a revisit of course. Very nice with its best days ahead of it.
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12/13/2010 - Paul Lin wrote: 93 Points
Vintage Champagne (Legend Cellars - Irvine, CA): This otherwise fabulous wine seemed a bit shy today; I suspect that it is still a little shut down. However, in spite of its reserved appearance, I enjoyed the elegant notes of unripe nectarines, chamomile, lemon verbena, crushed minerals, and almonds. Polished on the palate with a racy acidity and refined finish.
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12/12/2010 - austinwinesalon wrote:
The Other Great French Blancs: Champagne and Sauternes (Wink Restaurant, Austin, Texas): How strange? I thought this the best young Dom I'd ever had for several years, and now that it's grown up, it practically disappeared in this flight--a champagnophile told me that it was the company it had in this flight. The wines were that good. Clean, lean, with many layers, it had a slightly restrained nose of white flowers and citrus acid, followed by a bright citrus and mineral palate that had lots of descriptors: “salty air, wet stone, hot concrete and cold rain,” lemons, creamy tart, vanilla, “masculine sandalwood and man-sweat,” dirt yet floral, very strong limestone mineral flavors, saline/yeast/pepper, and light, delicate lemon spritz. Wow, and this wine seemed closed compared to the others in the flight. Will continue to improve, and may jump over its competitors here some day.
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11/12/2010 - docwines wrote: 98 Points
near perfect champagne
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11/3/2010 - UTPK wrote:
Blind tasting of Krug, Dom Perignon, Bollinger RD and Selosses Vintage, all 1996. The best of the bunch, voted blind, by most tasters were the Krug, but the nose of Dom Perignon was so sexy and plush, almost like a great mature Montrachet. The palate however, was lacking some grip and nerve. The Krug was very open for business, much more than I had anticipated. Actually the 1988 is still more closed and probably will outlive the 1996. Maybe 1996 is a faster maturing vintage, and oxidizing quicker than first believed? Anyway, after 30 minutes in the glass, the Krug nose was very evident and stood out from the rest. The Selosses showed very bad, unbalanced and weird, but not flawed. The Bollinger RD was the freshest, with very good balance and lovely piercing acidity combined with fat, toasted fruit. Some tasters believed the Bollinger was the best drinker at this moment and would pair excellent with food.
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11/2/2010 - Søeborg wrote:
Sweet and very approachable wine - almost overripe with hints of truffles in the nose. Lacked a bit acidity and structure in order to be well suited for food. Drinkable now - probably not as long lived vintage as previously assumed.
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10/23/2010 - dbg wrote:
Forward nose of citrus, toast, yeast, nuts, nice body and excellent balance and fruit, but not yet complex, medium finish, outstanding but should improve with more age in the cellar.
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10/13/2010 - mwanasheria wrote: 98 Points
Very lively, acidic. Peach, citrus, nuts, cream, toast. Lingers on the palate forever. A great great bottle of champagne.
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10/12/2010 - darren81 wrote:
8.5/10 - Much more reticent on the nose than I expected. Goes to show the quality of the vintage that a 14 year old wine can still be very much a young wine. Great and effervescent beading in a pretty golden hue. Lots of clean citrus with some cream, toast and nuts. The wine possesses a fantastic zinging acidity with a long finish. It was a very enjoyable experience having this with a great and fresh sashimi platter.
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10/11/2010 - gondrik wrote: 93 Points
Good but not spectacular
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10/2/2010 - JJL wrote: 93 Points
Progressing nicely. Still not near potential, but that will come with time.
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9/28/2010 - paha wrote: 90 Points
Not my cup of tea, yet... I think I will open my second bottle in 2016+. Nothing wrong with the bottle, but there was nothing great either. Apple, pear and citrus fruit on the nose, no complexity, yet.. A bit of a disappointment, but I guess a I opened it too soon.. my fault...
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9/21/2010 - WendyT wrote: flawed
Flat and undrinkable
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9/20/2010 - Bunski wrote: 96 Points
I had this after a wonderful round of golf so my rating could be a little inflated. Popped and poured and just a fantastic refreshment yet fruity with nutty undertones and complexities on the long finish.
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9/19/2010 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 98 Points
This bottle was purchased upon release and cellared in pristine fashion. Medium yellow robe with very brisk tiny bead. The nose is quite intense, but does not fully express its nuances until the bottle is taken off ice and allowed to warm up about five degrees. It then shows aromas of lemons, almonds, nutmeg and toasted bread. Medium-bodied on the palate, with nice acidity and a beautiful, lively mouth texture. The middle palate is full and the finish is long and crisp. It was a beautiful match with grilled Maine scallops. While this wine is nice now, it is definitely still an infant. Drink 1/15-12/25.
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8/8/2010 - theusualsuspect wrote: 96 Points
This wine has never seen a temperature above 53 degrees since acquisition upon release. With that in mind it is a baby. Plenty of yeasty toast along with plenty of froth, it isn't remotely there yet, and needs another several years to develop, and will live far beyond that. Bodes well to be the best Dom ever, and I for the longest time have thought that was the 1964. Stay tuned.
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8/5/2010 - punter wrote: 96 Points
Quintessetial Dom; lines and curves in all the right places; young, firm, hedonistic nose; palate shows crisp, distinctive fruit framed in citrus with a deep, long finish that is surprisingly refreshing. The best part? As good as it is today the best years of this vintage are well ahead. I believe that history will show the '96 to be the most ageworthy, and ageless, Dom up to this vintage. It is extraordnary now and will become even more so over a long, bright future. 7/23/10 - A pinnacle from the house - 96+
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8/4/2010 - gondrik wrote: 93 Points
Very pleasant but not their best
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7/15/2010 - JeffW wrote: 98 Points
This is spectacular. The bead is fine; citrus flavors perfectly in balance.
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6/16/2010 - PC73 wrote: 91 Points
Wow. Golden in colour. Obvious Chardonnay nose. Sweet and fruity, nutty and buttery. Very fine bubbles. Overall well balanced. So much more like fine wine than nv champagne.
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5/18/2010 - Tpety wrote:
Excellent bottle. Fine mousse with hints of slate and slight citrus.
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5/8/2010 - spaciello wrote: 100 Points
I've had this Champagne twice in 2003, once in 2008 and recently in 2010 (4/25/10) it is amazingly consistent. A smooth taste of peach and other fruits that lasts and lasts. I still have two left and I'm sure it will last another 15 to 20 years. It's the best I've ever had. I would definitely give it a perfect score.
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5/6/2010 - igaf wrote:
Old note. Very pleasant, tasty bouquet balancing rich flowery and honeyed notes with lightness and freshness. Very rich, complex palate, very creamy, quite mineral, but the acidity is a bit lowish. Seamless finish and very long aftertaste.
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5/1/2010 - Atreyu wrote: 98 Points
Lys farge. Utrolig kompleks nese, denne vinen er alt på en gang. Jord, stål, sitroner, kaffe. Svært energisk med skikkelig "grep" gjennom hele smakskurven. Hver gang man smaker er det en ny egenskap ved vinen som skiller seg ut. Men vinen er nok noe lukket, den krever full oppmersomhet for å vise hva den har å by på.
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4/26/2010 - noppakit s. wrote: 99 Points
@ Pola Pola, Bangkok, Thailand.
Another bottle that I got from a cellar in Japan many years ago. Still showing all the most beautiful things that best Champagne should be. Floral, elegant, clean, sexy and dramatic. Medium-bodied, superb balance, very smooth and silky in texture, elegant and complex with a mild-blowing aftertaste.
The 14 years old Dom Perignon is very very ready to drink and will be at this peak for another 4-5 years then becomes the good old Champagne.
IMO...Drink it now !!!
I should rate it 100/100.
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4/8/2010 - jeff nowak wrote:
sickingly sweet, and bore no resemblance to previous tastings. weird. NR
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2/28/2010 - poppa wrote:
Lovely, multidimensional. Toes that line between power & elegance. Has decades of life ahead it.
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2/20/2010 - PanosKakaviatos wrote: flawed
Corked.
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2/19/2010 - JJL wrote: 93 Points
Drinking nicely tonight. Very smooth, nice texture, some strawberry on nose, lemon and butterscotch on palate. Not overly complex, just straightforward good.
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2/13/2010 - pea wrote: 93 Points
Still promising
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2/1/2010 - mhenry wrote:
Glad I drank this along side an "ordinary" champagne so that I could better experience an outstanding one. I rarely drink champagne so I have no idea if this is a good as it gets. Nice but it was probably wasted on me.
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1/20/2010 - winefool wrote: 94 Points
IWFSC Governors Lunch (Dan's): Another delicious showing for this wine - getting a little better if anything.
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1/9/2010 - fredb wrote:
Medium yellow in glass, showing some deeper notes. Medium bead. Rich nose of butterscotch, sweet earth, flowers, and ginger-spiced baked pear. On the palate, this shows sweet butterscotch, lime, mushroom, pear, and a rocky quality. The fusion of fruit and earth notes is not fully integrated at this point, but the indications are that the material is there for this to become something special in time. Not bad to check now, but it is sacrificing future potential. Hold.
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1/1/2010 - MBS wrote: 94 Points
Powerful with great balance. long after taste and very sophisticated-NO TOASTIE
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12/31/2009 - JohannesNilsson wrote: 90 Points
Deeply disappointed. Not showing a thing of what I expected.
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12/31/2009 - jreis wrote:
This wine really lives up to the hype and high ratings. It has shed some of the hard edges of its youth and has a beautfiul nose of baked bread, strawberries and almonds. Nice fine bead, delicate mousse, beautifully and consistently balanced between sweet apple and limestone minerality from attack all the way through to a very long finish. Outstanding.
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12/31/2009 - JeffW wrote: 97 Points
still improving. Powerful with great balance. long after taste and very sophisticated
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12/30/2009 - PanosKakaviatos wrote: flawed
Top Burgs and Bubblies (Dino Restaurant, Washington DC): There followed the corker number one: the Dom Perignon 1996.
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12/23/2009 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 95 Points
Wonderful wine with minerals, dough, pear and apples. Balanced and long finish. One of the best Champagnes I ever had.
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12/21/2009 - Fookonson65 wrote: 98 Points
Just fantastic. Nice, crisp, well-balanced with great finish. Delicious fruit with great blend of marshmallow, nuts and bread. Best champagne we have had in quite some time.
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12/21/2009 - Miceri wrote: 96 Points
Vivid, toasted nose, quite sweet but well balanced, soft, round, just very nice.
