Champagne and Burgundy evening (Private home in Arlington, Virginia): I have had this wine for several years now, having acquired a case of 12 bottles in a black wooden box shortly after its release, and by Golly, this was rather perfect. Notes from memory, but you have such youth for a wine that seems to resist aging. The color was light straw, and from the get-go, it seems very young. The aromatics of cool citrus, lime and lemon, subtle apple and still youthful brioche without any hazelnut or nutty oxidations aspects proved promising, and the promise is fulfilled on the palate, which reflected sheer balance: between subtle and noble opulence to textural finesse, to liveliness and energy to a caressing and very long finish. Among seven people, this bottle was rather quickly gone. It was the best bottle from my stash so far, and if you have any of this wine, there is no need to rush, especially if stored properly. We continued with the lobster...
blind I nailed it. The nose was amazing, some sea breeze and yeast, less toasted toast. In this condition I would go still with the regular disgorged bottle. That wine is more multi-dimensional. A bit too sweet in the aftertaste. 95-96
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M&PD Tasting: Argentinian Grill (Mount Baker, Seattle, WA): Wowza, smoldering intensity, staggering complexity. I have had this wine a few times in the past 3 years, and this bottle was easily the most open and complex of the three.
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Wow, at a perfect peak. Complexity of some earth tones has emerged to complement the still very forward and fresh fruit with classic Dom smoke and toast tones. So concentrated yet pin-point acidity and freshness.
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The best bottle of this wine I think I’ve ever had. This was great! So fresh and bright and delicious but also with the first characteristics of good age. Drinking nicely. I saved some to pair with dessert and it was just awesome. Depth of flavor but with the nice brightness.
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Part of a great flight with the 98 and 02 P2s. Grated ginger and melba toast. Smooth, deep, persistent palate. Missing the usual cold rolled steel/reduction of previous bottles though did appear with some air.
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Tasted blind, this wine had a stunning nose of brioche, chalk, marzipan, and lemon.
In the mouth, it was rather light at first and took a good hour of air to gain the power to match the nose. This is a great Champagne that is still drinking extremely well.
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this is about as good as champagne gets. Totally fresh and delightful. its amazing its 27 years old and completely delicious. just transferred in from Horseridge.
drank this before dinner with smoked salmon and hmmus
Nose: sugar cane, peach, white flower, raisin, honey, maltose, hints of red date Notes: Opened for 1 hour in the bottle before drinking. Disgorged in 2013. Very sweet and seductive nose with an excellent and silky palate. This is an amazing champagne in every aspect and I'm deeply impressed. Bubbles are more or less gone so it can be treated as a still white wine, this part I would say is pretty similar to the Dom Perignon 1996 but obviously the intensity and the complexity is very much different. Beautifully balanced and everything is at the right spot. I do feel that this won't get better with more aging and should drink well for the next 10 years. Drink: now - 2032 Rating 94
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Rogue night at Mato in Hong Kong. P&P with friends.
WOTN in a strong line up. This was absolutely outstanding. Incredible freshness and zestiness, with sublime bubbles that gave way to a creaminess on the palate rather than a sharpness. Nutty, brioche notes coming through but balanced with citrus and a clear acidic backbone running throughout the wine.
Perhaps even better than the last time I had this a few years ago. Definitely has a long life ahead of it - just a shame there are so few of these left lying around. Enjoy if you have them!
Latour, Latour, Latour (WineWatch, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida): It’s a distinct step up from the very good original release. Richer, rounder, oily, yellow fruity, less acidic. Really delicious but I wonder if it will last as long. At its glorious peak now.
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Aroma: yeast, buttery, lemon, some hints of spice Color: Fairly pale Taste: Assertive up front with a large bite; lively but shorter finish. J notes complex but I find it a bit thin. J finds comparable to Pol Roger but I find it more lacking than SWC. Borders on bitter for me feels disappointing for a 96. Does mellow out over time in the glass.
J: 97 S: 90
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One note aromatics, creamy silken mouthfeel, a good length and complexity in the finish. I find a well-stored original release DP ‘96 to be leaps more enjoyable in the bouquet and more engaging in the palate, if a coarser in the finish. On balance, I will choose the aromatics over an aristocratic finish but perhaps 96 oeno just needs more time. the fine bubbles were very energetic like a young DP along with a decent structure so if rest the remaining for another decade.
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As usual, this starts out with a stunning nose and tastes vert good in the mouth. It goes through a couple phases over the course of an hour+ of air where the acidity and white stone flavors ramp up and become more intense.
If that is what you are looking for, don't be tempted to drink this right after opening. A little air time is good for this wine. It is still stunning and going strong.
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Unimpressive. This was from my cellar, but I've had it recently from other's and it was equally uninspiring. Odd, as I've also had great bottles recently. Not sure why the variation.
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La Tache and '96 Champagne (Atlanta): Sadly a clear last on the flight. It just doesn't have the power or depth. We all agreed, it's a great Wednesday night Champagne.
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Resolutely floral nose where white flowers mingle with brioche.
Mouth with creamy touch and soft effervescence. Wonderful complexity and harmony on a background of sharp but admirably well integrated acidity and a dense juice, the balance is perfect. A whole train of flavors follow one another with almonds at the start, then oyster shells, lemon and wet stone. The freshness is incredible for a 26 year old champagne. Trailing, saline and floral finish of infinite length.
Great champagne.
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It has been 2 years ( Papies 95) since we last crossed paths with this old friend and what a joy to see him again. This is fully matured now, the bubbles almost faint albeit present and is more of a well aged burgundy. The riper side of 1996 definitely made this wine develop more and faster and is probably wise for one to drink this sooner than later but what a show this is now for lovers of well aged top end champagne. 95
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Very good showing of both P1 96 (rated 96) and this Oeno during a blind 90s champagne evening. The Oeno possibly just pipped the P1 for its freshness and precicion (people remarked it was a very good bottle) and was in there for wine of the night with the 96 and 95 Krug, Cristal 96 during an evening of incredibly strong showing great champagnes.
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not blind Starts to make fun, I would go still with the regular bottle, but this comes closer because it shows some aging signs. Not too reductive and yeasty. Will be a legend in the next 5-15 years. 96(99)
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Gorgeous nose of lemon and yellow apple. Creamy texture, yet with great structure and tension. Crisp acidity. Long finish. It did open up after some time in the glass.
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Fine, if you like $600 sherry. This was from a friend's cellar, stored properly since release. Definite sweetness in the nose, pronounced sherry notes, did not change over several hours. Pale golden color, few bubbles. Light-bodied, also had sweet sherry flavors. This was at its peak many years ago. Ric
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Deep golden color with great fizziness despite its age. On the nose, we had citrus peel, oyster shells, almond paste and brioche. Palates delivered lime, nuts, butter, limestones and white flowers aromas. A wonderful bitterness that balance well the acidity giving a impression of umami aromas. Rich mousse that explodes in mouth. Really fresh and bright, in perfect drinking window now ! Looking forward to the P1 and P2 !
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Medium deep yellow center with persistent effervescence. Medium intensity nose of citrus, almond paste, brioche, and white stone.
While nice right out of the gate, this improved dramatically with air. It had great stony length.
This bottle was great! It is tempting to p&p this wine but don't do it. drink a glass and then let it sit for at least an hour or maybe two before you start pouring the rest. Great stuff!
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In a flight of 96 P2 and regular release. This was my #2 behind the P2. More evolution on the nose and palate. Predominate hints of coffee and toast with less yellow fruits and lemon notes. Good acidity to balance the fruit. A perfect flight to see the evolution and the DP line up. This is in plateau but no rush to drink.....
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Dom Perignon P2/P3 Dinner (New York City): My personal favorite of the 96 flight. Where the P1, for me, didn't show depth or complexity, I found the Oenotheque did. It didn't have the flavors of hte 98 P2 I like but was delicious in it's own way. This wine didn't have a lot of power (consistent across the 96s). For a vintage that got a lot of hype, it was my least favorite vintage grouping.
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DP Extravaganza! (Friend's place): Very similar to the regular DP - they are more alike than they are different. Same almost background of stewed white fruits. While the regular was more advanced this is still a bit younger and less powerful.
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A bit of leesy funk on first pop but not to worry, with just a few minutes of air the 1996 Dom Pérignon Oenothèque reveals itself as lightning in a bottle with an understated nose of lemon, marzipan, smoke, and buttery pastry that only whispers to the possibility of the explosive palate with layers of citrus and minerals. Concentrated and intense. Rich mousse. Dry but not austere finish. This is killer.
(Oenothèque is the same base as the standard cuvée, with the Oenothèque receiving an additional five years on the lees while under cork, not crown cap. Once disgorged, the Oenothèque dosage is generally less than the standard cuvée's, around 6.5 g/l this vintage.)
Thursday at June BYOB (June BYOB, Collingswood NJ): Great depth and power here, this took about an hour to open up. Fresh lemon zest, white flowers, marzipan aromas with rich lemon curd, pear, quince flavors. Razor sharp acidity and an effortless mouthfeel carried this onto a long and broad finish that kept growing in length as the night wore on.
Did not develop an overly oxidative or excessively dense/rich palate as some older vintages of DP have. Truly a "wow" wine today, and for a long(!) time to come.
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Briliant example and still among my favourite Champagnes. Unapologetically reduced, sulfur, smoky, loads of Dom P brioche and pretzel dough here. Bright yellow fruit and cut with citrus and great acid. Fresh and bright, superb drinking now and I believe still has room to run. Last overtime bottle of a long night of a long trip.
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This bottle had a strange metallic note. It didn’t dominate but it seemed to hide the fruit somewhat. Good foam and energy. Usually I prefer the Oeno or P2 version to the original disgorgement but on this night the latter showed better even though it was marginally tired. This bottle is not representative of the other bottles I have had from the same case.
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Wow, this is good stuff right from the start but clearly even better with an hour or two of air. While drinking now, this might even get better. This bottling has been extremely consistent, so please see my prior notes for more information. Impressive!
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Consistent to my last encounter upon revisiting my note but has probably matured a tiny bit mellowing down. Disgorged 2008 this was side by side P1 96. Comparable juice clearly, same material and took a bit of nit picking to separate them. To me same quality level exactly. The Oeno is drier (lower dosage) and has chalkiness, the P1 is a more giving. Two side of a very shiny coin and should be an interesting pair to compare and get back to over the coming decades. No rush here but both drinking.
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Wow is this delicious. Thanks, Tom. Great bottle. Still so fresh. Great penetration and length. Golden fruit, citrus and rock is a compelling combo. (96)
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Was a birthday gift from friend and pop it to taste. Unfortunately, the wire screw cap was already broken, which was not a good signal. And when pop open, it didn’t have the ‘pop’ sound which could have meant the bottle wasn’t kept well? And when we pour the ‘champagne’ out, the colour was pale yellow, for vintage 1996 it should be more golden. And upon tasting and smelling, we concluded it was Prosecco or Gera grapes. And we check back the cork, it was a vintage 2003 cork. So 100% my friend had bought a fake from auction which was a shame but this kind of thing do happen.
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BYO US Wines (@Terkel): Absolutely stunning wine. It lies between showing some depth of the age but still with a young piercing acidity. Huge wine that was a great pleasure to taste!
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Toasty brioche, Meyer lemon, honey, roasted nuts, and baked apple. It’s vibrant and youthful but at the same time well integrated. A total pleasure to drink now and will gain more weight and complexity in time. I’d hold it for another 5+ years but it’s hard to resist now.
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from a perfect looking bottle, this wine had a light yellow center a persistent small bubbles. The medium+ intensity nose moved around a bit over the course of an hour and a half but was always impressive. It showed citrus, minerals, quince, and some brioche.
In the mouth, this wine was less evolved than the nose. it tasted quite young with its firm lines, crisp palate, and great length.
Amazingly, this wine seems to be just coming into its zone. Give it at least an hour of air before you start drinking it. Might this improve with another 5 years in the cellar? Impressive!