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12/19/2009 - Vinacull wrote: 93 Points
Deep straw color with hints of copper (unknown storage), lots of fine pops. Festive but tight nose of toast, baked apple, citrus. Wish I could have given the bouquet time to unwind and grow in the glass, but circumstances did not permit. Vibrant apple and citrus on the palate along with roasted nuts and toast. Fresh minerals lend complexity in a long finish. Still quite youthful. Outstanding but even better days ahead for this bubbly.
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11/30/2009 - Employee500 wrote: 95 Points
Both rich and vibrant/vervy at the same time, great complexity. Great flinty nose....
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11/10/2009 - Life At Your Leisure 🍷 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Just had a 1996 Dom Perignon Champagne for my parents' anniversary. It has a pale yellow-gold color with magnificent clarity; a sharp nose with hints of wheat bread, oak and undeniable French earth. The palate is very concentrated, crisp, with layers of pure fruit, toasted nuts; greatly-balanced acidity - making it utterly refreshing and hard to stop drinking! The finish is very long and makes you want to hold on to the flavor. Quite arguably the best vintage I've had from Dom Perignon. Could last another 10 years. Drink now until 2019.
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10/23/2009 - Burgundy Al wrote: 95 Points
Birthday with Vosne Romanee (Boka - Chicago IL): Nose is all lemon and lime followed by a hint of apple. Great Start to the night! This is exactly where I like my Champagne, before the stale toast and yeast take over. Same citrus flavors with amazing texture, mouth feel and acidity. Long and powerful, I really like where this is today; I know others will want to see how it develops, blah blah blah.
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10/23/2009 - MatthewF wrote:
Alan's Vosne Romanee Birthday at BOKA (BOKA Restaurant, Chicago IL): Toasty citrus nose with some baked apple as well. Great texture with fantastic minerality and acidity. Clearly needs time to turn into something fantastic, but still showing great and a pleasure to drink.
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10/21/2009 - PatrikO wrote: 94 Points
Better on second day, very young and vibrant, still overshadowed by the much more powerful and complex 1990.
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10/1/2009 - 60ouvrees wrote:
Didn't hit the heights of the '85 DP drunk earlier this year but still a very good bottle.
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9/30/2009 - Margauxguy wrote: 98 Points
Spectacular bottle, just starting to show secondary charectoristics, bright, full and rich, some toasty nuances coming around. maybe the best bottle of Champ I have had in a long time
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9/28/2009 - abh wrote:
Utterly fresh, tight, lean wine. Better in a big glass where it gave up more complexity and to me the chardonnay component became more evident. Wonderful bead and balance but still an infant.
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9/26/2009 - tyvoodoo wrote: 94 Points
Really tight with lots of bright citrus fruit and zipping acidity. Roasted almonds, brioche and yeasty dough. Need a ton more time, lots of promise there.
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9/12/2009 - pricseno wrote: 99 Points
Incredible 20th anniversary celebration - loved it!!
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9/11/2009 - Champagneinhand wrote: 99 Points
better than i even remembered, i think this rivals the krug from '96. these bottles will be perfect to celebrate the doomsday prophecy in 2012
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9/1/2009 - aof wrote: 95 Points
Birthday Dinner (Sontes, Rochester, MN): Wonderful aromatics on popping the cork. Quite racy and complex with nutty flavors. Long, remarkable finish. It evolved in the glass over an hour, suggesting a substantial upside in the near future. Altogether a very elegant, focused and highly refreshing champagne.
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8/24/2009 - Mr T wrote:
This wine remains quite young to me. Opened for our 15th anniversary and drunk throughout dinner. Unfortunately Sue had a nasty cold and I am still jet lagged. That said, this is a delightful bottle of wine and it remains very crisp with a an incredibly fine bead. I would gladly drink this any time. I am not sure about my notes though, as I was foggy and not really paying attention.
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8/19/2009 - KenK wrote: 93 Points
Jim's & Angelo's Birthday Wines at Vie (Vie (Western Springs)): Light in color with slight golden hue.
Good floral nose with and light sweet fruit edge. Clean and vibrant.
Nice weightly wine featuring sweet baking apples in a creamy style. Some slight earthy quaility on finish. Wine was nice, but a bit below my expectations as not very complex at this stage 93
Some thought wine was a touch musty maybe even some TCA that I did not pick up.
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8/13/2009 - DAN BAILEY wrote:
Again, a little more golden colour development than the 98 and 2000. First hint of oxidisation on the nose. Lovely, creamy mousse. Seems more integrated and harmonious than previous wines. Quite a large, broad shouldered wine which is already a gorgeous to drink although obviously very primary.
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8/12/2009 - Silverswimmer wrote: 96 Points
Blind (against a 99 LP Brut Millésimé ) at Noshers"wine with simple food" do.
Deep straw with wonderful fine mousse, viscosity of a Montrachet,nose of buttered toast and damp garden herbs. Complex with layers of aromas.
Massive entry,bounced off the hard palate,uctous yet balanced acidity.
Long and stlll wonderful after two hours in the glass-LP was by then dead.
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8/3/2009 - *Vine* wrote: flawed
Drank alongside the 1995 and 1998 vintages of Dom.
Unfortunately, this bottle was corked. While undoubtedly a most impressive example of Dom, the slight mustiness never blew off.
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7/6/2009 - peternelson wrote: 93 Points
Babita: Lighter yellow color; elegant slightly yeasty, busquit nose, not super aromatic; this is all about the palate: silky, beaut. entry, perfectly proportioned and balanced, creamy, but not weighty, expansive, intense vinous, white frt, minerals, long ass fin. Slight oily tuna thing--but not as much w/this one. W/Johnny, Michael, James. Excellent w/ceviche, red snapper.
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7/4/2009 - vintage61 wrote:
Brought to NYC and drank with Robert, Lisa, Jenn. Still way too young for me, but slightly better than first bottle. Pale yellow color with larger mousse. Slight yeast dough aromas but no palate to speak of. Score withheld. Still hoping the rest of the world is right.
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6/16/2009 - brynmair wrote: 92 Points
I accidently chilled this one for a big dinner and I think we paid for my mistake. This champagne tasted young and was not as integrated as I would have liked. I think this one will get there someday but was not the occasion I expected it to be.
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6/10/2009 - TheBusiness724 wrote: 91 Points
Sotheby's Pre-Auction Tasting (Sotheby's, New York): This was pretty good. Creamy, with minerals and hints of citrus (especially orange) on the palate. This did not excite or wow us at all, but perhaps our expectations had been set a little too high in advance. Certainly enjoyable.
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5/25/2009 - jeff nowak wrote: 94 Points
vibrantly tight mousse, rich and creamy in it's youthful expression. difficult not to offer this when practical, but i need to hoard a bit more selfishly.
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5/23/2009 - Champagneinhand wrote: 99 Points
simply outstanding, what else to say.
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5/10/2009 - Winevestor wrote: 93 Points
A great bottle. However drank it blind in a tasting against a Domaine Ste Michelle Brut. The tasters were split down the middle. This is direct from the Wine Trials book and it is true. This is now the second time I've done this with similar results. Clearly to Domaine Ste Michelle is playing well above its pay grade, but that should not diminish what a great bottle of champagne this is.
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5/10/2009 - Winevestor wrote: 94 Points
The yeast is prominent, acidity is great, wonderful champagne.
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5/4/2009 - Rupert wrote: 94 Points
After being underwhelmed on the two previous occasions, this time I got it. Such fine bubbles, a lacy texture, a lovely buttery tone to the fruit, it contrives to be delicate and powerful at the same time
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4/26/2009 - DougLee wrote: 93 Points
Brought to birthday dinner at the Space Needle. Crisp, almost weightless, refreshing, effervescent. The perfect wine for the occasion.
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4/20/2009 - Russell Faulkner wrote: 97 Points
Easter Holiday Champagnes (France): Immediately reductive, but packed with candied fruit, very light on its feet but full of verve. The only 96 that feels too young to drink.
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4/19/2009 - vindictive wrote:
Good acidity, typical profile. Not spectacular, but noticably better than the 1993 Vilmart that we had next to it.
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4/11/2009 - Al Ehrhardt wrote:
Excellent champagne. Very elegant, fine mousse, well balanced. Pretty fruit, nice adidity. A real treat.
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4/5/2009 - numen wrote: 96 Points
Served slightly warm (around 60 degrees) and enjoyed over about 2 hours. This is not just superior Champagne, it's fantastic wine and should be appreciated as such. Consumed with "Hunan" sauce and Chinese food -- actually an excellent and recommended match. Nose was biscuity, slight fruit, and something else, maybe the smallest trace of mint (?). The mousse was the finest, most luxurious that I've had in any Champagne. Taste can be described as having exceptional balance with nothing dominating the palate. Eminently drinkable and highly recommended.
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3/29/2009 - burningstarIV wrote: 96 Points
50+4+14+19+9=96
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3/25/2009 - JJL wrote: 91 Points
A bit industrial on the nose, like acetone. Very smooth texture in the mouth, no harsh edges. Nice on the front palate with citrus, mineral and vanilla. Finish was a bit vegetal, almost fennel like. This was a good champagne, but clearly overshadowed by others in the vintage including Krug, Clos Saint-Hilaire and Salon.
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3/23/2009 - theusualsuspect wrote: 92 Points
As admirable as this champagne is, it is an infant. Slightly citrusy elegance that slides beautifully across the palate. But nonetheless quite closed - I remember how much more the wine offered on release. In maybe ten years this bottle will be a total show stopper and take its place among the greatest Dom Perignons, and it may well turn out to be the greatest. Today a 92, down the road maybe a 100.
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3/21/2009 - swyang wrote: 95 Points
Best champagne I've ever had. Very delicate indeed, yet with lemon zest, hint of vanilla, nuts, bread crumb,white flowers, and a lingering, reverberating finish.
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3/18/2009 - Fagernaes wrote:
Martssmagning Vinstyrke 12 (Hos Ais Egede i Lendum): Let gylden farve. Normalt ikke mig, men dette er en fantastisk flot champagne.
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2/23/2009 - wino_tim wrote: 93 Points
Light, but ethereal, offering delicate flavors of lemon meringue, sea shell, white flowers, vanilla and white peach. Persistent and nearly explosive on the palate with layered white peach flavors and mouthwatering acidity.
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2/10/2009 - DJenkins wrote: 95 Points
Sumptuous, but still years away from maturity. Save remaining bottles
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1/24/2009 - gschneider wrote: 95 Points
Awesome, perfectly balanced and ready to drink although could last and will mature for many years to come. Breadbasket, stony, full of minerality.