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Riveting, excellent champagne which really has it all - lemony mineral freshness and a leesy, creamy richness accented by a slightly savory beurre de baratte like note. Wow
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Housewarming party (Fairfax, VA): AP wonders if it is corked. The apple peel/cork expression is identical to the July bottle. Caveat emptor, the 96 DP Oenotheque often shows “lees funk” that closes resemble TCA taint. It will dissipate with 30 minutes of air. Very youthful nose displaying elegant yellow and white fruit, lemon curd, granny smith, candied ginger, brioche, smoke, spicy spices and limestone. Beautifully balanced palate, finely layered fresh white and yellow fruit, very fine generous mousse, bright acidity and mineral, and a long sweet yellow fruit driven finish with smoke and ginger at the end. Another delicious example but not as compelling at the last bottle.
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This is a seriously impressive bottle of Champagne with a rare combination of power/intensity and complex, layered flavors. By the time most Champagnes show that tertiary development the energy has faded, which is not the case here. Amazing.
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Great Champagne and Burgundy Dinner (Park Ridge Country Club): I have had mixed results with this wine, and tonight's was rich and tasty but also more bready/ leesy than I prefer. I enjoyed both "P2" and "P1" from this vintage in the same flight more.
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Very pale gold, lively, still young. Blind I would have guessed 2002 or 2004, although the modest spray betrays the true age. At first, too coiled and severe but after air and some warmth, it relaxes and broadens. Gingery and minerally in the Dom Pérignon style with minimal yeast or bread. A wine to contemplate and enjoy now and well into the future.
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A lost Friday afternoon gathering COVID safety measures - Mostly Blind (Reston, Va): One of the participants mentions a hint of TCA, the host mentions being slightly lean. The 96 DP Oenotheque is fascinating as it often shows “lees funk”. With air and as gets warmer, exquisite nose displaying delicate yellow fruit, yellow peach, lemon curd, baked apple, brioche, smoke and mineral. Perfectly harmonious palate, very finely layered delicious yellow fruit, fine medium abundant mousse, polished and weightless, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a seamless long sweet yellow fruit driven finish with brioche and baked apple at the end. The palate to die for.
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Total delight. A massive step up the P1 1996 and drinking much better than the P2 2002 at this point. A nice golden amber, but lots of freshness in the palate compared to the standard 1996,but showing good depth and complexity. Great acidity and well balanced. Long finish. Shared by BV at Langkawi
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chardonnay/straw yellow 10 second mousse (in a white wine glass), and a very fine, more persistent bead.
The fates put another of these lovelies in my path very quickly, and, indeed, a superior and more giving drink is being roundly enjoyed. And rounder!
Nose of sourdough, flint, steel, and magnolias-- white flowers, anyway, with a whiff of sweetness!
Here on the palate more dough than before, and limestone, but with also increasing white peach pith, and honeysuckle nectar. The steely mineral element however is as persistent as her little bubbles, and the result is an inner mouth tension reminiscent of Krug and Salon from this same vintage.
The nose at 30 minutes is yellow flowered and distinctly honeyed.
Something green in here as well, like unto the skin of a granny smith apple, but with (if at all) the merest suggestion of actual apple. Very tasty and very popular. Just poured a glass rudely full. Fuck it, I'm with the paying percentage.
Mind: I am 24 hours without cash or working card, and in no mood to flatter. at all. Delicious.
95
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2008 disgorgement and a good 2 years since we tried this ( Papies 95) and the 6th time we have had this over the last 8 years. This remains a truly mesmerising champagne and the degree of that is probably affected more by our mood of the day than anything else. Remains at top form, focussed and precise, round and lush and with lots of depth of flavour. We can go on for a long time here but no need. 95+
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It’s amazing how this wine continues to evolve. Tonight it’s pure cream and lemon with an acid backbone that subtly conveys each precise element. There are minerals on the finish but not as profound as the last one consumed 2.5yrs ago - I’m attributing this to the balance here where no one flavor dominated the palate.
Planning to keep hands off for 6 more years to try my final bottle, unless I can find some for reasonable price at auction.
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Light gold. A little tight and a bit austere. More biscuit notes, deep flavors but the fruit is a bit lost in the mammoth structure of the wine. Nice refreshing acidity without any feeling of harshness. Very fine mousse. Very nice to start off the evening but not a show stopper.
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Bordeaux 1982: not quite 40 years on (Chez Konstantina): Not as incredible as I have experienced in the past, but an excellent wine to be sure. Tasted just after the 2008, this wine - disgorged in 2008 - proved initially more subdued by comparison. And yet it built up in the palate with a gorgeous breadth akin to a fine and full bodied Chassagne Montrachet. The length was sneaky long, the bubbles refined and smooth. Bravo. Quite expensive, however ...
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This wine had a light yellow color and vigorous small bubbles. The medium intensity nose put forth lemon, baguette, white stone, and pear.
In the mouth, this wine was attractive at first and then became very attractive with air. It was refined but with a lot of flavor and outstanding balance and length.
There was no hint of oxidation here. This bottle was fresh and would have lasted for a decade. Excellent!
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DP, DPR, DPO, DPP2 (Ft. Lauderdale, Florida): The first Dom Pérignon in the series to display a bit of toast and it adds welcome complexity. The extra aging on the lees gives the Oenotheque more depth and more flavor. Really excellent for drinking now since it has the vivacity of youth and a hint of age.
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Sensational. Bright acidity, great color. Nose of bread, lemon, toast, coffee and minerals. On the palate this is vibrant and energetic. Strong 96 acidity but not out of balance. Like the structure. Solid finish on this wine leaving a sharp and clean taste. Great wine that is drinking very young.
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Excellent, but the 99 P2 I had a few months ago was more at this stage interesting imo. Clear Dom style with loads of coffee and toffee and toast. Lovely acidity and excellent bubbles...more toffee and lemon on the palate. Very lively, but not as exciting as some of the other 96s tonight.
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Back label stated 2008 disgorgement. Wine was in fine condition. Leesy citrus. Slight hint of Coffey beans. Brioche. A touch of sick. Also a green off note that detracted from overall experience. Dissappointed given the astronomical price and definitely not a rebuy. At this price I would rather drink older vintage krug or Selosse Lieux Dits.
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Invigorating. So fresh, so clean with lively bubbles and a gorgeous perlage. It achieves unparalleled balance and precision with brilliant acidity. The tension in this bottle is provocative and screams COME-HITHER!
Vibrant and Energetic, the 96 OEno explodes with primary flavors of Meyer Lemon, Granny Smith Apple, Orchard Fruit, and Limestone. The palate is complemented by alluring aromas of oyster shell, white flowers, brioche and flint.
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This was drank in a flight of Dom 1990 (P1 & P3) and maybe that "hurt" it a little bit. Of course the 1996 Oeno was amazing - it was markedly fresher and seemed lower dosage then a standard 1996 I had two weeks back. My preference at this point would be for the standard 1996 but over time the Oeno might catch up. Both are wonderful champagnes.
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DC/Chicago Wine Dinner Extravaganza (Officina - Wasington, DC): I've had a mixed bag of experiences with this wine, but tonight's was one of the best ever. Lots of orchard fruit throughout, somewhat bready, slightly leesy, but still so clean and bright. Rich, powerful and very dense, while also refined and elegant. So good now.
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Another lost Friday afternoon gathering 96 Dom, 08 Cristal and a Rudy blend (Blacksalt, Washington DC): Fully mature complex nose displaying ripe yellow fruit, fresh apple juice, lemon curd, yellow peach, smoke, a hint of brioche, cinnamon, crème brulee and limestone mineral. I have always noticed a slight hint of dirty damp cellar smell in the 96 Dom Oeno. David points out “lees funk”, eureka! Fully integrated palate, very finely layered sweet yellow fruit, medium abundant very fine mousse, creamy and precise, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a seamless sweet yellow fruit driven finish with smoke and cinnamon at the end. This is a fully ready to go example.
Shocker, it was Corked! DP continues to out-pace any other higher end champagne producer I buy, for corked wines. I've had 25% of my Oeno bottles corked, and 50%of DP's, that I've purchased from excellent sources on '85, '90 and '96 Cuvees. What is the deal with this producer, and a their lack of quality in their corks? I get they produce a crazy amount, but holy smokes it gets old. When you drop $400+ on a bottle and every other one is corked, it makes no sense. I will never buy Dom again, as it's the only producer that I get consistently burned on, to a high percentage. I'm sure they will read this review, their tears will soak the mountain of money Moet lives on, and they will change their terrible ways.
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Tasted blind but immediately recognised it was a Dom Perignon from their distinctive seashell and reductive leesy crystalline scents, also supported by the Grand Marque style. High intensity of fresh and ripe fruits suggesting it comes from an excellent vintage, most probably 2002 judging by its tightness and freshness. Great tension and potency. Tasted multiple times over the past 3 years and I still find it too young. (95/100)
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Richard Juhlin Top 100 Day 1 @ Gustav Zürich (Restaurant Gustav Zürich): not blind, 3rd wine 1st flight perfect bottle, such a baby, awesome fresh and reductive, oyster shell, toast, citrus, pink grapefruit, creamy in the finish, for the next 20 years, but not now. I prefer the regular degorgement. 96(98)
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This is in a stunning place right now. Bundles of complexity with small perfectly formed persistent bubbles - this is a show stopper. Plenty of acidity will keep this fresh for years to come but if the occasion presents itself by wait.
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Holiday Dinner - Champ, Burg, Piedmont, Rayas and a ringer, Bordeaux and etc. (Officina - Washington D.C.): Incredibly refined example. Exquisite nose displaying subtle yellow and white fruit, fresh lemon, apple pie, peach, strong brioche, white chocolate, a hint of burnt sugar, white pepper, cinnamon and mineral. Perfectly harmonious palate, incredible finesse, very finely layered subtle yellow and white fruit, medium abundant very fine mousse, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a long subtle peach and lemon curd driven finish with white chocolate and brioche at the end. Showing exceptional finesse and detail. Although consistently excellent, there seem to be a significant bottle variation, i.e. some are youthful and energetic, others are refined and subtle. Excellent showing.
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Dinner with Rob (ON Dining Kitchen & Lounge, 18 On Lan Street, Central, Hong Kong): Light silvery gold colour. Brief but attractive mousse (served in wine glasses) followed by languid persistent streams of of tiny bubbles. Nose is alluring but more reticent than when last drank 3 years ago- lots of ozone sea breeze, light but also somehow weighted. Palate is extremely finessed but pronounced petillance, lots of leesy Epsom Salts minerality and touch of salinity combined with high and precise acidity. Quite ethereal....spare, elegant and astocratic in the extreme but still displaying underlying and understated power. Superb near-endless finale of high piano notes. A wonderful wine but it seems to be getting younger at this stage of its development and I think I'll leave my next bottle for at least another 3 years whilst drinking the 'standard' bottling in the meantime. 94+ but with greater depths yet to emerge.
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Outstanding champagne but still young and needs further time. Golden yellow color, vivacious bubbles, got more complex and round after an hour of opening. Nose of brioche, pineapples, orange peel, citrus, green apples, and lots of minerality in which this stands out, buttery and very Burgundian on the palate. Rich and full bodied and a long finish.
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Well, this wine never disappoints. The first and freshest glasses are wonderfully reductive with a distinctive oeno smoky yet buttery nose. Very leesy. Gunpowder over bright and vibrant fruit. Tows the line between developed and nuanced and youthful and powerful. Consistent.
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Annual gathering with Chicago winos in Chicago - Burgs, old Bordeauxs, Cult Cabs and SQN (Smyth and The Loyalist - Chicago IL): Very clean, broad and complex nose displaying sweet yellow fruit, lemon curd, fresh lemon juice, apple, a hint of red currant, brioche, white pepper, cinnamon and wet stone. Very harmonious fully integrated palate, generous decadent yellow fruit, rich yet polished, generous very find mousse, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a long clean sweet yellow fruit driven finish. Drinking perfectly.
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2008 disgorgement . 5 years since we tried this last ( Papies 94-96) and this remains a superb experience. Feels quite evolved, rich but in a mineral way rather than a honey rich way. Coats the palate , still vibrant and with the usual focus and depth expected from a dom. 94-95
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Chinese food and old Bordeaux? Sure! (Q by Peter Chang): The initial impression was one of smooth finesse, with burgeoning truffle notes, but still fruit driven and fresh. Clean and precise throughout, and at first not nearly as expressive an experience I have had with this bottle before, but perhaps a good thing, as it developed with time in glass, expanding in richness but always subtle in express and maintaining a lime driven focus. Not as sumptuous as previous editions at least initially (I brought the bottle), but one thing is for certain: the bottle was emptied fairly quickly.