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1/18/2009 - jwink wrote: 97 Points
Perfectly balanced NOT overly dry, asidic, or "hot", just perfect! Notes of pear on the nose. Lots of layers of flavor covers the palate completley, apple is predominate along with lemon peel and a creamy sensation with a nice "bite" lingering in the back of the mouth. The bubbles are extremely tight, as can be expected with DP; this is the best vintage of DP I've ever had, and I've had quite a few bottles over the years.
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1/13/2009 - tplskylrk wrote: 95 Points
Fantastic. Light yellow/gold. Smallest of bubbles. Sharp attack, giving way to rich creamy palate. Ripe sweet Pears, Apricots on the tree, peach fuzz. Huge mouth smacking fruit finish, that goes on, double swallow choker.
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1/1/2009 - dannagle wrote:
perfect champagne - as always - happy new year
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12/27/2008 - dcwino wrote: 92 Points
Dinner at Cityzen, 82, 86, 89 and 90 first growth and LMHB (Cityzen, Washington DC): Very fine mousse, lemon zest, hint of almond but slightly off and not fresh enough. A discussion ensued regarding the bottle variation in Dom, in particular the 96. The success rate being around 70%. Not the best example of this champagne but still not bad.
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12/25/2008 - enosnob wrote: 95 Points
12/24/08: Light yellow color and a nose of crushed rocks, citrus, honeysuckle, lemon oil, orange marmalade, pear and anise. The taste is wet cement, mineral, toast and yeast, apple and pineapple. There is a wonderful texture and balance in this full bodied and luscious wine, with perfect acidity and long tart, spicey, mineral finish.
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12/20/2008 - jivey wrote: 92 Points
Perfect balance, great fine bubbles, citrus with cleansing acidity. Great bottle of Dom.
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12/20/2008 - jeff nowak wrote: 96 Points
a beautiful wine, a majestic bottle; very sharply focused, and delicious.
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12/20/2008 - goofy Yno wrote: 95 Points
nice citrus nose,almonds and bread. wonderful mouth, good complexity, long finish.
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12/20/2008 - kstoddard wrote: 97 Points
Holiday Party (Jeff): My fifth opportunity to try this wonderful wine and its best showing yet by a mile. Pale yellow in color. Tropical fruit nose. Pears, apple and lemon on the expansive palate. Perfectly balanced with very nice minerality and intensity. A super elegant and complex finish that lasts for minutes. Simply outstanding.
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12/8/2008 - WetRock wrote:
Vintage Champagne at Jay Selman's Office (The Board Room): Some sulphur on the nose initially opening a wee bit to some citrus. Palate seems tight with plenty of lean citrus and maybe some green apple and hard acidity. Finish does pick up in a pretty way with air. This seemed closed to me and didn't offer up the depth I've seen from this before. Mine stays asleep for a few more years.
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12/7/2008 - ginfizz wrote: 90 Points
Average intensity biscuity, doughy, sweet nose, with infintesimal bubbles. Medium intensity flavors of brioche toast, and red apple fruit. Persistent flavors, but not terribly concentrated. Certainly not in the same league as the 90, but perhaps just needs age. Drink or hold.
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11/28/2008 - Harry Cantrell wrote: 91 Points
pale yellow with fine bubbles. This nose announced early on that this was closed for business. Acid and citrusy lemon on the nose. A bright fruit in the mouth. Good, but clearly better a few years ago and hopefully better in the years to come. Do NOT open until 5+ years from now.
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11/21/2008 - rsepulve wrote: 97 Points
Bright and lively yet rich and profound. Crisp green apple and pear, baked bread. Long mineraly finish. One of the better expressions of this wine I've had.
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10/17/2008 - Champagneinhand wrote: 99 Points
I only gave this a 99 because I don't know what a 100 would taste like but this champange was out of this world. Nice fresh biscuits with smoth citrus and a hint of vanilla. I just can't over emphasize how everything in this champagne comes together. Long finish, I was even tasting it while laying down to go to sleep. I will definitely by a full case for I believe these will be hard to find in the near future, and that impresses me for Moet releases over 1 million bottles when reasing a vintage. Blows awy the 1990, which I loved which in turn was better than the 1999. This vintage is dead on with the Krug 1995-1996 releases. If Krug was Louis XIV then dom '96 would be Marie Antiounette. In ten years or more the case will be dying to have their heads lopped off on New Years Day.
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10/11/2008 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 91 Points
Musigny Mass Murder (Plates): A sweeter showing than any I can remember, both in literal sweetness (most apparent when the bubbles calm down) and the tropical flavor and fatness of its fruit. Still scorched with the classic toast which keeps some of the exuberance of the fruit in check.
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9/24/2008 - clayfu wrote: 96 Points
laser like intensity on the acid and fruit. Handfuls of apple, citrus, and minerals tossed in with toast for a long finish. So easy to drink with that silky almost cream like texture! You can just down this stuf. Still needs some time to really express itself, I know more of that fruit is going to burst through and really explode but woooo what a champagne.
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9/5/2008 - socidelvino wrote:
Opened to celebrate our move in to apartment in Hamburg
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9/2/2008 - Rupert wrote:
Jane and I shared a bottle of this over the evening so we could give it proper attention. I still don't really get it. There's an impressive stream of fine bubbles, and it certainly has a fine texture. But the fruit is tight, and there's a faint mustiness there (which I don't think is TCA). It's steely and vinous and I can well believe more years will turn it into something special. But today?
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8/25/2008 - dbkitc wrote: 94 Points
(at Christopher Daniel – Baltimore) In a different league. Sharp citrus and toast dominate a long and fine wine that is still years away from peak. Lovely. (94+)
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8/11/2008 - cona wrote: 95 Points
Great 96. Developed presntation however pinpoint acid. Sunning mouthfeel in an elegant Dom style
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7/21/2008 - Topper wrote: 93 Points
This was completely delicious and I would have it often if available. That said, it was somewhat lighter and more delicate than I expected and wasn't quite able to stand up as the sole accompaniment to a lobster dinner. I would have next time before or after dinner and appreciate it more for itself.
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7/16/2008 - numcwrt2 wrote: 96 Points
First bottle of this, for our 5 year anniversary. On the nose, biscuit, yeast. An incredibly rich yet precise palate with apricot and pineapple. Great stuff. Next bottle in 10 years.
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7/15/2008 - Claudio161 wrote: 91 Points
Champagne and Sushi BYOB Dinner (2045 N Damen Ave, Chicago, IL - (773) 235-5775): Nose: yeasty notes accompanied by some candied citrus and some floral wisps
Palate: Textbook and classic Dom profile champagne. A very sexy and alluring champagne that is solid all the way across the palate - very rich and creamy texture.
Overall: I liked the 1998 better this evening. Yes, I know - I can hear the boos and hissing. For whatever reason the 1998 struck me as more interesting this evening. 91 points.
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7/15/2008 - cobbpa wrote: 93 Points
Champagne & Sushi (Coast Sushi, Chicago, IL): Very yeasty nose, legitimate fresh bread notes. Great mouth filling texture brings across fresh tastes--fresh fruits, slightly tart apple, and leads to a long, nice finish. Very elegant & smooth.
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7/15/2008 - KeithAkers wrote: 93 Points
Champagne and Sushi (Coast, Chicago IL): nose: very complex, dense, and creamy nose of vanilla, bread, creamed pears and apples, along with bits of exotic spices
taste: extremely creamy and full flavors with apples, creamed pears, bread, various fruit tones, and vanilla extract
overall: a great attack of creamed pears and apples that just grabs your attention. A very dense wine with lots of complexity, this is still young but grabs your attention and shows what Dom can do that then ends with a great vanilla extract finish
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6/23/2008 - Cheryl wrote:
Cheryl Does France and Doesn't Hate It (Skinner's Loft, Jersey City, NJ): Nice. No yeast. Lots of lemon. A little cream on the finish. I had the 95 Krug last night and would be torn to say which is better. This is definitely enjoyable if you like champagne.
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6/20/2008 - reichken wrote: 94 Points
Hawksmoor (london) golden yellow color-biscuitey lemony nose, smooth and lovely in the mouth, a touch of sweet citrus and yeast. this drinks great, not as acidic or zippy as salon or krug or some the BdB's but very long, very full in the mouth and great zing...i love the 96 champers
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6/18/2008 - la turque wrote:
This had some cork taint. Not rated.
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6/1/2008 - BlumJ wrote:
Simply outstanding. A full-bodied bubbly to my palate. Baking breads, coffee notes (yes, even at this young stage), honeyed lemon. Long, long finish. Impeccably balanced.
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5/25/2008 - sdr wrote: 93 Points
Greg's bottle and what a beauty it is already. Almost all the DPs I've tasted young were disappointing; they seem to need many years to open up. But the heady mixture of pear, ginger, apple and baking spice flows out of this bottle even before the wine can reach the glass. It has that sensation of sweetness without sugar which is very enticing. And the finish does not disappoint, but I could not wait for it to fade before taking another sip - or another glass.
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5/14/2008 - jeff nowak wrote: 94 Points
lacks the stunning complexity of krug and salon, but certainly, it is a lovely wine.
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5/5/2008 - noppakit s. wrote: 99 Points
I'm not sure how many bottle of Dom 1996 I ever tested.
One of the best, elegant, flowery......feeling the same.......
Great and my style....Champagne should be like this....just beautiful for celebrate !!!
That's all.
Drink end of 2009 - 2019....99-99+/100....
ps. it need 45 mins for breathing...at least. Any question ? ( leklatache@hotmail.com )
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5/2/2008 - Kirk Grant wrote: 95 Points
What a treat it was to drink this...on the nose scents of fresh baked bread and a light hint of fresh cut strawberries. In the mouth were flavors of kiwi, granny smith apples, and citrus. This beautiful Champagne is among the best that I have ever had. The finish on this wine was 60+ seconds and the flavors were so very bright & vivid...
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4/25/2008 - theusualsuspect wrote: 94 Points
All the goods are there, but this wine (this bottle has been impeccably stored since release) has more or less gone into a shell. Apply mineral nose, great citrusy richness on the palate but very much now dominated by the acid through the finish. A shadow of what it was when young, but when it emerges, it should be among the greatest Doms. Like many 1996's, the scale of the wine is stunning. This is a Dom that may fit the Krug window at this point. Drink it young or wait twenty years.
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4/12/2008 - 2loyal wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful bubbly, but no more spectacular than some much lesser known RM Champagnes I've tried in recent years. Just didn't quite live up to the hype or really distinguish itself to me.
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4/4/2008 - pian0_player wrote: 100 Points
Not sure what more you could ask for in a Champagne. Mineral, citrus, strawberry, wonderful structure, depth and complexity. There may be better Champagne out there but I certainly haven't tried it. Flawless and lovely.