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Bordeaux and Peking Duck (Q by Peter Chang - Bethesda, Maryland): Very fresh yet perfectly drinking example. Very clean and energetic nose displaying lemon curd, meyer lemon juice, candied lemon, granny smith, white flowers, smoke, white pepper and strong limestone. Perfectly harmonious and energetic palate, generous amount of very fine mousse, sweet citrus and apple driven palate impression, perfect amount of acidity and mineral and a long clean energetic and refreshing finish. An excellent, fresher, example.
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Past its reductive stage yet fresh, crisp and high toned. Yeasty and crème soda characters. Drinks effortlessly. No tertiary characters yet... reckon that’s five - ten years down the line? Disgorged July 2012.
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Has already transformed into a clean, precise and extremely minerally champagne. It seems almost a bit closed at this stage and showing absolutely no tertiary elements. Needs much more time to show everything it can offer.
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Great opportunity to taste side by side DP'96 and DP'96 Œnotheque.
Liquid gold in color. pronounced aromas of citrus fruits and sunflower seeds. Extremely mineral with petrol notes. Buttery both on the nose and the palate. Roasted notes. Very fresh and powerful, intense with vibrant acidity. Complexity & depth. Spent 12 years on lees Œnotheque, which is now rebranded to P2, is full of youthful energy. Can't really assess when it will reach its full maturity. It is amplified DP'96.
Tasted alongside Salon 97. Later disgorged (now P2) much richer and lees development aromas. More complexity, still elegant champagne and mousse, but I think I still prefer Salon as I could have a whole bottle for myself. still young
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The most complete wine of the 95/96 DP regular and Oeno. Toast, brioche, lees, complexity and nuance. Perfect acidity and structure. Awesome showing. 2008 disgorgement.
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Champagne Showdown: 1995 v. 1996 (Atera): Reductive nose that has sulphur, stone fruit, and citrus. Lees and brioche. Round palate that has a big mouthful of yellow apple with plenty of acid. For better or worse I consistently love this champagne... Clearly the best of the four DPs tonight. Both Œnos are much lighter in colour than the regular cuvée.
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Brian's Bachelor's Party (Mizuki, Ngee Ann City): Brilliant stuff. After a disappointing bottle the last time round, this really hit the ball out of the park. What a nose it had - cream and roses, white peach and melon, all taking on a caramelly richness, and then little shades of white meat umami and gentle minerality. Lovely stuff. The palate was still so very youthful, with a vibrant energy brimming throughout a spine of well-integrated acidity and wonderfully lacy mousse. It was round and gentle, endlessly creamy, but still had beautifully transparent flavours of white peach and sweet green apples, all lined with a quietly insistent minerality that drew the wine into a delightfully detailed finish, where little notes of caramel, cream and white flowers danced around a core of creamy white fruit. Absolutely lovely - youthful yet complete, powerful yet subtle, this still has many years ahead of it, but boy was it already lovely on the night.
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A terrific champagne. Nose of freshly baked bread and white fruit. The palate had notes of crisp apple, yeast and flowers. This champagne has great acidity and length. Great now but will likely improve.
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Big 50 lunch (Mi Casa): One of the more decadent and ready examples, decadent yellow fruit, lemon curd, tarte tatin, honey, sweet spices, brioche and mineral. Excellent concentration, decadent yellow fruit driven palate impression, fine generous mousse, excellent density, good mineral presence, bright acidity and a long sweet yellow fruit and mineral driven finish. This particular bottle has reached the peak. Excellent showing.
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Champagne BYOB #8. A powerhouse, richness in flavors, early maturity notes and the super freshness and acidity that is the trademark of 96 vintage. Beautiful nose with green apples, citrus, gunpowder, crushed stones and hints of caramel. Elegant creamy texture, immense structure. This is still a baby and will live forever. Huge champagne from this legendary producer! 97p
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Much lighter in color than the standard version of this great vintage, the Oenotheque is almost shockingly young. Whereas the standard '96 shows substantial complexity and depth, the Oeno seems simple and delicate. Perhaps in the long term the Oeno will blossom but that's far from obvious at this point.
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Dim Sum Club at Kyoaji: Underperforming unfortunately. This was sleek and impressive, but a touch on the tight, reductive side. The nose was still rather subtle, with a little suggestion of white flowers floating around tight little aromas of Fuji Apple, mineral and toasty brioche and macadamia nuts. After that, the palate was surprisingly round and fleshy, with the mousse feeling rather tame and creamy, rather than energetic. Ripe apples with a touch of lemon zest dominated the midpalate, just before a nice, long finish set-in with a trail of mineral, nuts and brioche. I liked it, but was far from bowled over. It needs plenty of time yet.
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Third rendition of Avery Family Cellar Wine Dinner - Root day and '14 DRCs to the rescue! (Mirabelle restaurant, Washington D.C.): Once again from RJ’s cellar and this seems to be a mature example, a significant bottle variation coming from the same case. Harmonious ripe nose displaying apple butter, lemon, shitake, oyster, candied ginger and oyster shell. Medium concentration, fine mousse, decadent red fruit driven palate impression, medium acidity and a medium to long lemon curd and apple butter driven finish. Paul likes the mature expression but I am hoping for a bit more freshness. Riper than the previous bottles.
A good bottle of wine.. Fresh and young but not in a too young kind of way. very good acidity and overall balance. The wine never got into a second gear. But we had horrible stemware.
92/93
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Mostly French dinner at Ripple - Champ, Burg, Bordeaux and etc. (Ripple Restaurant in DC): One of the freshest examples. Energetic nose displaying lemon curd, dry apple slices, cream, smoke, honey, white pepper and mineral. Fresh and energetic palate, fine mousse, bright acidity, strong mineral presence and a medium finish with smoke and pepper at the end. The finish strangely clips towards to the end which is very unusual. So fresh, it is a bit shame but still really nice showing.
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Medium golden in color, fine speedy bubbles. Very fresh nose of complex fruits and toast. Refreshing on platae, fruits with high concentration and yet complex. Evolved over time into a more elegant blended champagne. My best experience with Dom Perignon.
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Intoxicating nose with flint, firework, mineral, yellow fruit and minerals. Palate is so fresh with lots of acidity. Its very complex. This is notches above the regular 96 dp. 94+
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After a few bottles of this I really don't love this ('08) disgorgement. Young, but lacking in density and concentration. A characteristic clarity and flavors that tend more towards saline and mineral notes, albeit with a predominant earthy, mushroomy profile. A really firm, acidic backbone. Enjoyable, but I much prefer the original release.
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HDH Burgundy Auction (Chicago, IL): Disgorged 2008. The nose is a bit cheesy and funky, and there's just a slight bit of tart fruit as well. The palate is quite dense and rich, with tons of acidity. It's not fruity, this is purely acid-driven. I haven't had the regular bottling in a long time, but from what I remember, I do still prefer the regular -- it tends to be a little less umami and shows a little touch of sweetness as well.
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Recess: A fantastic showing. Richly fruited with bready, doughy, vanilla cream, and chalky accents, all conveyed with a sense of both power and finesse. Serious depth and intensity on the palate with a persistent bead, but so elegant with a bright acid spine keeping it incredibly fresh and lively.
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1966 birthday vertical at Domaine de Chevalier (Domaine de Chevalier - actually on 2 December 2016): Spends more years on the lees in bottle than the regular Dom Perignon. The chiseled precision of the vintage, with gorgeously fine bubbles provided magnificent texture. The color of the wine was younger looking than the Deutz, although both are from the same vintage. Guest Shaun Bishop, CEO of JJ Buckley wine importers in California, remarked that he would have thought that the wine was from 2008, had it been served blind. The flavors were toasty brioche, wet stone and fine citrus, of finesse and subtlety, and the length went on and on. Dinner guest and noted Bordeaux wine author Jane Anson tweeted that it counted among the top three wines of the evening, and later wrote a Decanter text counting it as among her top ten wines tasted in 2016. I agree.
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Still very young. Just starting to develop some more characteristic DP coffee and smoke tones. Muted fruit profile, medium-bodied, with a salinity to the palate and resolving mousse. Not showing a great deal, but some promising elements and a sense of depth that hasn't quite emerged yet.
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A lost Friday afternoon gathering 96 Oeno, 99 Roumier BM, 13 Ente VV, 95 Rayas, 90 Chap (BlackSalt, Washington DC): Thanks to RJ’s generosity, I was able to drink a dozen of it in the past two years. It is fascinating to observe a significant bottle variation coming from the same case. Although consistent excellent, some are very vibrant and focused and others are decadent and hedonistic. Tom mentions “really delicious” and RJ mentions “very creamy” which I agree wholeheartedly. Harmonious subtle nose displaying slightly oxidized apple, lemon curd, sweet spices, pepper, honey, cedar and mineral. Fully integrated harmonious palate, very fine slightly shy mousse, really creamy and soft, nice mineral expression and a subtle apple fruit driven finish that ringers. For my palate, I prefer the vibrant and precise examples a bit more. Nevertheless, really delicious and perfectly enjoyable.
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1996 Burgundy Grand Cru Dinner (Forlino's, One Fullerton, Singapore): A few bottles of this in recent months have shown markedly differently - this example was surprisingly ready and very delicious. It had a deep, compelling nose, with lovely developed aromas of butter and cream, yeast and brioche, even a bit of earthiness, all nicely integrated with deep white fruited tones. The palate was still very vibrant and energetic, with a tremendous spine of tingly acidity and firm minerality running through a big mouthful of ripe apples - very classic Dom Perignon flavours, but with a lot of extra strength behind them. It was nicely textured too, with a fine mousse underlaied by a grippy, chewy sense of of structure. Powerful stuff. The finish had tons of length - long and minerally, with a burst of mouthwateringly juicy citrus fruit alongside, it packed a real punch on the back-palate. On the night, this came across as very round and generous wine, perhaps needing a bit of time to lose just that last bit of brash edginess, but already a very compelling drink. This is one that can go on for decades yet, but there is no doubt even now that it is ab absolutely top-drawer champagne.
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Disgorged 2008, A bright and clean style with serious depth. Elegant with rich stoney fruits and a very long flavorful finish. Sophisticated, yet it's simply delicious. Great now, long life left. shows real breed.
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Hawaiian Escape; 11/19/2016-11/26/2016 (Kuki'o): Consistently excellent. Just crushes the 1998 P2. The optimal balance of developing toasty notes, crisp green and yellow fruit, and minerality. Everyone at Möet says the P series are the same thing, but the Oenothèques seem to edge them every time.
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Great Burgundy Dinner (Bavette's - Chicago IL): Starts with lots of ripe apple and modest bready/ toasty character that almost had gingerbread hints. Very concentrated with a long, expanding finish. Pure elegance.
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Consistently great. That inviting nose of warm brioche with sulphur and a bit of smoke. Deep and rich on the palate with loads of red and green apple flavour. Bready and well developed. Textured with great minerals. Delivering so much pleasure right now. Mmmm.
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Champagnesmaking av 1996 ĺrgangen (Oslo): Wow! Nesen minner meg om en Grand Cru fra Burgund. Meget rik på duft. Krittmineraler, en slags fedmeaktig sitrus, krydder og det er noen flere lag som er vanskelig å identifisere så sent i smakingen. Fantastisk munnfølelse med nydelig mousse. Superb frukt med et nydelig løft i vinen. Den er så fast og presis, samtidig som alt er i balanse. Ungdommelig. Den har en imponerende lengde med sømløs mineralsk intensitet. En av de få vinene for kvelden som trenger mer tid. Stunning!
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A lost Friday afternoon gathering Burgundy, Piedmont, Riesling, Champ and Sautenres (Blacksalt, Washington DC): This has been really consistent. However, some are more decadent where others are fresher. This is a more decadent example. Dense sweet yellow fruit driven nose, lemon curd, cooked apple with a hint of cinnamon, honey, sesame and mineral. Excellent concentration, dense yellow fruit driven palate, bright acidity, good mineral presence and long clean slightly toasted sweet finish. A couple points lower than usual for not finding the freshness.
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French and Italian wine gathering (The Grill Room at Rosewood DC): Another excellent showing. Beautiful harmonious nose displaying a hint of mature white Burgundy, energetic white fruits, fresh pear, lemon curd, smoke, white flowers and creme brulee. Excellent concentration, beautiful interplay of abundant sweet fruits, bright acidity and strong presence of mineral. Beautiful harmony and energy. Drinking at the youthful peak. A lot life ahead but so darn good at the moment.
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Amazing how this opened up from 1st glass to 3rd, better and better with each sip. Very pretty deep rich aromas of white stones, brioche, and honeysuckle. Quite fresh and clean with great purity and concentrated fruits. Nice tension and good toasty appeal. More nuance with each taste. Long finish. Quite impressive. Drinks great now, but no rush to drink up. Yum!
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Ten Days in Burgundy, Champagne, and Paris; 6/24/2016-7/6/2016: Brioche beginning to emerge on the nose. Much deeper and with better development than '98 served in the same flight. Rich and also round. Toasted coconut. Haven't had a '96 P2 before but ostensibly it is the exact same wine as the '96 oenotheque. Said the winemaker, "the second plenitude is more Dom Perignon, it is the same expression but in a louder voice, oenotheque has always been a P2."
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Opened and served in a Riedel GC Burg glass. This took about 45 minutes to open up. The nose is almost creamy with scents that range from citrus and tropical fruits to ocean air & fresh linen. The flavor broadens on the palate like the wake of a speed boat on the water as it continues to expand across the palate. Time seems to stand still and yet move forward all at the same time...this is really something special. Medium body, medium+ fruit, high acidity, and a long finish. Extraordinary. Check in again in 10 years.
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BORGOGNA BIANCA DA VINOGODI: Naso da Criots.... da buttarsi per terra!! Bucce di legno e zenzero, mare, ostriche, fiori bianchi incremati. Elegantissimo e molto borgognone. Anche la bocca è precisissima e aristocratica, scandita in ogni suo componente e resa vibrante da una tensione acida adolescenziale ancora da domare in parte. Il corpo è quasi sottile e la persistenza è tutta in finezza, quasi un sussurro. Legno ancora un pochino da digerire. Potenziale smisurato, già buonissimo oggi, ma ha ancora tanto in serbo per i decenni. Immagina un grande Borgogna con le bolle
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TN: Trump BdB, Chardonnay, Piedmont and Burgundy (The Grill Room at Rosewood DC): A bit more coiled/dense and yellow fruit than usual. Dense Burgundian nose displaying deeply toned sweet yellow fruits, lemon curd, brioche, honey, oyster jus, sesame and mineral. Excellent concentration, dense yellow fruit driven palate impression, perfect amount of acidity, good mineral presence and long deeply toned finish with smoky end. I prefer more white fruit in this wine. Different/denser expression than the past few bottles.
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We sipped at Ocean Sushi in Tsim Sha Tsui East Hong Kong. She followed the 1999, but proved actually to be younger. This stunner easily will sip for another decade or two...wow!
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Opened in Oxford. P&P into Riedel Sommelier Champagne Flutes.
This is a wonderful champagne. The bubbles were extremely fine and well integrated - making it light and frothy rather than being sharp on the tongue. There were nutty, toasty notes of brioche and hints of caramel popcorn coming through but was perfectly balanced with zesty acidity that also had precision.
Really, really good - if you like your champagnes fresh, then it is in a perfect spot.
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Amazing champagne but probably about 5 years or so from reaching its peak. Palate much more evolved than the nose. Golden green color, nose of yeast, brioche, stones and apricot. On the palate fat and rich, buttery and very long finish. Simply sublime.
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Same wine, same place (per se), just 1 1/2 years later - same impression of this wine. It is still too young but has grown more expressive, and is showing a tiny bit more of what is there in its huge potential. If you have to choose a 1996 champagne for now, go with the regular 1996 Dom before this. (JAL)
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Salty, minerality, yeasty and smoky notes on the nose. Lovely softness on the palate. Nice underlying sweetness. Yeast quite prominent. Delicate bubbles. Overall a lovely glass of bubbly.
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Sublime. Decanted and served in Burgundy stems. Beautiful light straw color, and as sexy and alluring a bouquet as you can imagine. You simply don't want to remove your nose from the glass - ever. Just a rockin' display of crisp, fresh lemon zest, hay and a hint of hazelnut. Rich but ethereal palate - fresh, clean citrus, perfect acidity. A truly contemplative wine that is still a baby. Easily another 10+ yrs of superb drinking ahead.
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Clean, more subtle nose than I remember. Some light citrus and mineral notes. More of a statement to the palate. Rich, maturing citrus fruits; orange and honey notes. Mousse is integrating well. Very nice, though I tend to prefer the regular disgorgement.
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Wow, stunning bubbly and my Champagne of the night. Clean bright dense with a sleek elegant feel of rocky Quartz. Drinking more like a Blanc de Blanc with some similarity to Salon style. Long life ahead, but why hold longer? Fantastic stuff very regal.
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Stunning and drinking wonderfully with many years ahead. This has a tremendous freshness and a youthful acidity but has a refined texture and mature hints of green apple, lemon, and a subtle salinity.
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Great nose of salinity and brine with awesome smoke and sulphur. Smouldering smoky driftwood on the palate with big minerals and sharp effervescence. Tight citrus still, loads of grapefruit. Light brioche, sweet and lemony. Full on the palate, baking macaroons. Croissant. Lots more smoke than usual for Dom. This was an unreal crowd pleaser amongst several other and arguably more serious champagnes. Will absolutely have to track down more of this. Terrific.
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A light silvery gold colour. Brief but attractive mousse (served in wine glasses) followed by languid but extremely persistent streams of of tiny bubbles. Nose is drop dead gorgeous - so sniffable you almost forget the purpose is to drink the stuff - light but also somehow weighted, light toasted hazelnuts counterpointed by fresh-peeled hazelnuts straight off the tree, some citrussy notes and with an underlying subtle counterpoint of lemon-oil luxury soap.....violin notes from a Stradivarius. Palate is a fencer's epee - absolute pinpoint precise perfection and almost weightless....all very light but powerful. Quite ethereal....spare, elegant and astocratic in the extreme, absolute laser purity. Wonderful toasted finish and very resonant inside the head on the finish. Endless resonance. So light, so powerful, so etherial. Each time I drink this it moves a step closer to the impossibly perfect 1971 Oenotheque, especially tonight when the two of us drank the bottle slowly and contemplatively over an extended exquisite dinner of light classic Cantonese cuisine. Thrilling....and it will only continue to improve with more age.
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2014 disgorgement. Great funk on the nose with noes of meyer lemon. A dry creaminess on the palate with oyster shell. High acid but smooth. A nice attack with pressing acid but rounds out over the palate. Will be even better in 5+ years. Consumed with roasted turbot with champagne sauce. 94+
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The 96 oenotheque is showing incredibly well at the moment. Beautiful Burgundian nose displaying granny smith, lemon curd, white flowers, butterscotch, oyster brine, smoke and mineral. Exceptional balance, fine abundant mousse, decadent yet pure, strong presence of mineral, bright acidity and lovely long finish that ends with smoke and mineral notes. This may be the freshest showing to date. Really enjoyable.
Firmer and younger than prior experiences. Light funk on the initial nose with faint petrol. Transitioning to lemon and green apple. Ever present acidity which is focused and not overpowering. Crisp but not sharp. Just a touch, but much less than I recall, of almond and yeastiness. Consumed with duck confit papardelle and tea fluke. While this clearly will benefit from more time and will age for a long long time, this was perfect now for the setting (outdoors) and the food (tea smoked fluke in particular). 93+
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Year 3 - Super Tasting 2 of 5 - Andrew does 96 Chamapgne (Langdon Hall, Cambridge, ON): Really quite similar to the regular Dom but with a strong reduced overlay. Very strong plastic and rubber notes make this a difficult one to enjoy. Perhaps this will be good one day, but not really all there today. Followed over several hours without much change.
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My third bottle and everyone consistent with the other and one of the best Champagnes I have every had bar none. Previous notes apply. Sorry, once again drank for my 65th at Fortaleza do Guincho in Portugal so more interested in the food, my beautiful wife and great Champange and 89 Baron so I didn't take copius notes. In fact not one. But between the two wines it was a great birthday and even greater wine and food experience.
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A Memorable Seaside Dinner in Corsica (Porticcio, Corsica): Bright, vibrant and compelling, with a clean saline nose and loads of flavor. The lemon notes dominate on the front palate, and the persistence is impressive. I think this is drinking at peak right now, with no hint of oxidation and impressive depth.
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The 96 Oeno is finally living up to its pedigree. Its always been very good, but given the vintage/producer it should be great. Recent bottles have been superb, and this vintage of Oeno is really coming into its own.
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Still an infant but very enjoyable now with sharp apple and charming mineral in the bouquet which resemble to a fine puligny. On the other hand, the palate is still short from a maestro at this moment which I reckon times will render it into a master piece. Will try another one in 2 or 3 years.
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Yeasty, sweaty nose of sourdough and sour cream, with hints of spring onion and melon. Palate is very dry, very crisp, and very mineral, with a long, firm spine of acidity. Shows only hints of fruit flavour: fresh apple, brown apple, and lemon, with yeasty notes of sourdough and sweat.
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Oenothèque differs from the regular Dom Pérignon Brut in that bottles are aged on the cork, rather than on crown-seals, it also receives a lower dosage following disgorgement. As such this is a flawless Oenothèque. It reminds me of Michelangelo's Davide in all that it communicates—timeless, there is lightness of form and yet the gravity of pure stone, such is the graceful, masculine power this Champagne expresses. Heady and classic aromas of wet shell, brioche, smoke and lemon zest lead into a wine that is subtly creamy on the palate, then coursing with minerality and acidic tension, like muscle under flesh.
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I find many of these bottles distinguished by a pleasing initial funk and light petrol on the nose. Honeysuckle, white flower, white and yellow fruits on the palate. This wine can take some time to open up with light yeasty notes and subtle butterscotch coming out on the backpalate with the progression of time and temperature. This wine will clearly benefit from more time.
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My Birthday Dinner (Pierre Restaurant, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Central, Hong Kong): Another fantastic showing for this perennial favourite........ it is currently in a gorgeous equilibrium between richness of maturing nose and body and the classic younger zingy freshness that the Oenotheque bottling adds. Drank as an opener to my birthday dinner......drank too quickly to fully contemplate, which would have yielded it a higher score. Utterly gorgeous.
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Burg Dinner with Friends (Formento's - Chicago IL): Lots of ripe apple aroma and flavor with some yeasty, toasted brioche throughout. Slightly nutty background notes. Very good power everywhere, and the ripe fruit is nicely balanced with sneaky amount of acidity that comes through nicely on finish.
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Dinner with Charles M - 96 DP Oeno, 96 Dom Rose, 90 Margaux, 90 Mouline, 93 Ponsot Chambertin & etc. (The Grill Room at Capella Hotel Georgetown): Another incredible showing which starts to convince me that this may be better than the regular 96 Dom. Incredible freshness, fresh white fruits, apple, lemon curd, white flowers, limestone, oyster shell, saline and smoke. Excellent concentration, delicate yet decadent, sweet white citrus and apple driven palate impression, bright acidity and lovely seamless finish. Charles mentioned a great Burgundy with bubbles and I have to agree. Once again reminded me a great Chevalier Montrachet, very vinous nose.