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3/29/2008 - wineismylife wrote: 93 Points
DAWGS offline with GreenDrazi (Suze in Dallas, TX): WIML93-94?
Tasted March 29, 2008. Opened and served immediately. Light yellow color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Tight, slightly yeasty nose with some additional notes of yellow pears and yellow apples. A bit of bright cherry flavor up front with some notes of apple and citrus fruits. Medium to bright acidity, medium to full body. Seems in a bit of an awkward phase from previous bottles so I might be tempted to hold at this point.
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3/23/2008 - astrauss wrote: 95 Points
served with Easter ham. toast and yeast tone on the nose with loads of crisp acidity on the palate.
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2/14/2008 - mr.krasnow wrote: 94 Points
Cavier and champagne, bliss
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1/1/2008 - cormyr wrote: 97 Points
so complex, seductive. mineral, floral, crisp fruit. balanced acidity, a touch of oak. finicky. needs to breathe alot or age for many years. very temperature dependent, needs to be a bit warmer than iced, the temp of a fine white burgundy. when it's on, one of the finest whites you can drink.
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12/30/2007 - Arcturus wrote: 97 Points
Delicious. Tasted alongside a NV Leroy Duval just for comp sake. Dom showed gorgeous bouqet of hazelnut, yeast, dough. Crisp acidity and a smooth long, lush finish puts this in a class by itself vs the cliipped and fizzy Duval. 97
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12/16/2007 - Eric wrote:
Rather intense, mushroomy, less forgiving than another recent taste. Still, we slurped down this mineral laden beauty with pleasure. The best taste though was a half glass left sitting and revisited some three hours later. This had blossomed into an awesome glass of truffled white Burgundy. I really continue to enjoy this Dom.
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11/23/2007 - KPB wrote: 88 Points
Very pale gold, with fine bubbles. Nose was rather simple: sweet flowers, lime, yeast. Seemed a little dilute to me; not remotely as good as I had hoped.
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11/22/2007 - EricBe wrote: 85 Points
Wow, I expected a lot more from Dom; this was...well, just kinda "there".
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11/17/2007 - pakabear wrote: 97 Points
Amazing balance, so very crisp and refreshing... easily one of the best champagne's I've ever had.
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10/25/2007 - Eric wrote: 98 Points
Dinner with Manlin at Lampreia (Seattle, WA): Mindblowing. I haven't had this wine for about 18 months and pulled this one on a whim. Wow, glad I did. Spiny, intense, with a funky mineral nose more reminiscent of White Burgundy than Champagne. The palate is electric, so young and clean, loaded with citrus, amazingly dynamic, creamy, and powerful. This bottle disappeared quickly among 4 of us, but I saved 1/3 of a glass for several hours. At the end of the evening it was even better, amazingly complex on the nose and palate, vinous, powerful, clean. A 1990 Krug served next to this was blown off the table by this young baby.
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10/21/2007 - JeffW wrote: 97 Points
superb again. Keeps getting better.
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9/1/2007 - Triple H wrote:
Took to the Corkage Free night at Canlis. Bottle was placed in an ice bucket upon arrival and once popped, I let it stand on the table. At first it was quite reticent and too cold, but still clearly better than the earlier stuff. After about an hour it had really changed. I was surprised at the freshness and vibrancy from an 11 year old wine. It simply dances on the palate and lingers for ever begging for more. I can see how this could develop further in years to come, but Holy Cow is this good now!
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9/1/2007 - reichken wrote: 94 Points
Drank before italian food-nice light gold,tight small bubbles..biscuit and cream crackers on nose and palette..also a little lemony, acidic...needs more time
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8/28/2007 - PatrikO wrote: 92 Points
Drank a bottle with family on a very hot night in Mahon. A very good drink, nice fizz with good acidity and notes if apple, pear and lemon.
Very nice and dry on the palate. However, can only get better with time, this is slighlty too young to drink now.
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8/26/2007 - Keith Cooper wrote: 85 Points
Maybe our expectations were too high, but we were generally disappointed with this wine. We shared this with four other wine drinking friends, some of whom drink champagne regularly. I think it's fair to say it didn't really do it for any of us. There was nothing wrong with it, with good fizz, some nice biscuit and yeast and a reasonable finish. But quite honestly, it was hard to tell it from a regular house champagne. So, in our minds, certainly not worth the huge premium in cost terms. I guess that it's probably still far too young to be showing any exceptional qualities and maybe we need to return to our second bottle in about ten years time. Possibly fifteen years. So the moral is, if you only have one bottle, keep it a lot longer. Sorry, we only give it 85.
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8/25/2007 - JJA wrote: 98 Points
As usual, this was outstanding.
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8/13/2007 - Danielusmc0331 wrote: 94 Points
Had a bottle on my Bday. LOVED IT
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8/5/2007 - sdr wrote: 90 Points
I'll rate this conservatively for now because I am sure there is much more to come in 5 - 10 years. Explosively bubbly but very tightly wound. Yet with just 15 minutes in the glass some of the hidden reserves of wheat and citric fruit peek out and it becomes more interesting with each sip. Even at this very young age, the '96 DP seems more interesting than the '90 or '95.
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7/31/2007 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 92 Points
When in Romanée... (Eleven Madison Park): Playing its cards a little closer to the vest than the last time I had this wine, this continues to show its huge proportions and rich lemon-custard fruit—once again I found it more like a blanc-de-blancs in character than any other Dom I can remember—but the toasty, flinty thing seems to have been swallowed by all the fruit.
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7/27/2007 - A&B wrote: 93 Points
Slightly disappointed, nice lemon and bread notes, round.
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7/27/2007 - kousgaard wrote: 95 Points
What can I say? This must be the best glass of wine I ever been tasted. Heavenly in my mouth and even I haven't been near this class in Champagne, I know this is the right thing. Served with lobster and good friends around the table.
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7/22/2007 - Johann Von Mastiff wrote: 93 Points
This wine was the start of a great night of wines where everywine looked fantastic. Dom is never one of my favorites but this bottle looked great.
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7/17/2007 - noppakit s. wrote: 99 Points
I tasted and Tested it more than 10 times but this perfect bottle ( I buy it in Japan ), it reached the perfect maturity time.
Every single element is so perfect. I have nothing to say....for the real fan of this Champagne....The Must and Most Wanted !!
Small white/yellow flowers...Oops.
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7/7/2007 - gorm wrote: 95 Points
Dennis' summer tasting: Light yellow. Bread, lemon and nutty aromas and flavors. Broad and round. Maybe a bit closed? A really classic and wonderful champagne. 95+.
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7/1/2007 - JeffW wrote: 96 Points
Great bottle of wine. Great effervescence and nice balance of acid and fruit. Toasty with a long finish.
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6/21/2007 - liberec wrote: 96 Points
I don't know what to say that hasn't been already. Fabulous!
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6/11/2007 - diablo wrote: 98 Points
Beautiful wine. Citrus, toast. Glides over the tongue.
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5/25/2007 - CamWheeler wrote: 96 Points
Farewell to a Friend: The third time I've had the chance to try this, the first was stunning and the second couldn't have been more disappointing as it was corked! This bottle was very much the equal of the first and served at a perfect time in the meal as an incredibly indulgent "palate cleanser" before dessert. Citrus peel, lemon meringue, toast and cherries on the nose. Beautifully elegant on the palate with brilliant acid structure and depth. Outstanding length and even though it is young, it is already an incredible wine.
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5/18/2007 - cab blends wrote: 98 Points
Charityworks - 100 point wine dinner: This is champagne! I am not a champagne lover but I understand why people can like champagne. Floral and citrusy with no sharp acidity.
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5/18/2007 - cona wrote: 96 Points
A great 96
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5/11/2007 - buckeye76 wrote: 96 Points
TOUCH OF MINERAL AND YEAST IN THE NOSE WITH NICE RICH FRUITS IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR. LONG FINISH.
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5/8/2007 - CamWheeler wrote: flawed
Domathon: Corked
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4/22/2007 - Sav wrote: 99 Points
Spectacular, elegant, exquisite Champagne!!
Very crisp acids support a exceptionally well-endowed wine with copious notes of candied lemons/oranges, and subtle hints of brioche and hazelnut.
It should drink well for 20-25 years, possibly longer.
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4/11/2007 - BeavisCC wrote: 95 Points
A beautiful bottle of champagne.
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4/8/2007 - Sweet Nancy wrote:
Second of four bottles enjoyed for a special occasion. Vibrant mousse with small beads. Lemon and othe citrus fruit and a little spice on the nose and palate. Wonderful mouthfeel on the midpalate and finish. Toasty fruit and long finish with a bit of pepper. Good juice!
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4/1/2007 - wineismylife wrote: 94 Points
DAWGS Offline with Randy Sloan of Match Vineyards (Nick & Sam's, Dallas, Texas): WIML94,WA98,WS93
Tasted April 1, 2007 at an offline. Opened and served immediately. Light yellow color in the glass, clear hue throughout with a light mousse. Nose of brioche, pears and a little yellow apple. Flavors of yellow apples, pears and some cherry fizz on the finish. Medium acidity and body. Drink or hold.
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4/1/2007 - JeffW wrote: 97 Points
Spectacular. Its improved at least a point in the last year. Almonds, Pears, vanilla. Super long finish.
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3/17/2007 - cmr wrote: 94 Points
One of the finest Champagne's I've ever had. Elegant comes to mind in describing it's body and structure. Apple and pear flavors on the palate with a very nice smooth finish.
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3/16/2007 - Roughl wrote: 94 Points
Excellent (see others for extensive notes)
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2/15/2007 - Vino Me wrote: 94 Points
4th time I have had this wine. Opened by Pinot Envy at an offline she hosted in LA last weekend. Same notes as before. 93-94 points.
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2/11/2007 - peternelson wrote: 93 Points
Learn about Wine: Yellow; smells like a Meursault! Intense nose, w/almonds, carmelized apples, basket notes; Beaut. cake-yeasty flavors; memorable; tons of acidity still w/long fin. “Canned tuna” accents!***Intense Meursault-Burg notes w/apples, canned tuna.
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2/11/2007 - JeffW wrote: 96 Points
Great bottle of champane. Its better than six months ago.
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1/29/2007 - the godfather wrote: 88 Points
Super young, this does not do it for me.
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1/17/2007 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 96 Points
I really wish I could dislike Dom Pérignon (motto: billions and billions served) but it's not to be. This is a distinctive Champagne and a great example of Dom, already expressive of that flinty/gunmetal/metallic mineral depth that the best vintages of Dom have, and this one is packed with it. The fruit is bright, bracing, and lemony, almost Blanc de Blancs-like in its precision. A dense, well-structured Champagne with lots of character.