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Color amarillo bien intenso con suaves irisaciones doradas, fina burbuja que no llega a formar corona, brillante y extremadamente limpio. Inmensa nariz con unos aromas muy sensuales de bollería recién orneada, pan tostado y recién sacado del horno, harina caliente, mermeladas de fruta blanca y de hueso (ciruelas verdes), orejones frescos y carnosos, curiosa sensación de rebozado de croquetas (y no pongo otras cosas porque sino resultaría una nota de cata un poco extravagante), frutos secos sin pelar (almendras y avellanas), miel seca, recuerdos de mantequilla fresca, galletas dulzonas algo calientes, suave toque de cera caliente, hierbas del monte secas, flores blancas con un suave fondo mineral que agranda el conjunto y lo magnifica. Explosiva entrada en boca con un inicio excelente y un recorrido espectacular en el que discurre una multitud de sensaciones que cabe discernir poco a poco, un carbónico fino y muy elegante que se integra de maravilla, fruta bien madura con toques de fruta blanca y matices de fruta roja escarchada, notables tostados que se derivan en el pan y los frutos secos, excelente acidez, mantequilla y crema cítrica, con mucho volumen y cuerpo, muy amplio y profundo, de notable intensidad, seductora textura, sedoso y elegante, magnífica persistencia. Final largo, postgusto de fruta madura y miel y retronasal ahumado.
More information: www.elvi.net/2013/09/25/dom-perignon-brut-oenotheque-1996/
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Holiday dinner with Washington DC Winos (Ripple Restaurant in Washington D.C.): If you love Champagne and have the budget, seek this out. Clear aspect, very fine bubbles. Subtle yet echoing and deep aromatics reflecting biscuit and toast but so finely matched by lively citrus aromas all followed through on the palate which began subtle but expanded to a full bodied aspect, with a silky light creamy texture - those fine bubbles tickling the palate - and a precise laser like focus from the vintage's excellent acidity leading to a long echoing finish. This wine was only recently released, disgorged after 12 years in bottle and has upside "point potential" for all you point chasers. Worthy of further aging in the cellar.
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Golden yellow, crystal clear with fine bubbles. Still very youthful. Charred oak, toast, bourbon, brioche, and yeast on the nose. Ripe lemon with peel, lemon curd, creme brulee, and butter on the palate. Mouth-wateringly high in acid.
If I had another bottle I would wait 10 more years to drink it as it clearly has the structure to age well and I believe it will benefit with age.
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This wine needed a lot of time to show up. In the beginning it was an acid monster, full of brioche and.. well acid. But at the end of the night it really came out of its shell, a hugely powerful dense champagne with brilliant intensity. Awesome awesome wine with just so much life ahead of it.
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In contrast to the regular cuvée this was lighter in color, and with much more prominent acidity. Nice brioche and tart apple. I agree with other posters that at this stage, I prefer the regular 96 Dom.
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Jeebus, what a development with airing! Started out at a "measly" 91+ with the acidity quite up front and lemon/lime notes and a bit of toffee-development but then developed into the most beautiful freshly ground coffee note and fleshed out considerably as it sat in the glass. Not convinced I prefer this to 'Cuvée Normale' but this puppy is certainly a great Champagne with years of positive evolution expected ahead of it.
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Chicago Burgundy Geek Dinner (Boka - Chicago IL): Cross-section of apples on nose and palate with plenty of concentration and character of rich, toasted brioche. Much like previous bottles, this is a wine I always enjoy, just never as much as the "regular" Dom Perignon 1996.
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I disliked the '96 Oeno for the first 2 years after release. But then it finally began to drink and I have been a fan ever since. Unfortunately, this bottle had just a touch of cork on it, which was just enough to make it undrinkable for me.
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For a champagne this still needs to breathe to understand the meaning of Dom From beginning to end extremely wonderful flavors but after an hour or so the minerality can come out Really wonderful glass of champagne
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The Full Monty: Expansive and open for business. Vanilla, floral, peach, bready and lightly nutty. The fruit purity is delicious and a wave of acidity pierces through and give it superb length. Compelling Champagne.
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Rockstar Champagne... like, all of them (E&R Wine Shop, Portland OR): Most certainly smells like Dom... which is admittedly a house style I'm not to keen on, and this Oenothèque is no different. The nose is very expressive and smells of rancid oak. Luscious but funky and totally in your face. Better on the palate, which is luscious, but there's still a strong wood note that's a little bitter and harsh. Odd lingering notes of wood funk, spice, and bitterness. Rich minerality, but not pleasant.
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Dinner at Elite (Elite Chinese Restaurant - Los Angeles, CA): About the same as the bottle I had a couple weeks earlier. Big and brawny, this is a powerhouse. Tons of dense, creamy, toasty, lemon and apple tones with a very firm bubble. I came back to this later in the night and the firmness had broken down a bit, but this is a bottle that'll reward patience.
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Dinner at Paris Club (Paris Club - Chicago, IL): Pop and pour. Lots of power and refinement with layers of sweet fruit, and florals. Tons of energy, weight, and balance. An incredibly young champagne that packs the power, balance, elegance to transform into something truly special with time.
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Mostly Northern Rhone dinner (The Grill Room at Capella Hotel Georgetown): I have always loved the regular bottling of the 96 Dom and have often preferred to the Oeno. However this has to be the best example to date. Smoke and mineral, Chevalier Motrachet like fresh white fruits, lemon, oyster shell and fresh white pepper. Quite airy and delicate yet intense palate, strong presence of mineral, just the perfect amount of acidity and long seamless finish. Although still very youthful, incredibly hedonistic. Really reminds me a great Chevalier Montrachet with very vinous nose.
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I know the DP haters won't agree but Incredible, incredible, indcredible. Insanely one of the best champagnes I have ever had. I don't often feel this way but it was worth the price. At dinner with my fiance who was in NYC for first time in her life. Bachannol in NYC, new. Food incredible and outstanding, highly recommend, wine better. MUST TRY if in NYC. Sorry not more complete notes.
Sorry for such a late edit. DCWINO I think hit the nail on the head regarding the flavor profile.
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BYOB dinner with Jamie Pollack (Bourbon Steak): Very youthful, delicate and decadent. This is a lyric tenor where the 96 regular is a baritone. Fresh citric yellow fruits, lemon crud, a hint of pear, honey, a mature Chablis like oyster shell and mineral. Lovely spring like refreshing mouthfeel, nicely integrated acidity and lovely seamless mineral finish.
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This is a young wine that is not yet showing what it has to offer. From the notes there is a good amount of controversy surrounding it but with time it will be amazing. Just hold on to it for another 10 years! (per se)
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Wines that Charles loves (Cafe Pyrenees): Gorgeous nose is bready with deep floral and baked apple notes. Palate is young and vibrant with plenty of racy acidity. Gets better and better with air. Long, penetrating finish.
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Drunk at Xmas with the family. Superb. Gold coloured with fine bubbles. Yeast on the nose with a richness of flavour that made 'standard' Dom seem almost ordinary. Would love to have another bottles for 5 years time.
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It had a whiff of matchstick and plenty of fresh citrus. There was a hint of mushroom and was rich and nutty in the mouth. It had great complexity and terrific acid line.
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Seeing stars at the Abbey in Hautvillers, just outside Epernay (Abbey de Hautvillers, near Epernay): Simply magnificent. I bought a six pack after tasting this, it was that good, offering everything anyone would want from great Champagne: vibrancy, tension, a panorama of aromas and flavors and a more intense brioche like creamy texture coming from the long contact with the lees in bottle. The bottle had been disgorged in 2008. It exuded fresh notes of grapefruit and lemon but with mocha, and superb precision and focus, with fine and vibrant bubbles balancing the creamy texture. You could almost drink it now, but it needs time in glass to soften its coiled up sensation, and would be better to save for a few years ideally.
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I thought this was fantastic and one of my favorite champagnes of the afternoon. Color was pale yellow, nice fine mousse. Very fresh on the nose and palate. Tropical fruits galore with yeasty notes. I agree with the laser like focus on this wine.
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Golden. V fine bubbles. Nutty and savoury brioche on nose. Powerful on palate. Rich. Crisp lemony citrus notes. Subtle acidity. Slightly smoky. Overall this was a lovely bottle. Would be interesting to compare to the regular 96.
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Far more approachable to me on this evening than the regular 96 DP. Slightly smoky nose with hints of what I term cold rolled steel. I get a similar note in the Dauvissat Preuses if that means anything to anyone?! Really, deep, perfectly balance and almost regal. Didn't budge an inch.
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Dom Perignon @ Medlar: A touch more reductive on the nose than the straight 96. This seems more vibrant on the nose and on the attack, but is a little disjointed and lacks something in the middle currently. Doesn't flow seamlessly from start to finish as the straight 96 does. Some preferred it more. ****
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More refined and tamed relative to a few years back... But I think these should be tucked away for another 20 years for true greatness. Disgorged in 2008.
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The 1996 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon Oenothèque medium (-) bright straw in colour with an intense nose of fresh tropical fruits (pineapples), green apples, lemon zest with overtones of slight sunflower oil, fresh yellow flowers and good minerality. There's a hint of breadiness as well (which is not too consistent with other notes here, and I'm beginning to suspect a bottle variation on this one). On the palate, an initial entry of sunflower oil backed up with lemon zest and fresh crunchy green apples. Minerality strings through the palate from start to end with good backbone of fruit and slight floral notes.
Rather linear but superb intense finish. Impeccable laser-like focus with vibrant and bright fruit flavours along the middle of the palate. Good weight on the finish with a nice underlying salinity. Should have waited a little longer for it to be more expressive. Got some weight, but still a little tight when tasted. Surprisingly fresh and vibrant, years ahead still for sure. Some decanting will do the job if uncorked today. (94-96)
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Still very young and sharp, still painfully so. Nose with a bit of petrol and rubber. Very long and lovely minerality at the end. Better dont touch this baby for another 5 years
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The mouthfeel in this champagne is what will stay with us for ever. So vibrant, elegant yet so refined and balanced. Almost a fragile giant. A bit too young in our mind to warrant an oenothque but still a magnificent bottle true to what great Dom needs to be all about, focused, precise and as memorable as the moon landings were to a 10 year old. 96-97 and really on the young side, but still great.
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Stunning wine with tons of depth. Showing nice acid on the entry, with distinct minerality in the mid palate and finish. Tons of nuttiness and yeast throughout the experience. Lovely wine that should persist and improve for years to come.
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Defreakinglightful. Just full of life and energy on the palate. The wine is so bright and just bursting with citrus and acidity. Way more youth than the one I had last year as the concentration of fruit was so forward and aggressive. Really liked it
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Disgorged in 2008 and pop and pour. This started firm and rather subdued. As the bottle warmed on the table it became an awesome drink. This bottle is certainly more firm and less fruit forward than the regular 1996. But when it landed I was struck by white earth minerals, sand, silica flour, glass, oyster shell and limestone. Again, as it warmed the fruit began to show on the nose and in the mouth. There were aromas of dry Riesling residue, stone fruits, and hints of lemon. In the mouth it was zippy and fresh with lemon, and bitter stone fruit, and lemon cream, tied together by kind of a citrus/saline perception that was all the rage to my senses. The last sip was the best and I lament not letting this one get even more air. These should age well and be good for quite a while.
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Elegantare frukt än Krug GC och Egly-Ouriet 2002 (dracks parallellt med dessa). Mer mognad märks också tydligt. Mer fokus på sekundära dofter snarare än frukten: rostat, nötter, svamp och lite koskitskänsla (på ett positivt vis - hur märkligt det än låter) med ordentlig rökig mineralitet.. Orkade dock inte leverera lika länge (med högre värme och utan mousse) som Krugen.
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Hart Davis Hart Summer Champagne Tasting (City Winery - Chicago IL): Tasting, brief note. Robust fruit with toasted brioche hints. Dense and powerful on plate, well textured and energetic, hints of citrus on finish. Very good, but to me not quite worth the price premium over the sensational "regular" DP 1996.
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Angela's Belated Birthday Dinner (Crown Wine Cellars, 18 Deep Water Bay Drive, Shouson Hill, Hong Kong): Drank over 6 hours, including 5 hours removed from the ice bucket. Colour is very light straw gold. Nose is BAM!..... absolutely beautiful, full, fresh-baked French baguettes, lemon sherbert boiled sweets from my childhood, tons of other various mineral notes, complex but most significantly this is just very integrated and complete. Palate is light honeysuckle, toffee boiled sweets from my childhood, hints of hazelnuts, lots of minerality and a slight element of honeycomb on the back end. Quite sharp acidity and also slightly burningly alcoholic when straight from the ice bucket but both toned down as it slowly moved towards cool room temperature and the hazel nut element became more prominent. I would give this 97 points for the nose, which was still going strong in a glass put aside for 4 hours. 95-96. Everyone's wine of the night....this really does transport you somewhere.