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1/16/2007 - zheem wrote:
Very good. Nothing missing. I especially enjoyed the nuttiness, hazelnuts and almond on the finish. Wish I had another bottle to try in about 5-10 years.
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1/5/2007 - win wrote: 95 Points
Blind Tasting Pinots with K (Blind tasting of Pinots in the corner penthouse overlooking downtown Dallas): Always awesome wine. Usually better than the 98, and still the WOTN.
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1/3/2007 - reichken wrote: 95 Points
drank for xmas dinner with starters
light yellow color, small bubbles. on the nose i got toast, vanilla and some cream, semi dry flavor, creamy, biscuity flavor, left all wanting more
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1/2/2007 - gorm wrote: 94 Points
Light yellow color. Yummy - what a great smell - classic and classy champagne - butter, vanilla, nuts and lemon. Tastewise it's round, integrated, pleasing and open for business, but with great additional potential. Toffee and more nuts. I really like this, but it's nowhere near the level of the Taittinger Comtes. Rating: 94+
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1/2/2007 - NotNYC wrote: 94 Points
A very dynamic bottle. Begins with a very tart and somewhat closed attitude, as though it wants something to go with it.
As soon as we paired it with some caviar, the choir was in complete harmony! Did not work as well with reindeer or cheeses - but with caviar absolutely stunning.
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1/2/2007 - jds wrote: 97 Points
In a flight of champagne on New Year's Eve this 1996 Cuvee was the finest of the lot. Almost too perfect. In fact, most guests preferred the nearly unknown Ellner 1996 for its unigue taste but everyone agreed that DP has the old world class of a great champagne.
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1/1/2007 - E wrote: 91 Points
Classic way to celebrate the new year...a lot of the nut/yeast flavors are softening and more prominent citrus notes, esp lemon coming to the fore....
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12/31/2006 - JFish wrote:
All I can say is it was one of the best champagnes I have ever had. Yeasty, nutty and citrusy with exceptional balance. It bested the 1990 Winston Churchill drank earlier this year which was my prior benchmark.
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12/25/2006 - spacewrangler wrote: 98 Points
Just fabulous on Xmas Eve with family. Wines like Dom are meant to be shared - but once I had an opportunity to smell and taste this beauty, I was yearning for another bottle. The nose just keeps coming at you, persistent citrus, lemon peel, nuts and a creme brulee aroma. YUM. Such a silky wine, the finish literally lasts for a couple of minutes. As close to a perfect bottle of wine I've ever tasted.
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12/24/2006 - mtdv wrote: 96 Points
Shared with my wife, for our traditional Xmas Caviar Breakfast
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12/22/2006 - Matt T wrote: 94 Points
A great wine. Not as wonderful as the first time I had it. Quite pleasant texture, flavor was not quite as pronounced. Perhaps a bit too cold.
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11/21/2006 - Vino Me wrote: 91 Points
Lost Verse generously brought this to the Courtrights dinner. 3rd time I have had this (previous scores were a 91 and 95). It is back to 91 points for me this time. I noticed a some skunkiness on the nose which detracted a bit overall. 91 points.
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11/18/2006 - thelostverse wrote: 94 Points
One of my contributions to the Courtright dinner. Beautiful mouthfeel with hints of bread dough and lemon zest. Very elegant.
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11/18/2006 - AllRed wrote: 94 Points
Chicago Wine Mafia Dinner in the Cellar (Courtright's Restaurant, Willow Springs, IL): Contributed by thelostverse. This is simply too young. There's a nice nuttiness to it at this point, but that's about all I could pick up. What it does have right now though, is an incredible texture and presence on the palate. Needs time to develop.
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10/28/2006 - DFC wrote: 95 Points
Notes consistent with last taste approximately one year ago...fabulous champagne!
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10/7/2006 - winefool wrote: 94 Points
Dom really knocked it out of the park in 96. Light on its feet but with wonderful acidity and fruit.
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9/15/2006 - GreenDrazi wrote: 97 Points
Atlanta Off-line (Bone's Restaurant, Atlanta, GA): Bright and floral nose. Light on its feet, this has impeccable delineation of flavors of lightly toasted almond, pear, yeast and light lemon zest with excellent structure and detail punctuated with absolutely the finest effervescence. Crisp acidity throughout with a long and fine finish.
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9/10/2006 - parrot wrote: 96 Points
3rd time i taste this beauty and i adore this wine. Everything is in harmony, fantastic nose, very crisp and lovely citrus taste. Will only get better.
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9/9/2006 - Tejano wrote: 95 Points
Eight wines and eight courses.... (Cafe Jorge "Mi Casa"): Wow...never expected to get such a harmony of fruit on the nose upon opening, what a treat in that it was an all fruit texture and had a velvet grip that was way to easy to drink...simply delicious, it paired very well with: Smoked Scottish Salmon with Creole Cream Cheese and Chives on Stone Ground Cornmeal Blinis with a Sevruga Caviar Garnish. The sweet blinis, rich...but, light cheese and chives, with the salty salmon and caviar...while an exceptional tasty match, were more of an adornment to the Dom's personality, as the champagne stole the show.
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8/27/2006 - KenK wrote: 94 Points
Chicago's Best Bordeaux Tasting Ever? (Ken's Home): Clean and bright with great dry white fruit flavors wound in vibrant acidity and minerals. Nice classy wine with long finish. Just great with Quail eggs and the cucumberScallops. Great start to a wild evening.
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8/21/2006 - CamWheeler wrote: 96 Points
A very fine bead. Cherry, toast, vanilla, mushroom, flint and herbs on a nose of brilliant depth, just from the nose this is a step up in class. An utterly charming palate that was elegant and almost perfectly structured, while at the same time having breathtaking depth, intensity and an incredibly long, sublime finish. Obviously this is young and not the wine that it will be in time, but it is already shows a level of complexity that belies its age. This was genuinely stunning, a monumental wine.
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8/19/2006 - wineismylife wrote: 95 Points
DAWGS Offline - August 19, 2006 (just a skosh's house in Dallas, TX): WIML95,WA98,WS93
Tasted August 19, 2006 at an offline. Opened and served immediately in a Riedel Vinum Cuvee Prestige glass. Light yellow to yellow color in the glass, clear hue throughout with solid medium bead. Nose of pears, crème fraiche, yellow apple and a little biscuit. Flavors of biscuits, pears, yellow apples and a little citrus fruits. Good acidity. Medium bodied. Well balanced. Sticking with my 3 previous ratings of 95 points. Can be drank now but can be cellared for many years. Based on a current retail price hovering around $125.00 a bottle I’d still say the value here is between recommended and highly recommended. Once again, if you were fortunate enough to get this wine early on around $90.00 a bottle you got yourself an outstanding value.
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8/19/2006 - win wrote: 95 Points
Skosh OL: From a large tasting. Minimal notes. Love this wine. Just like last few times--awesome. 94-96
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8/8/2006 - Toga wrote: 95 Points
It's a stunning champagne, but very young. It comes with a lot of dark bred notes mixed with a small touch of vanilla, butter and a god portion of Porcini mushrooms. Young yes. But still deep and complex, but not so balanced yet. Someone at the table said it smelled of ”fart” in a positive way , but the mushrooms are certainly there and reveals that the champagne needs more time to come together.. The taste is medium to full-bodied but the finish is very long. I left a little portion for later and eventhough the mousse had evaporated it was still very complex like a white Burgundy. (95) for now but it can go higher.
Tasted September 2004 vs Belle Epoque 1996
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8/2/2006 - mreinitz wrote: 95 Points
Everything you want in a bottle of champagne - really delicious. Best if served cool rather than cold, to bring out all the flavors.
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7/12/2006 - kstoddard wrote: 95 Points
Vieux Telegraphe Dinner with Henri Brunier's daughter Catherine (Backstreet Wine Salon, Phoenix): Showing much better than when we had it the week before. Nutty and doughy with bright tropical fruit. Always a wonderful way to start the evening.
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7/12/2006 - Seanr7 wrote:
No rating since I very rarely drink vintage Champagne but this stuff is killer. Had over two nights and was at its best the second night. A bit Yeasty with wonderful citrus flavor, I will stop here as I can not do this Champagne justice with a TN.
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7/5/2006 - kstoddard wrote: 88 Points
Phoenix eRP Offline - White Wines (Backstreet Wine Salon, Phoenix): Something is off with this wine
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6/11/2006 - PurpleHaze wrote: 96 Points
Concur with the note by wineismylife. Must find more. This wine is still young and vibrant.
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6/9/2006 - win wrote: 95 Points
At Piedmont OL. Minimal notes. Hint of slightly toasted honey--awesome! One of my favorites.
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6/8/2006 - MBannon wrote: 94 Points
Nice way to kick off a 10th anniversary weekend at the coast. This bubbly has so much going on it almost needs to be warm to properly taste it. Then the burnt toast, yeast, and mineral flavors come on strong. Mighty fine juice and with lots (and lots) of life left.
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6/5/2006 - wineismylife wrote: 95 Points
DAWGS Offline with mattach and PurpleHaze (Mi Piaci's in Addison, TX): WIML95,WA98,WS93
Tasted June 5, 2006 at an offline. Opened and served immediately in a Riedel Champagne flute. Light yellow almost straw color in the glass, clear throughout with solid medium bead. Nose of biscuits, apples, pears, a touch of citrus fruits and some almond paste. Flavors of pears and yellow apples dominates with a splash of orange and a little cherry fizz on the finish. Refreshing acidity begs for another pour. Very well balanced and a pleasure to drink. Sticking with my previous two ratings of 95 points. Can be drank now but should drinking well for upwards of 20 years. Value recommendation based on a current price point of approaching $110.00 a bottle is still highly recommended. If you were lucky enough to have bought this around the $90.00 a bottle price point before the ratings came out you got yourself an outstanding value.
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5/6/2006 - KevinS wrote: 97 Points
Spectacular -- so much going on. Detailed notes unavailable (birthday dinner), but I've never had a better champagne. Gotta find more of this...
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5/4/2006 - Sommelier81 wrote: 97 Points
Notes from memory. Pale golden color with ultra fine beeds, typical Dom style (5/5) Crisp and acidic nose with notes of green apple, citrus, toasted bread, and butter (14/15). Very fruity and creamy in the mouth, but with great acid to balance it out. Apples, tropical fruits, butter, nuts, and smoke, very mutifasetted (18/20) Beautifully crafted! A truly great champagne with great potential to become legendary. 97 pts!