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Alcohol :: 12.5% Dosage: 5g. Definitely a treat to have this. I thought this would be dominated by the solid structure and acid from the 1996 vintage but I was wrong. This is showing superbly well and everyone in the room get hooked immediately. Extraordinary focus, depth and complex with touch of oxidative note that blossom from the glass along with chrysanthemum, lily, hazelnut and intense yellow fruits. On the palate this is all about harmony. Impeccable balance between the vivid acid core and seductive fruits. Complex layer of flavors continue to expand and linger on the palate effortlessly. Palate staining intensity yet remains so elegance, lively and weightless. The grip at the finished is firm but no forceful, with complex salinity and sweet juiciness lingering. Bravo.
Nose shows strong savoury notes (sourdough, grilled nuts) over mostly red fruit (cranberry, red apple). Palate is austere and pallid, despite a strong, tight spine of acidity. The typical Chardonnay note of green apple is present but, unusually for a Champagne, there is also a Pinot Noir red cherry note. Impeccable structure; likely has a long life ahead of it.
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Moet Hennessey USA tasting (The Graham Georgetown): Superb stuff, but you already knew that. It's interesting how this Œothèque version of the '96 takes the classic Dom profile and puts it in an even more bright, bracing, and precise package -- Champagne cut like diamonds -- and consequently, I think, probably a few years behind in the maturity curve than the regular '96 has been in terms of its freshness, even as it's picked up the typical flint-and-gunmetal mineral element that these usually need a few years of bottle age to develop. The aromatics on this are just soaring, a no-doubter as soon as you pass your nose in the vicinity of the glass that this is going to be wide-open and expressive, and it is.
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Moët Portfolio Tasting (Graham Georgetown Hotel - Washington, DC): Intoxicating aromas of lemon cake, buttered croissant, yellow apple, honeydew, dried white flowers... and the aromas just keep going. Rich on the palate, with green apple and melon fruit, buttered toast and dried honey, but this wine maintains so much focus and precision. The minerality in this wine is astounding, same goes for the acid, which never ceases. Such beautifully dramatic tension between the lean and rich aspects. Chef de Caves Richard Geoffroy has made a masterpiece with this wine. If I had a bottle of this, I'd put it down with a cellar tag that reads "Do not open until apocalypse."
This is so good. Typical Dom Perignon nose with its roasted coffee and sweet berries. This is the best oenteque I have ever had I think. It is actually better than the normal vintage was I think. I will open one of them still stocked in my cellar to see how they are developing. Top champagne!!!
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Brilliant. Longest finish I have ever experienced on a champagne. Very fruit forward, but still maintains balance and elegance. More mousse and yeast on day two. Eclipses the regular bottling of 96 by just a hair. A superb wine to celebrate our new house!
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Linear grippy acidity. Monolithic column of lime and minerals like a roman limestone marble column. More apple weight with time. Wine of strength as vigor.
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Chú Xī (除夕) Dinner at Home for Chinese New Year (Our House, Hong Kong): What a lovely surprise......I thought it was Dom Perignon 2002 I had at home when our best friends arrived for dinner but I'd forgotten that it was an Oenotheque 1996 I'd pulled from the cellar for Christmas but hadn't opened. It couldn't have been better company to share the fortune with....especially as Chinese New Year drew to a close.
Light green-gold colour. Incredible nose.....smoky bacon, brown toasted bread, ozone in spades, lemon zest. The ozone nose is so typical of an oenotheque. Palate is really zesty, alive, effervescence with really deep, rich mesmerising toastiness and depth. Impressive resonance. Really silence-creating, which is the highest accolade I can give to a wine. Even 5 hours after opening and after our guests had gone, the zestiness of the palate is still as zippy as ever. So toasty and with a salinity and Epsom Salts palate that is so memorable. Close to perfect...and with the time ahead of it to reach my paradigm of absolute perfection, which is the DP Oenotheque 1971.
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The sky is the limit here and having tasted oenotheque's back to the 70's this has the stuffing and vitality to age and evolve. We wonder if this was released a bit ahead of its time and we look forward to future releases of this amazing vintage.
For what it can achieve it is a bit backward and restrained at this stage and we would point to the regular bottling for the moment and let this baby sleep and evolve into something spectacular. Don't get us wrong we did love it though. 94 at the moment but could well reach 100 as it matures.
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The 1996 Dom Perignon Oenotheque is coming along very nicely and seems to have officially started to enter its drinking window. In fact, this was probably the best bottle of Dom Perignon that I have ever had. It had some rich citrus and spice aromas on the nose. On the palate it immediately showed dark minerals, limestone, bright citrus, honeysuckle, fresh baked bread, allspice, almonds, a slight grassy flavor, and a lovely creaminess. The champagne also felt light on its feet thanks to the bright acidity that is now well integrated with the other components. This Oenotheque also seemed to have a bit more precision and focus than the original release of the 1996 Dom Perignon.
It is clear that the 1996 Oenotheque will continue to improve with time and will have an extremely long life. I was considering giving this more than 95 points, but for me, I still like the style of champagnes from the likes of Bollinger, Salon, and Krug a bit more than the style of Dom Perignon. So my score reflects my stylistic preference more than anything else. But if you like the DP style, then this is a can't miss champagne.
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Eighth Annual White Truffle Dinner (Chez Weber - Chicago IL): Served alongside the DP 1996, this was very similar with plenty of ripe apple, just a bit more bready and yeasty. Perhaps a bit larger and fatter, but it came across as a bit more backward. I preferred the "regular" bottling to the Oenothèque, while the rest of the table was about evenly divided.
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White Truffle Dinner at Yann's. (Yann's Place, New York, NY): Light gold. Really on. Nose of tart red apple, lemon, butter and brioche, creamy yet lively, a beautiful contradiction. Incredibly bright and acidic on the palate: lemon, but with a creaminess that makes you swoon. Brioche, white chocolate, white flowers, minerals and lemon curd. Lemon finish. Still young. Nose - 5.5/6, Palate - 6/6, Finish - 5/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 1.5/2 = 18/20.
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Round Table dinner at Jake's (NYC): Tough act to follow the Salon, but this is very impressive in its own right. Richly fruited and framed by layers of autolytic bready, doughy and toasty elements, wonderfully balanced and really enjoyable.
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Dom Pérignon Masterclass with Richard Geoffroy at Decanter Fine Wine Experience (Landmark Hotel, London): Appearance: bright yellow, slightly more yellow than the 2002. Nose: powerful toasted notes with toasted hazelnuts, cocoa powder, citrus, a hint of herbal notes, developed notes with some pine tree needles and resin, spice. It “sings more in a bass voice” than 02 or 03, and hints at oak barrel or other wood notes. Palate: noticeable minerality, citrus, some apple, a hint of spice, some resion, grapefruit bitterness, a hint of tannic impression on the mid-palate and in the aftertaste. The aftertaste is extremely long with mineral and citrus notes. Overall impression: not a heavyweight compared to 2002 and 2003. Still young, more developed in the nose than on the palate, but the palate is also reasonably accessible. 94+ p.
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Dom Perignon Masterclass, with Richard Geoffroy (Decanter FWE, The Landmark hotel, London): Bright, luminous light golden in colour. Quite intense nose which continues to evolve in the glass. Nose is starting to show age evolution, light toast, light yeasty notes, ripe fruit notes. On the palate it is vibrant, focussed yet with a silky texture. Never dries out. Very harmonious wine with good acidity and more mineral than fruity. Just about entering its drinking window and has a great future ahead of it and can last another 20-30years easily.94 To quote RG, welcome to Dom Perignon!
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Very impressive wine. Nice citrus flavors, with incredible power. The finish lasts for a minute. I haven't tasted an Oenotheque before...definitely a big step up in Dom..
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DOM PERIGNON tasting (Rotterdam, Netherlands): In the month before grapepicking 16 september, it was as much the spells of hot weather as the influence of north-easterly winds that led to the original maturity of the vintage.( disgorging date 2008 ) Magnificent verdant gold color, on the nose very young and fresh with soft minerals, the palate is tense, profound and intense, acidity on the high side but not extreme, some complex aromas of candied citrus, toast and smoke, lots of energy and power, a great lingering aromatic finish. A great Oenotheque and stil very youmg!
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Tight. Yeasty and nutty. Still very young. Had it side by side with the standard 96 and you could really tell the difference. Even the color ismore pale. Great Champagne. Tigher and faster bubbles racing to the top. This will be amazing in 5-10 years. At the moment, standard one more approachable.
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Zachys Pre-Auction Dinner (Bar Boulud, NY): Initially light but gained rapidly in the glass. Aromas of lemon, flowers, curd. On the balance snappy at first but really blossomed with tropical fruit and nicely balanced acidity. Great.
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In the glass the color was light gold. A nose of toast and brioche, apples. Light to medium bodied with a tight bead. Primary fruit flavours of green apples, some ginger, sooem nuttiness. Good acidty to balance verything out. Still very tight and focused at the moment. You could drink now but id wait another 5 years.
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What a remarkable, complex and fascinating Champagne. One of the best of this outstanding vintage, it is multi-faceted and highly rewarding. Others have noted a strong smoke character, Jancis calls it 'struck matches', and that it has in abundance, yet in a complex and interesting way. Lemon, toast, yeast and brioche are other notes that play on the nose and palate in seemingly endless variation. Not as dry or austere as one would suspect, knowing that the Oenothèque cuvée differs from standard Dom Pérignon by its lower dosage (in addition to being aged on the cork). Disgorged in 2008, it is just coming into its drinkability window, but has enough acidity to comfortably carry it through another 20 years or more. Very complex, beautifully crafted and unique, truly a magnificent Champagne and a delight to drink. Superb.
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Good, but not great. Grass and herbs, giving way to yeast, chalk,. Acidic (but not as much as some other DPs) with good breadth and length. Improved noticeably in the large glasses we drank this from. I would hold off drinking this for 10 years. Buy? No, although wife is a fan.
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Birthday Wines for Mr. Wei at Chateau De Husky; 6/29/2012-7/2/2012: Very interesting champagne. The nose was a bit off putting as the bready nutty flavor was so powerful that it took me by surprise. I expected a more high toned yellow fruit to lead the way on the nose. But on the palate the wine was full and lush and coats every receptor with a creamy chalk and bright explosive citrus fruit. Compared to the early releases of the 96 Dom (normal bottling) this doesn't have the precision of acid but not in a bad way as I've yet to have a 96 Dom that is an expansive on the palate as the Oenotheque is.
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Admittedly my judgment over this bottle may be biased: my girl agreed to marry me and this is what we drank to celebrate. That said, as someone who really likes DP, this just takes it up to 11. Beautiful floral and citrus nose, wonderful mouthfeel and terrific finish. Went well with the diverse tasting menu at Auberge Carmel, and by itself.
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As you might imagine, this was fabulous. In my opinion, this is still quite a baby (for reference, my favorite wine of all time was a 1973 Dom that I had in 2011). The wine had the characteristic brioche and biscuit flavors that Dom delivers in spades. The citrus and fruit were hiding a bit, but certainly were there. It would be great to have a case or two of this to monitor this one as it evolves. So if any of you out there that would like to donate a few dozen bottles…. Outstanding.
Light golden color, a tad darker than the 03 drunk side by side. Nose of fresh hazelnuts and peachy tone. Very fresh and dry, overall very sharp and tight but with lots of potential, the normal 96 Dom is in a much better place to drink now, won't touch this for at least a few years.
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Dom Perignon Dinner (NAHA - Chicago IL): Similar to the Dom Perignon 1996 in the next glass, but larger scaled and breadier, less citrus-driven and precise. Some preferred this Oenothèque tonight, which was quite wonderful, but I frankly prefer the sensational "regular" 1966 cuvee.
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A great bottle of 96 Oeno. This vintage of Oeno is showing great now, and will likely go from strength to strength. Still at a price that will look cheap in five years.