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4/13/2006 - boxwine_in_hell wrote: 97 Points
When Parker scored this a 98 and said it was the finest Dom ever produced, I thought his swollen liver had finally detached and made it's way up to his brain. I'm going to have to agree with him. I Had the 1996 Cristal the week before and the 1996 Dom totally blew it out of the water and at nearly half the cost. This champagne is beautifully integrated.....nutty, creamy, silky smooth with a perfect bite of candied citrus. I've never scored a wine 100 pts, but this is as close as it gets to perfection in a champagne. I'm really interested to see how this champagne ages, considering it's this good in it's youth! Truly elegant and fantastic.
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4/8/2006 - Eric wrote: 93 Points
First growth Bordeaux at Michael Gordon's (Bellevue, WA): Wow, not a great showing for a great wine. Very aggressive, almost overbearing. Huge and packed with waves of citrus, nuts, very concentrated, but also a bit astringent. Let 'em sleep.
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4/3/2006 - JScott wrote: 96 Points
As good as advertised.
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3/23/2006 - madeiradog wrote: 97 Points
Lighter in color than the Krug, but a simply outstanding nose - very creamy and mushroomy. Fills the mouth with its incredible presence - it is simply delicious.
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3/16/2006 - Charlie Carnes wrote: 99 Points
OH!... to have the '96 Dom again. Bottle #6. The wine is pure and balanced, and incredibly nimble... like the Imperial Reserve caviar we are having to celebrate our tenth! Tasted six times with perfect consistancy.
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3/13/2006 - jarvisdrinker wrote: 98 Points
Had in Vegas with a '99 Cristal, '93 Lagrand Dame, and NV Krug. Gave 98 points and my favorite. Cindy and Joe like Cristal better by a small margin.
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3/11/2006 - Winetex wrote: 95 Points
Dinner at the Wine Cask (The Wine Cask, Santa Barbara, CA): This champagne is just so good it's hard to stop drinking them.
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3/6/2006 - mr.krasnow wrote: 95 Points
wonderful
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2/25/2006 - davetong wrote:
Everyone agreed it was better than the 96 Cristal we had a few weeks back.
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2/16/2006 - jayare04 wrote:
Pear, wheat and citrus with a caressing texture and long finish. Truly an outstanding wine.
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2/14/2006 - Danny Joe wrote: 95 Points
Perfect for Valentine's day.
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2/11/2006 - Arcturus wrote: 96 Points
This was absolutely delicious. 96+
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2/10/2006 - dbkitc wrote:
Fabulous, yeasty intensity. Wound very tight – needs time. (18.5+)
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2/10/2006 - cschorr wrote: 96 Points
Spectacular champagne. Honey and baked apple on the nose. More honey, light yeast, lemon and kiwi in the mouth. Mouth watering and smooth. Can't wait to have another of these.
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1/15/2006 - socidelvino wrote:
Opened for birthday with the girls. Very smooth champagne with hints of peach and vanilla.
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1/5/2006 - mharman23 wrote: 99 Points
Minerality, Citrus, Nuttiness; all came together beatifully. Will try to find more before it's all gone.
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1/1/2006 - sdr wrote: 93 Points
This wine keeps climbing up the scoring ladder as I come across more bottles and begin to understand it better. This particular one was served by Hugh as one of the 16(!) bottles of champagne he opened for New Years Eve. Remarkably interesting panoply of citrus fruits with lime the most prominent, followed by hints of the more exotic, such as persimmon and kiwi, with only a hint of lemon. There was much less jarring acidity than usual for a '96; perhaps the intensity of juicy fruit made the wine seem almost sweet. Delicious right now and it made the '90 DP seem rather dull in comparison. There does seem to be a lot of bottle variation with the '96, not surprising given the 100,000+ case production, but the '90 DP by contrast has been quite consistent.
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1/1/2006 - mrwhy2k wrote: 93 Points
Blind Taste Test from 6 Different Champagnes by 7 different people:
1997 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut - 96
1996 Cuvée Dom Pérignon - 93
N.V. Rene Geoffroy Champagne Cuvee Prestige - 88
1988 Krug Champagne Brut - 86
N.V. Taittinger Champagne Brut La Française - 83
N.V. Korbel Chardonnay Brut Methode Champenoise - 80
Results:
The Dom Perignon and Cristal placed top two among a majority of the tasters, while the 1988 Krug surprisingly placed 4th and 5th on many of the lists.
One of the better Dom’s in last 10 years, with a slight aroma, full body and a complex taste. Easy to drink while leaving a pleasurable after taste.
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12/31/2005 - Hand Doc wrote: 97 Points
Best ever Champagne to date. Opened with great nose of yeast/baking bread. Palate crisp and fresh with 'candied lemon' and citrus.
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12/27/2005 - Will wrote: flawed
Slightly flawed - too bad.
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12/25/2005 - Matt T wrote: 98 Points
This was an amazingly smooth glass. Perfect bubbles, very toasty with a slight hint of vanilla.
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12/25/2005 - Louise P wrote:
Our first Dom and a major disappointment; no "wow" factor; little nose or finish; fairly unimpressive light, citrusy taste (were we the victims of bottle variation?)
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12/23/2005 - Shiraziste wrote: 96 Points
I found the doughy nutty nose rich with toast, and burnt oak. It was interesting as I wasn't expecting such aggressive burnt oak treatment. The palate was sweet with almonds, ripe bananas and sour with lime - clean and fresh citric acid.
There was a richness and full bodied nature to it on the palate, but well balanced and tightly wound with sharp acid and beady bubbles, an awesome contrast. This wine seems to still be a bit unresolved with the acid balance, it's seriously forefront on the palate with extreme zest, it obviously would benefit from cellar time......not that that's any surprise.
The finish was beautifully rich and long in spite it's acid, I love that about Dom.
This wine is inevitably much better than the '90 I had four years ago, much richer with a longer length of finish. This also had a much more aromatic nose than the '90 too, and more bracing acidity, it was definitely better in over all enjoyment.
Cellar for 10 more years for best tasting results, or drink one now if you have a 1/2 case. She's a beauty.
96 pnts now, could become 98 with a little patience.
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12/10/2005 - Eric wrote: 96 Points
Seattle Tasting Group 'End of Year Dinner' #3 (Sammamish, WA): The moment I first sniffed this it simply exploded from the glass, and the first sip was a similar explosion of powerful and vinous Champagne. It seemed pretty obvious what this wine was, because I have never tasted another champagne as massive, packed with citrus oils, minerality and huge expansiveness on the palate. This is simply a bruiser, and I loved every sip, although it is obvious that far better drinking is yet to come.
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12/7/2005 - steffenpelz wrote: 96 Points
2nd Annual Cellar Treasures Tasting (Long) (Asti Trattoria): Still seems young given that it's 9 years old. Only beginning to show the yeasty, nutty flavors one will expect in years to come. Still, one of the best bubblies I've ever had the opportunity to drink.
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12/3/2005 - Will wrote:
Much more evolved than one year ago, the citrus and freshness has been replaced by yeast and toast. I feel the wine can really be enjoyed from now on and the potential is simply amazing.
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11/30/2005 - Fookonson65 wrote:
Stellar bottle of Champagne. Nice crisp acidity, great body, fruit and dough nicely integrated. One of the best bubblies I have ever had. Buy it if you see it.
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11/25/2005 - Cilantro wrote: 95 Points
You can always count on DP to makes an impression. Delicious, full-bodied champagne that is just a delight to drink.
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11/25/2005 - Vino Me wrote: 95 Points
Pinot Envy also bought a case of this for the Friday Champagne reception. My 2nd favorite of the weekend. Pure and refined. Notes of hazelnut, flowers and citrus. The finish just swirled on your palate. Excellent. 94-95 points.
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11/24/2005 - winemike wrote:
Great nose, great wine. A baby, though. Will have to wait ten years to see what it can give.
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11/19/2005 - psmith wrote:
Bold, slightly caramelized nose with some baked apple and floral notes. Accessible and well balanced with bold yeasty flavors supported by ample acidity. Another excellent bottle of '96 Dom. The uncharacteristic, slightly sherried, caramel notes make me think this bottle may have seen a bit of heat but it's certainly no worse for it at this point. ****-/5
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11/18/2005 - futronic wrote: 93 Points
Pale yellow/clear colour with green tinges. Aromas of toast, oatmeal biscuit, lemon, pear, yeast/bread dough. Medium-bodied, lovely mouthfeel. Creamy, with hazelnuts, pear, and lemon. Moderate finish, 30-35s with nuts, toast.
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11/18/2005 - Winetex wrote: 94 Points
From Pinot Envy's case at the Bubbles & Caviar reception; Lovely champagne. I felt like this did not show as well as in the past but it was still great.
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11/12/2005 - sdr wrote: 91 Points
Finally, an outstanding bottle of this celebrated champagne, brought by Greg to Nobu. I have passed up purchasing this before because last year I had it twice and was unimpressed. This bottle, purchased at Costco, was distinguished by its incredible pin-point bubbles and delicate flavors of mixed citrus. Not at all heavy, yeasty or bready. Young of course but not overpowered by acidity like many other '96s. Does not possess a lot of power or length but it's charming and delighful even now.
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11/12/2005 - MBannon wrote: 94 Points
Light to medium yellow color. Closed nose, but elegant in the mouth. Grand Cru Burgundy - with bubbles. Buttery, rich, and crisp. Racy might be more appropriate. Infinitely long aftertaste. Really grows on you.
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11/5/2005 - JJA wrote: 96 Points
We drank this bottle at my wine tasting dinner and everyone loved it. It is a beautiful champagne. Not too sweet, crisp, refreshing and very elegant. Wonderful.
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10/23/2005 - Burgundy Al wrote: 96 Points
Dom Perignon Tasting (Chicago IL): Tasting. Citrus comes through on the nose. Same lemon and lemon peel on the palate with just traces of richer tropical fruit on the finish. Amazing minerality helps provide a texture amongst the best I've ever had in a Champagne. Elegant and subtle.
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10/22/2005 - DFC wrote: 96 Points
Beautiful straw color and a refined mousse. Nice light yeast and some toasted nuttiness on the nose. Refreshing citrus explosion on the attack, and amazingly light and elegant on the palate. Just my style of champagne!
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10/4/2005 - Wrighty wrote: 95 Points
Tried alongside the '95 which was more developed and less refined. Was closed on the nose but opened up on the palate with a very fine mousse and lots of light delicate fruit, balanced with light acidity. The '96 was actually left and finished later in the evening.
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9/24/2005 - Sweet Nancy wrote:
Nice citrus and fruit on the nose and palate. Toast and nuts, too. The mousse was lively and settled down to streams of small bubbles. Very elegant.
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9/11/2005 - psmith wrote:
Austere with bold green apple and toasted brioche. Crisp acids but with well balanced sweetness and a nice yeasty note. Mousse fell apart quickly, probably more on account of the glasses than the bottle. ****-
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9/10/2005 - AndrewSGHall wrote:
Cleveland Offline (Lockkeeper's): Crisp and lively, much less flint and smoke on the nose than 8 months ago. Toasted nuts and soft fruit layers. Not very expressive, but potential shines through.
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9/9/2005 - Stephan O wrote: 94 Points
Fantastic, of course, but I think others here have put their finger on why this doesn't blow me away: it may be dozing for a couple of years. I find some soft white fruit on an otherwise quiet nose, and some hazelnut on the palate. That's about all. And I'm not necessarily a fan of the light- to medium-bodied style. Restrained or no, though, it's quite pretty. Indeed, I could drink it by the truckload if I could afford to. I'm open to the notion that this will pick up another point or two when it matures. For now, I give it high marks for an otherworldly, almondy finish.
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8/22/2005 - Russell Faulkner wrote: 94 Points
Holiday Champagnes (Salon, Bolly, Gosset, L-P, Roederer, Dom P) (Malaysia): Pale lemon, vibrant, many tiny vibrant streams of bubbles.
Tiny bit of sulphur on nose (as I found last time) fresh mineral backdrop
Some nice low level floral notes, elegent (are there any Dom notes that don't include that word?)
Light to medium body, not a strong finish.
I remain to be amazed by this wine, give me MV Krug anyday, but that says more about my style preferences.
A shame to drink now
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8/9/2005 - tsutton wrote: 97 Points
So this is what champagne is supposed to taste like! I had this with friends prior to taking the water taxi downtown for dinner. Enjoyed this on a beautiful Seattle summer evening in my backyard and we all thought it was great. Very crisp and a beautiful straw color. Will be getting more. Went well with the oysters served at Casa Sutton prior to dinner downtown.
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8/1/2005 - Happy Sommelier Likes this wine: 98 Points
Purchased a case of 12 bottles within the first week the wine was released. This is the first bottle opened.
Reviews including R. Parker brought this vintage to international acclaim and demand with scoring that was near perfect. A great bottle to keep for 20 years for a special occasion or to sell providing that you have a proper cellar for storage.
On the eye the wine shows very fine beeds in classic champagne golden coloured wine. On the nose the wine provides citrus aromas well blended with a biscuit with a touch of floral notes. In the mouth there is a solid acidic backbone that doesn't overpower but is quite firm. This is a full bodied style of Champagne that should continue to develop in bottle for some years to come. For those that enjoy "big" and "bold" wines drinking this wine now will provide immense enjoyment. For those that are seeking a more subdued Champagne in which the acidity takes a backseat allowing for more tertiary characteristics to come to the forefront a number of years will need to pass by before opening.
A superb Champagne!
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7/30/2005 - dk_lulu wrote:
Softer than previous tastings of this wine. Cork had good flaring and almost explosive carbonation. Golden straw color. Nose of tightly wound up citrus, with more expressive pear and apricot. Fine mousse. Mouthcoating, wonderfully deep flavors of pear, lemon and ripe peach, doughy bread, with hazelnuts, balanced by somewhat softened acid with excellent delineation in both the mid-palate and remarkably extended finish. Delicate layering of clearly distinguishable fruit flavors and intensities in the mid-palate. Though still very young, either some maturation has taken place since I first tried this wine last year, or another demonstration of bottle variation.
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7/28/2005 - rlysecky wrote: 96 Points
Fantastic.
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7/25/2005 - Koods wrote:
Not much nose. palate was super tight and very carbonated, fantastic to drink at cocktails, went down like water, but really not memorable yet. I am sure it will be great, i am useless at tasting young champagne.
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7/23/2005 - Rupert wrote:
Well, the others, who were tasting this blind, were finding brioche, butter etc on the nose and were loving it, while I, who knew what it was, was struggling to find much taste at all.
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7/14/2005 - Tubbs wrote: 94 Points
Pale yellow with a very light greenish hue. Brioche, yeast, brie, mushroom, marzipan and truffles? on the nose. The palate is light and fruity, a touch yeasty, with green apple morphing into grapefruit. The finish is very complex, fairly light, yet VERY long. This is a nice, fresh, champagne that shows excellent balance, excellent complexity, and a lovely subtle finish. Incidentally, this was an absolutely stunning pair with light crackers and Morbier cheese.
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7/14/2005 - Hammer wrote: 98 Points
I guess one benefit of going on a cruise was being able to drink the 1996 Dom for $115. After having multiple bottles of this on the cruise, I am convinced that it's one of my favorite champagnes. I'm curious to know how beautiful it will be with a few more years of aging. I was talking to a guy at a wine dinner last night and he told me that this was the worst champange and tasted like water. Hmmmm...I'd like to move to where he lives if his water tastes like the 1996 Dom. I love the elegence and the beautiful texture, in which the bubbles dance in your mouth. I just love the nose of lemon zest, tropical fruits, roasted cashew and brioche. I could have drank a few more bottles while on the cruise but my parents were starting to look at me funny so stopped....
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6/22/2005 - jamiekutch wrote: 96 Points
S.F. - Rubicon High End Rhone Wines (Rubicon, S.F.): Lacy and elegant. Almost the definition of finesse. Tremendous concentration of light citrus fruits and brilliant integration of acid, bubbles and fruit. Young and delicious.
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6/18/2005 - muttt wrote: 95 Points
Ken's First Father's Day (Home): Wow. What a champagne. I've seen a few notes suggesting that this was closing down. While it was tight and clearly young, it was still very expressive. Unfortunately, this is my first taste of this champagne, so I can't say that it was more open some time ago. But if this is closed, then whoa nellie. Anyway, this big guy showed me great citrus, a flash of yeast, and some deep nuttiness. What was amazing, though, was how well that whole package was integrated. I may have to pick more of these guys up -- and I'll definitely be a buyer on the magnum release.
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6/11/2005 - MarkC wrote: 89 Points
Clearly I'm in the minority here. This was good, don't get me wrong, but it wasn't life-changing. It had aromas and flavors of burnt toast, some yeast, lots of structure, but not much fruit. Maybe an off bottle or maybe it just needs time to settle down, at least for my palate.
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6/10/2005 - Winetex wrote: 95 Points
Awesome champagne.
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6/2/2005 - jrufusj wrote:
Farewell Party for Lisa and Steven: Slightly lighter in color than the ’95, with a mousse that is a little bit less aggressive – both visually and on entry. On the palate, the mousse never turns creamy, but seems to maintain an amazing definition that makes each and every tiny bubble distinct. This sensation persists until the wine is swallowed. Nose is very, very closed, showing little more than a bit of very tight apple and grapefruit, plus a tiny element of unrisen dough and nut. It never really opens up to show anything more. Palate has citrus, acidity, and surprising body above and beyond the bubbles. Finish shows a little minerality. Completely different from the ’95, seeming to be much more than a year younger. Even though this is a very big wine, balance throughout was perfect and this clearly isn’t showing a tenth of what it has in store. For drinking today, the ’95 is a clear winner. And it may always be, at least for my palate.
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5/6/2005 - Eric wrote:
Seattle Tasting Group does 1994 California Cabernet (Bellevue, WA): This is my seventh taste of this wine and the tightest example yet. The nose shows very obvious notes of smokey minerality and fairly overt wood aromatics as well. The palate is massively structured yet 'sleeping', holding back tons of fruit, just loads of minerals, very tight. If this bottle is any indication, I think it's time to let these sleep for about 6 years.
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4/25/2005 - Eric wrote: 95 Points
CellarTracker's 1-year anniversary! (Seattle, WA, USA): Such a champagne. I really need to lay off of these, but they are just so delicious. This bottle showed a little more smoke and vanilla than prior bottles, but as it warmed there was a hint of yeastiness amidst the expressive nose. The palate is broad and vinous, loaded with explosive, smoky minerals and rich citrus fruits. This is such a beast of a young champagne, very enjoyable and special.
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4/25/2005 - JasonD wrote: 95 Points
This was served a little cold and needed more time to open up. It is still a bit sharp, but has a lot under the covers. Aromas of lemon peel, toasted nuts and yeast. The palate was very cleansing with quite a bit of acidity and a nice citrusy finish.
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4/25/2005 - Not Levine wrote: 95 Points
Cellartracker Anniversary (Chez LeVine): This is a wonderful young Champagne. The nose is dominated by chalk, oyster shells, stones, and peach. There is a TON of minerality here, and the palate is full of peach, citrus, dirt, and sweet vanilla on the long finish. My first experience with the 96 Dom, this is clearly a super wine with a great future.
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4/23/2005 - otisabdul wrote: 93 Points
Focused, citrusy and persistent. Great balance. Prefer Krug Grande Cuvee in this class, but that's nitpicking.
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3/19/2005 - Eric wrote:
A 98 point dinner at Steve Cramer's (West Seattle, WA, USA): This continues to be spectacular yet also very tight and young. Fresh and precise with loads of citrus and minerality, this was less forthcoming than I recall from prior tastes. However, with air and food (darned if this stuff didn't match well with nearly any food I tasted all night), this became more expressive. Smokey minerals and some mushroom character became very prominent, yet the wine was always clean, gripping, powerful and focused. What a pleasure to have this again!
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3/11/2005 - andrewstevenson.com wrote: 92 Points
Wine-pages.com London Champagne Off-Line (Alba Restaurant, Whitecross Street): Pale lemon colour. Crisp, lightly creamy nose. Very elegant with lots of white pepper. Lovely finish. Very Good Indeed.
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3/3/2005 - The Wine Bum wrote:
The Dirty half dozen - 6 Champagnes (Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park): My first experience of this was not good - an ever so slightly corked bottle at Cafe de Paix in Paris. The most frustrating thing was that you could feel greatness lurking under the taint. Tonight I felt it first hand. This is Champagne at its haunting best, its only fault was its youth . In a few years this will be as god as it gets. It is so perfectly weighted in fruit and flavour, which is in turn immaculately balanced by clean almost lush acidity. Fruit, toast, shortbread, truffle, honeysuckle, Terroir all make an appearance as it dances like an angel across the senses. The anticipation of the joy of things to come only heightens the experience. Awe inspiring stuff.
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2/28/2005 - Winetex wrote: 95 Points
I can't add a lot to the TNs other than "WOW". This should be great when mature. It may best the 1990. We had this with good sushi and it was just sublime.