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nose; lemon, smoke, minerals, and chalk. palate; baked bread, green apples, pears, and red berries. medium plus acidity. full bodied. 60 plus second finish. my first oenotheque. no doubt the best dom perignon I have drank. opened to celebrate the birth of my first nephew. a very special day in my life. unforgettable!
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A beautiful wine. Good green apple and bright citrus, a little bit of yeast, some minerals/chalk and a medium long finish. What makes this wine really good is its balance and precision. Like a Swiss watch, nothing extra, nothing overbearing the others, everything moving in perfect concert. It actually stopped some conversations as the wine danced in people’s mouths. Not as sumptuous as the Bruno Paillard 1996 that we drank alongside it, but gorgeous in its own right.
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The 97 Cult cab/Meritage dinner at RIS in DC: This is so fresh, limestone, cooper, white flowers, sea salt, sea breeze and etc. The palate is citric and steely and displays excellent concentration and birth acidity. A wonderful young champagnes that is drinking beautifully.
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Dom Perignon Dinner (2002,1996,2000 Rose,1971) (Man Wah Restaurant, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Hong Kong): Deep green-gold, bright, sharp colour. Little mousse as it was served in a wine glass. Nose is a notch up from the 1996 Dom Perignon drank in parallel with it......amazing purity (I underlined this word in my notes) and precision, like a really sharply-focussed photo of a rockface.....intense hand-crushed lightly roasted whole lemons with almost no tones of yeast or brioche. Weightless, like the nose of a young Montrachet. Palate has the same marked effervescence of Alka Seltzer as the standard Dom Perignon 1996.....mouthwateringly fresh and vibrant.....absolutely stunning....such lightness but sabre-sharp tension....saline...incredibly salivative....lemons, lemons, lemons....gorgeous......heady and very resonant on the finale. This has decades ahead of it but it already has me totally captivated. Gosh.... I don't think champagne gets much better than this...erm, until we were served the Dom Perignon Oenotheque 1971.
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I was expecting great things from the 1996 Dom Oenothque and it mostly delivered. To me this will likely continue to evolve and improve for the next 20 years, but is already starting to enter its drinking window. The thing that struck me the most about this bottle was the perfect balance and delicateness that it displayed. It was also remarkably light and seemed lighter on its feet than most regular vintage Dom Perignon's (maybe a result of the lower dosage in the Oenotheque bottlings). The most apparent flavors included citrus, light red apple and some yeast. Even though I was not totally blown away, this was a very good champagne. Not worth its price in my opinion, but that might change in another decade or so if this continues to improve.
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Chablis dinner, plus more (GT Fish & Oyster - Chicago IL): Starts as I expected from a 1996 Chardonnay-based Champagne, with intensity and lots of big fruit. Last time I had this, I preferred the 1996 regular DP cuvee tasting alongside. Interestingly, this picked up power, textures and complexity with more time in glass, and somehow actually started seeming more bright and fresh.
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Incredible nose of tropical fruits and reach complex layers. The bubbles were delicate and almost completely disappeared in the glass after some time. This has a beautiful gold color. Palate was nearly perfect. So rich but live and flowing. Acidity was very good sustaining well the fruit. Flavor profile of tropical fruits, butter scotch, and once the effervescence was gone this really tasted like an aged Grand Cru Chablis. Long finish, simply amazing!
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Had this at a dinner tasting in TST. This was the opening champagne. This was a elegant and complex champagne. I enjoyed the depth and this really had a great freshness and really tasted very young. This will be much better in 20 years
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Giallo tendente al dorato.Parte ridotto su note troppo banali di tostatura e caffè, poi con il passare dei minuti si apre , note floreali e gesso, agrumi dal lime al mandarino , zucchero filato , poi la frutta gialla albicocca disidrata, melone giallo. Bocca fine , elegante , con una bellissima acidità , una leggera punta di ossidazione , lungo finale con ritorni di anice .
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Piedmont Dinner (Barbetta): What great stuff. This is the best showing of '96 Dom I've experienced since the original release came out; I guess the later disgorgement of the Oenothèque program has managed to reopen the wine somewhat. It tastes essentially the same way I remember the regular '96 (with the chardonnay parts of the flavor spectrum more dominant than the norm for DP) but leaner and more bracing, I guess due to the lower dosage. But the most remarkable thing about it is its sense of delineation. Tough to explain the sensation but as soon as you take a sip it seems to carve out a space for itself and you feel the structural borders before it fills them in with flavor... then comes the rush of bracing lemony/pineapply fruit spackled with metal shavings and other vivid mineral elements.
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This vintage of Oeno gets better each time I have it. I underrated it initially (must have been an off night, or an off bottle), but each time since its impressed. Tonight it went head to head with 75 Oeno, and held its own (age adjusted). Reloaded twice this week - suggest folks buy at its relatively reasonable current price point as this will likely move up significantly.
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I have not tried the "regular" (first plenitude) '96 in a while so I can't directly compare them, but this second plenitude version, disgorged in 2008, is a stunner. Flamboyant in DP terms, the lusty aroma of ripe melon and fresh baked white bread reaches you well before the flute even comes close to your nose. Open, friendly flavors with no undue acidity makes this absolutely delicious right now. Can it age for decades?
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I really should have waited on this one. Just OK right now, too much sulfur. Never unfurled like I hoped it would. Good precision but not enough mousse for my tastes.
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3/9/2024 - benjamin96 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Beaucoup de champignon au debut, couleur tres pale. une fois aere, du fruit, des fleurs blanches. On aurait jamais cru un 1996. Excellent
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1/28/2024 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine: 100 Points
Champagne and Burgundy evening (Private home in Arlington, Virginia): I have had this wine for several years now, having acquired a case of 12 bottles in a black wooden box shortly after its release, and by Golly, this was rather perfect. Notes from memory, but you have such youth for a wine that seems to resist aging. The color was light straw, and from the get-go, it seems very young. The aromatics of cool citrus, lime and lemon, subtle apple and still youthful brioche without any hazelnut or nutty oxidations aspects proved promising, and the promise is fulfilled on the palate, which reflected sheer balance: between subtle and noble opulence to textural finesse, to liveliness and energy to a caressing and very long finish. Among seven people, this bottle was rather quickly gone. It was the best bottle from my stash so far, and if you have any of this wine, there is no need to rush, especially if stored properly. We continued with the lobster...
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1/28/2024 - fclarity wrote: 96 Points
Looking young with lemon/lime, brioche, and white stone.
ripe and yet great length and cut in the mouth.
Outstanding!
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12/15/2023 - Jonathanmustang Likes this wine: 93 Points
Champignon au début, très beau par la suite
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11/18/2023 - hprphf wrote: 93 Points
Either really shy or weird, good weight but not complex like other vintages. 92-93
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11/11/2023 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 96 Points
blind
I nailed it. The nose was amazing, some sea breeze and yeast, less toasted toast. In this condition I would go still with the regular disgorged bottle. That wine is more multi-dimensional. A bit too sweet in the aftertaste. 95-96
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10/19/2023 - Eric wrote:
M&PD Tasting: Argentinian Grill (Mount Baker, Seattle, WA): Wowza, smoldering intensity, staggering complexity. I have had this wine a few times in the past 3 years, and this bottle was easily the most open and complex of the three.
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10/19/2023 - Brolawa wrote:
MP&D at Goldbergs. EVH. Smoke, fat, mineral, fruit.
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9/17/2023 - Nanda wrote: 95 Points
Wow, at a perfect peak. Complexity of some earth tones has emerged to complement the still very forward and fresh fruit with classic Dom smoke and toast tones. So concentrated yet pin-point acidity and freshness.
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9/17/2023 - Burgundy Al wrote: 94 Points
Pausing for the Cause Fundraiser and Dinner (Obelix - Chicago IL): Wonderfully rich from start-to-finish with still plenty of freshness to supplement the wine's maturity. Complex with great depth.
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9/17/2023 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 96 Points
Just in a great spot
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8/23/2023 - Raitis Likes this wine: 95 Points
Surprisingly fresh and plenty life ahead.
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8/4/2023 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
The best bottle of this wine I think I’ve ever had. This was great! So fresh and bright and delicious but also with the first characteristics of good age. Drinking nicely. I saved some to pair with dessert and it was just awesome. Depth of flavor but with the nice brightness.
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7/22/2023 - fclarity wrote: 96 Points
Killer again !
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7/21/2023 - Eric wrote:
Dinner at Copine with Steve and Jason (Ballard, WA): Tightly wound and fabulously complex. White chocolate, sea air, hints of brioche. The palate is pure silk, racy, insanely young.
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6/22/2023 - DAN BAILEY Likes this wine:
Part of a great flight with the 98 and 02 P2s. Grated ginger and melba toast. Smooth, deep, persistent palate. Missing the usual cold rolled steel/reduction of previous bottles though did appear with some air.
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5/21/2023 - fclarity wrote: 96 Points
Tasted blind, this wine had a stunning nose of brioche, chalk, marzipan, and lemon.
In the mouth, it was rather light at first and took a good hour of air to gain the power to match the nose. This is a great Champagne that is still drinking extremely well.
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3/25/2023 - ricknat1 Likes this wine: 98 Points
this is about as good as champagne gets. Totally fresh and delightful. its amazing its 27 years old and completely delicious. just transferred in from Horseridge.
drank this before dinner with smoked salmon and hmmus
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3/23/2023 - ricknat1 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Wine of the flight, bright young and elegant
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2/4/2023 - TWSA Likes this wine: 94 Points
Nose: sugar cane, peach, white flower, raisin, honey, maltose, hints of red date
Notes: Opened for 1 hour in the bottle before drinking. Disgorged in 2013. Very sweet and seductive nose with an excellent and silky palate. This is an amazing champagne in every aspect and I'm deeply impressed. Bubbles are more or less gone so it can be treated as a still white wine, this part I would say is pretty similar to the Dom Perignon 1996 but obviously the intensity and the complexity is very much different. Beautifully balanced and everything is at the right spot. I do feel that this won't get better with more aging and should drink well for the next 10 years.
Drink: now - 2032
Rating 94
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2/4/2023 - bookert wrote: 93 Points
Very young but great body. Nice and yeasty.
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1/18/2023 - oxwombat Likes this wine: 97 Points
Rogue night at Mato in Hong Kong. P&P with friends.
WOTN in a strong line up. This was absolutely outstanding. Incredible freshness and zestiness, with sublime bubbles that gave way to a creaminess on the palate rather than a sharpness. Nutty, brioche notes coming through but balanced with citrus and a clear acidic backbone running throughout the wine.
Perhaps even better than the last time I had this a few years ago. Definitely has a long life ahead of it - just a shame there are so few of these left lying around. Enjoy if you have them!
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1/7/2023 - sdr Likes this wine: 95 Points
Latour, Latour, Latour (WineWatch, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida): It’s a distinct step up from the very good original release. Richer, rounder, oily, yellow fruity, less acidic. Really delicious but I wonder if it will last as long. At its glorious peak now.
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1/6/2023 - sbjm Likes this wine: 94 Points
Aroma: yeast, buttery, lemon, some hints of spice
Color: Fairly pale
Taste: Assertive up front with a large bite; lively but shorter finish. J notes complex but I find it a bit thin. J finds comparable to Pol Roger but I find it more lacking than SWC. Borders on bitter for me feels disappointing for a 96. Does mellow out over time in the glass.
J: 97
S: 90
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12/21/2022 - burg_gram_Jason Likes this wine: 93 Points
One note aromatics, creamy silken mouthfeel, a good length and complexity in the finish. I find a well-stored original release DP ‘96 to be leaps more enjoyable in the bouquet and more engaging in the palate, if a coarser in the finish. On balance, I will choose the aromatics over an aristocratic finish but perhaps 96 oeno just needs more time. the fine bubbles were very energetic like a young DP along with a decent structure so if rest the remaining for another decade.
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12/17/2022 - fclarity wrote: 96 Points
Another PNP.
As usual, this starts out with a stunning nose and tastes vert good in the mouth. It goes through a couple phases over the course of an hour+ of air where the acidity and white stone flavors ramp up and become more intense.