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2/18/2005 - Quinn_cab wrote: 95 Points
Beautiful pale straw color, with aromas of yeast, citrus and nuts. Amazingly full and crisp in the mouth. The well focused and delineated flavors jump off your tongue. LONG clean finish. AMAZING!
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2/1/2005 - Eric wrote: 96 Points
San Francisco offline at Bizou (San Francisco, CA): Oh my, such vinosity and grip on the unmistakeable and stunning young wine. This is my fourth taste of this gorgeous beauty, and I am so glad for my ridiculously silly 18-bottle purchase recently. It is simply that great!
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1/1/2005 - KellyW wrote: 95 Points
Finally got to try one of these. It certainly lives up to the hype. Piercing nose and palate. Very fine mousse and great acidity. My wife got all giggly drinking this so I opened another.
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1/1/2005 - claudio_bxl wrote:
This was absolutely fantastic, I had read a lot about this wine but tasting it was great. pale in color and with very fine bubbles, the nose was a mix of grilled hazelnuts and citrus. On the mouth it was very structured with a very good level of acidity and extraordinary length. It is probably infanticide to drink it now, I will keep a few bottles for at least 10 years from now. Wonderful wine
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1/1/2005 - JasonD wrote: 96 Points
New Years Eve dinner at Jimmy and Ellen’s. This deserves 2 points more but with everyone saying it will only get better with age I have to leave some room to move. Balance in every aspect as chardonnay aromas jump from the glass as if being chased by light yeasty notes. It only gets better as the smooth creamy citrus flavors dance across the tong. No sharp acidity, it all just fits together. The finish begs you to take another sip until suddenly your glass is empty.
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12/31/2004 - basis wrote: 93 Points
Golden color, with very fine beads. Nose of bread dough and floral notes, with a palate of white peach, citrus, and spice. VERY concentrated and consistent. The focus of the wine from beginning to end is amazing. It's very, very good, but young. It will be incredible.
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12/15/2004 - CSteefel wrote: 96 Points
My second tasting of this wine, I was able to appreciate more what all of the hoopla is about. Still quite young, the wine nonetheless shows great balance of acidity and ripe, intensely flavored fruit, now a mixture of peach, citrus, and apple. On the nose, just the first hints of maturity, with a distinct bouquet of white flowers accompanied by a note of yeast.
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12/15/2004 - JasonD wrote: 94 Points
STG - woopin it up at Roys (Roys Crib): I had a lot of anticipation waiting for this as I have purchased quite a bit and it did not disappoint. In a few years this is going to be amazing. Lots of acidity, yet it seemed smooth. There is some yeast and tropical fruits but the secondary nuances that will make this amazing are not there yet.
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12/11/2004 - Jason wrote: 97 Points
Year end SG Dinner #2 (House of Hersh): I smelled this on in my sinuses. Tingly is not strong enough a word. It simple attacked my nose. The palate was huge, deep, and simply awesome. This offers everything you could want in an young Champagne. I must get more. This was my bottle.
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12/11/2004 - Eric wrote: 96 Points
Seattle Tasting Group 'End of Year Dinner' #2 (Sammamish, WA, USA): Correctly guessed. I suspected that someone would bring a Dom, as most of us have this in our cellars. The nose is gorgeous with notes of smokey minerality and even a hint of nutmeg. Wow, the palate is so broad and sweeping, stretch your arms out as wide as you can imagine, and it doesn’t even compare to the way this wine moves sideways across your mouth. I didn’t even try to put words on the complexity and richness of this wine, but I have never tasted a champagne with so much “wine” character to it, stunning.
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12/3/2004 - 1800kidney wrote: 95 Points
CELEBRATION! Lived up to advanced billing. Citrus and minerals, crisp and great finish
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12/1/2004 - sdr Likes this wine: 88 Points
Costco bottle. Excellent condition. Clear light yellow. Vigorous mousse, bead, couronne. Small bubbles, not pin point. Shy attractive nose, citrus and vanilla. On the palate, good balance, not too acidic. Quite delicate. Seems almost like a Blanc de Blancs. Light. Generic good young champagne. Lacks stuffing, though. Pass at $109.
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11/27/2004 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 96 Points
Grand style, perfect harmony, fresh as mountain water, very elegant fruit, hint of almond, great finesse. Now - 2016+.
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11/27/2004 - Will wrote:
Impressive young champagne already showing some aged champagne characteristics, with very fine bubbles. Still very young and needs time but has the potential to become a truly great champagne. Not particularly interesting to drink right now, hold for at least 4-5 years (assuming you like aged champagne).
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11/27/2004 - KevinS wrote: 97 Points
Thanksgiving dinner note from memory. Spectacular. Bursting with citrus notes -- peach and pineapple came to mind first. Wonderful complexity, with creamy and yeasty elements still in the background. Absolutely thrilling, and every bit of what you'd expect from this label -- worth every penny.
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11/25/2004 - dk_lulu wrote:
Firm nose of lemon, peach and pear. Delicate, sustaining mousse. Mouthcoating, wonderfully deep flavors of pear and ripe peach, balanced by searing acid and fantastic delineation in both the mid-palate and remarkably extended finish. Delicate layering of clearly distinguishable fruit flavors and intensities in the mid-palate. A top Champagne of this style, buy very young still.
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11/25/2004 - CSteefel wrote: 93 Points
Bright straw yellow. Notes of peach, apple, and citrus with a faint note of minerality on the nose. The minerality is more obvious in the mouth, as is the intensity of still largely primary fruit flavors, heightened by the bracing acidity of the wine. Very sharply delineated, with compelling mineral tones continuing through in the finish. Still, I have to think this particular bottle at least needed more time--it seems as if I caught it in the transitional period where the primary characteristics are slowly fusing together, but the secondary creaminess and notes of bread and yeast have not yet emerged. I'd say give this Champagne some more time. Could rate substantially higher down the road...
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11/25/2004 - Blair Curtis wrote: 97 Points
Believe the hype. This is a stupendous wine, let alone Champagne. The balance is something to behold. A wine that exudes class and grace (in a time when fewer and fewer do). Just a baby now, but what a future this has. Can't wait until this begins to exhibit the complexity that the 1990 Dom shows. And what a mouthfeel on this wine - the mousse fills your entire mouth and coats your palate with pinpoint bubbles that explode like perfect caviar. Tremendous.
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11/20/2004 - tonygoldstone wrote: 97 Points
Some weekend drinks for Jo's Birthday (Cambridge): Very pale colour with good mousse. Wonderful citrus and earthy aromas. Tasted for a third time now, and just superb on each occaision. On the palate great integration of citrus fruits, toasty oak and acidity. Wish I had more.
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11/6/2004 - Jeff W wrote: 97 Points
Good mousse. Very light and fine, but it has power and complexity. Subtle and graceful. Perfectly pure, with delicate buscuit and lemon flavours and a very long citric aftertaste. This champagne came with a reputation to live up to, and did not disappoint.
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11/5/2004 - jamiekutch wrote: 99 Points
London Italian Blowout.. 24 Tn's: (London): Flirting with PERFECTION.... Back up the truck.. This Champagne is KILLER.... ELegant, crisp, Vibrant, balanced with just the right amount of acidity.. The true definition of finess. Citrus undertones with brilliannt integration of acid, fruit and acidity. You don't truly love wine unless you have a few bottles of this in your cellar.
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10/7/2004 - IanL wrote: 93 Points
Wine Icons tasting with Sarah Ahmed/Oddbins Fine Wine (Alba Restaurant, London): 50% Chardonnay/50% Pinot Noir, 6-8 yrs on lees. Pale straw-gold colour with a fine mousse and beading. Ripe apples, citrus and peach notes on the nose, intertwined with toasted brioche, biscuity notes and roasted hazelnut. On the palate there is a high acidity and good length, with a fine mouthfeel and complex notes of ripe green fruits, peach and some lingering nuttyness. Quite austere currently. Very nice, needs some time to finesse in bottle.
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9/7/2004 - Eric wrote: 97 Points
7th Anniversary dinner at Daniel (New York City, New York, USA): Ordered by the glass. Wow, I had this last month with Jason & Tracy, and at the time this was glorious. However, tonight this even at another level. The nose was remarkably expressive, bursting with citrus fruit, and toasty, faintly oaky notes. On the palate this is explosive, so vinous, broad and powerful, amazingly long with incredible minerality. An absolute revelation with smoked lobster.
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8/22/2004 - Jason wrote: 95 Points
Tasted with Eric and Tracy. I admit to being a Champagne neophyte, but I really wanted to try this wine because everyone was raving about it. Now I get it. The nose was decadent with great yeast notes and a strong tropical fruit element. The palate showed a persistent but very fine mousse. I also enjoyed the minerality and nuttiness. With age this should lose some of the grapiness that hit the finish. The depth and length, however, were truly extraordinary.
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8/21/2004 - Eric wrote: 95 Points
Decadence (Issaquah, WA, USA): The aromatics on this were initially restrained with minerality and some yeastiness, a whiff of vanilla. However, the palate was a revelation, huge and broad with explosive minerality and a light saline character. This was just so massive and concentrated across the palate. The finish was extremely long and lemony with some stoney character and a faint nuttiness. Gorgeous champagne!
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8/7/2004 - jeff nowak wrote:
a beautiful way to say hello and kick off the evening. my first taste of this incredible elixir, which is a review in itself. lots of recent posts singing it's praises, and now i can add my voice to the chorus. young, vibrant, lovely acidity and balance. crisp and delicious. it received 3 votes for WOTN. outstanding.
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8/7/2004 - jonphillips wrote: 95 Points
Drank with Chris and Laura to celebrate moving in. Endless - from the bubbles to the fade. Very nice, though a bit closed on the palatte.
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7/27/2004 - jamiekutch wrote: 96 Points
lacy and elegant. Almost the definition of finesse. Tremendous concentration of light citrus fruits and brilliant integration of acid, bubbles and fruit. Young and delicious.
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7/6/2004 - carls_wines wrote: 96 Points
A great bottle! Overtones of yeast, pineapple. Great bubbles, tart yet not harsh.
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5/25/2004 - Vino Me wrote: 91 Points
Tasted at the WS Grand Tour. A nose of biscotti and hazelnut. Sweet on the palate with pear notes. Medium bead. I expected more. 89-91+ points.
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4/1/2004 - sdr wrote: 88 Points
I just don’t get the raves from Parker and others. Vigorous mousse of large bubbles. Very gingery and bready but seems to drop off in the mid palate. Typical strong acidity of this vintage. I don’t see the stuffing for long term aging.
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9/12/2002 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 94 Points
Deeper color than expected, toasty, butterscotch, lasting on the palate crisp, great nose and depth.
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