If that is what you are looking for, don't be tempted to drink this right after opening. A little air time is good for this wine. It is still stunning and going strong.
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12/16/2022 - BradE wrote:
Unimpressive. This was from my cellar, but I've had it recently from other's and it was equally uninspiring. Odd, as I've also had great bottles recently. Not sure why the variation.
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11/7/2022 - BradE wrote:
La Tache in Atlanta: In the company of other 96's this was not impressive.
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11/4/2022 - shifter wrote:
La Tache and '96 Champagne (Atlanta): Sadly a clear last on the flight. It just doesn't have the power or depth. We all agreed, it's a great Wednesday night Champagne.
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10/7/2022 - Benoit Hardy Likes this wine: 98 Points
DSG 2008
Resolutely floral nose where white flowers mingle with brioche.
Mouth with creamy touch and soft effervescence. Wonderful complexity and harmony on a background of sharp but admirably well integrated acidity and a dense juice, the balance is perfect. A whole train of flavors follow one another with almonds at the start, then oyster shells, lemon and wet stone. The freshness is incredible for a 26 year old champagne. Trailing, saline and floral finish of infinite length.
Great champagne.
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8/5/2022 - scamhi wrote:
ready for prime time. Drank next to 2 Ruinart BdBs. this was a different beast, red fruited and long
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7/26/2022 - BradE wrote:
Absolute money. The 96 Oeno is moving into the killer plus zone.
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7/4/2022 - Papies wrote: 95 Points
It has been 2 years ( Papies 95) since we last crossed paths with this old friend and what a joy to see him again.
This is fully matured now, the bubbles almost faint albeit present and is more of a well aged burgundy. The riper side of 1996 definitely made this wine develop more and faster and is probably wise for one to drink this sooner than later but what a show this is now for lovers of well aged top end champagne. 95
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6/3/2022 - jhngo Likes this wine: 96 Points
excruciatingly young and tight. dis 2008 it needs more time to aged out and soften.
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4/14/2022 - fclarity wrote: 95 Points
Had to pop n pour this one. The nose was just stunning.
It really didn't start showing it full potential until the bottle was almost empty.
This wine really needs air to show its best and I probably short changed ity tonight. However, it was still excellent.
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3/30/2022 - BenBlu Likes this wine: 97 Points
Very good showing of both P1 96 (rated 96) and this Oeno during a blind 90s champagne evening. The Oeno possibly just pipped the P1 for its freshness and precicion (people remarked it was a very good bottle) and was in there for wine of the night with the 96 and 95 Krug, Cristal 96 during an evening of incredibly strong showing great champagnes.
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3/16/2022 - aquacongas wrote: 96 Points
not blind
Starts to make fun, I would go still with the regular bottle, but this comes closer because it shows some aging signs. Not too reductive and yeasty. Will be a legend in the next 5-15 years. 96(99)
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3/14/2022 - Clube Likes this wine: 100 Points
Young at 26 yo... luminaire, vibrant, dense
Best champagne I ever tasted... ...and I drink a lot of champagne
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2/26/2022 - jfpwine Likes this wine: 95 Points
Gorgeous nose of lemon and yellow apple. Creamy texture, yet with great structure and tension. Crisp acidity. Long finish. It did open up after some time in the glass.
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2/7/2022 - Ex-Ray wrote: 85 Points
Fine, if you like $600 sherry. This was from a friend's cellar, stored properly since release. Definite sweetness in the nose, pronounced sherry notes, did not change over several hours. Pale golden color, few bubbles. Light-bodied, also had sweet sherry flavors. This was at its peak many years ago.
Ric
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1/27/2022 - SebChau Likes this wine: 96 Points
Deep golden color with great fizziness despite its age. On the nose, we had citrus peel, oyster shells, almond paste and brioche. Palates delivered lime, nuts, butter, limestones and white flowers aromas. A wonderful bitterness that balance well the acidity giving a impression of umami aromas. Rich mousse that explodes in mouth. Really fresh and bright, in perfect drinking window now ! Looking forward to the P1 and P2 !
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12/31/2021 - fclarity wrote: 97 Points
Medium deep yellow center with persistent effervescence. Medium intensity nose of citrus, almond paste, brioche, and white stone.
While nice right out of the gate, this improved dramatically with air. It had great stony length.
This bottle was great! It is tempting to p&p this wine but don't do it. drink a glass and then let it sit for at least an hour or maybe two before you start pouring the rest. Great stuff!
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12/25/2021 - Goldstone Likes this wine: 94 Points
Christmas Day Family Lunch at Home (Our House, Hong Kong): Xmas lunch - Disgorged 2008. Incredibly fresh and ozone-driven. Precise. Scintillating. 94+
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12/19/2021 - Kemo Sabe Likes this wine: 94 Points
In a flight of 96 P2 and regular release. This was my #2 behind the P2. More evolution on the nose and palate. Predominate hints of coffee and toast with less yellow fruits and lemon notes. Good acidity to balance the fruit. A perfect flight to see the evolution and the DP line up. This is in plateau but no rush to drink.....
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12/10/2021 - AValdes Likes this wine:
Dom Perignon P2/P3 Dinner (New York City): My personal favorite of the 96 flight. Where the P1, for me, didn't show depth or complexity, I found the Oenotheque did. It didn't have the flavors of hte 98 P2 I like but was delicious in it's own way. This wine didn't have a lot of power (consistent across the 96s). For a vintage that got a lot of hype, it was my least favorite vintage grouping.
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12/10/2021 - MC2 Wines wrote:
DP Extravaganza! (Friend's place): Very similar to the regular DP - they are more alike than they are different. Same almost background of stewed white fruits. While the regular was more advanced this is still a bit younger and less powerful.
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12/10/2021 - rlove wrote: 95 Points
A bit of leesy funk on first pop but not to worry, with just a few minutes of air the 1996 Dom Pérignon Oenothèque reveals itself as lightning in a bottle with an understated nose of lemon, marzipan, smoke, and buttery pastry that only whispers to the possibility of the explosive palate with layers of citrus and minerals. Concentrated and intense. Rich mousse. Dry but not austere finish. This is killer.
(Oenothèque is the same base as the standard cuvée, with the Oenothèque receiving an additional five years on the lees while under cork, not crown cap. Once disgorged, the Oenothèque dosage is generally less than the standard cuvée's, around 6.5 g/l this vintage.)
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11/11/2021 - SoundinBetween wrote:
Thursday at June BYOB (June BYOB, Collingswood NJ): Great depth and power here, this took about an hour to open up. Fresh lemon zest, white flowers, marzipan aromas with rich lemon curd, pear, quince flavors. Razor sharp acidity and an effortless mouthfeel carried this onto a long and broad finish that kept growing in length as the night wore on.
Did not develop an overly oxidative or excessively dense/rich palate as some older vintages of DP have. Truly a "wow" wine today, and for a long(!) time to come.
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11/7/2021 - Nicephoras wrote:
Very old Dom - mushrooms and lime. If that’s your thing, it’s quite good.
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11/4/2021 - KenPlace Likes this wine: 96 Points
Exceptional bottle. Fizz is almost gone, but the wine is phenomenal.
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11/1/2021 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 94 Points
Briliant example and still among my favourite Champagnes. Unapologetically reduced, sulfur, smoky, loads of Dom P brioche and pretzel dough here. Bright yellow fruit and cut with citrus and great acid. Fresh and bright, superb drinking now and I believe still has room to run. Last overtime bottle of a long night of a long trip.
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10/26/2021 - sdr wrote: 90 Points
This bottle had a strange metallic note. It didn’t dominate but it seemed to hide the fruit somewhat. Good foam and energy. Usually I prefer the Oeno or P2 version to the original disgorgement but on this night the latter showed better even though it was marginally tired. This bottle is not representative of the other bottles I have had from the same case.
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9/7/2021 - DAN BAILEY wrote:
Classic oeno. So young with just a hint of cold, rolled steel. Softened a but with air but still grumpy!
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9/5/2021 - fclarity wrote: 95 Points
Wow, this is good stuff right from the start but clearly even better with an hour or two of air. While drinking now, this might even get better. This bottling has been extremely consistent, so please see my prior notes for more information. Impressive!
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9/4/2021 - BenBlu Likes this wine: 95 Points
Consistent to my last encounter upon revisiting my note but has probably matured a tiny bit mellowing down. Disgorged 2008 this was side by side P1 96. Comparable juice clearly, same material and took a bit of nit picking to separate them. To me same quality level exactly. The Oeno is drier (lower dosage) and has chalkiness, the P1 is a more giving. Two side of a very shiny coin and should be an interesting pair to compare and get back to over the coming decades. No rush here but both drinking.
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8/30/2021 - dbkitc wrote: 96 Points
Wow is this delicious. Thanks, Tom. Great bottle. Still so fresh. Great penetration and length. Golden fruit, citrus and rock is a compelling combo. (96)
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8/20/2021 - bill00 wrote: 95 Points
Delicious as always. Preferred '96 Comtes from the prior night but this is still in the top-tier of '96 champagnes.
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8/14/2021 - Sean Tay wrote: flawed
Was a birthday gift from friend and pop it to taste. Unfortunately, the wire screw cap was already broken, which was not a good signal. And when pop open, it didn’t have the ‘pop’ sound which could have meant the bottle wasn’t kept well? And when we pour the ‘champagne’ out, the colour was pale yellow, for vintage 1996 it should be more golden. And upon tasting and smelling, we concluded it was Prosecco or Gera grapes. And we check back the cork, it was a vintage 2003 cork. So 100% my friend had bought a fake from auction which was a shame but this kind of thing do happen.
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7/16/2021 - jhngo Likes this wine: 94 Points
wow fresh!! amazingly fresh!
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6/25/2021 - canan wrote: 97 Points
BYO US Wines (@Terkel): Absolutely stunning wine. It lies between showing some depth of the age but still with a young piercing acidity.
Huge wine that was a great pleasure to taste!
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6/20/2021 - ONEFIVE Likes this wine:
Toasty brioche, Meyer lemon, honey, roasted nuts, and baked apple.
It’s vibrant and youthful but at the same time well integrated. A total pleasure to drink now and will gain more weight and complexity in time. I’d hold it for another 5+ years but it’s hard to resist now.
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6/4/2021 - jhngo wrote: 91 Points
Good not most expressive. Maybe corked
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2/14/2021 - fclarity wrote: 95 Points
Takes a while to get rolling. Please see my prior notes.
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12/31/2020 - ricknat1 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Still on the way up, you and =fresh, rich and long, one of my favorites
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12/16/2020 - RayOB wrote: 92 Points
Drank at Home
Beautiful light and crisp. I think I still prefer the original vintage bottling.
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10/26/2020 - fclarity wrote: 95 Points
from a perfect looking bottle, this wine had a light yellow center a persistent small bubbles. The medium+ intensity nose moved around a bit over the course of an hour and a half but was always impressive. It showed citrus, minerals, quince, and some brioche.
In the mouth, this wine was less evolved than the nose. it tasted quite young with its firm lines, crisp palate, and great length.
Amazingly, this wine seems to be just coming into its zone. Give it at least an hour of air before you start drinking it. Might this improve with another 5 years in the cellar? Impressive!
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10/7/2020 - englishman's claret wrote: 97 Points
Riveting, excellent champagne which really has it all - lemony mineral freshness and a leesy, creamy richness accented by a slightly savory beurre de baratte like note. Wow
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9/24/2020 - dcwino wrote: 96 Points
Housewarming party (Fairfax, VA): AP wonders if it is corked. The apple peel/cork expression is identical to the July bottle. Caveat emptor, the 96 DP Oenotheque often shows “lees funk” that closes resemble TCA taint. It will dissipate with 30 minutes of air. Very youthful nose displaying elegant yellow and white fruit, lemon curd, granny smith, candied ginger, brioche, smoke, spicy spices and limestone. Beautifully balanced palate, finely layered fresh white and yellow fruit, very fine generous mousse, bright acidity and mineral, and a long sweet yellow fruit driven finish with smoke and ginger at the end. Another delicious example but not as compelling at the last bottle.
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9/19/2020 - ggj wrote: 96 Points
Pale green/yellow; Chablis-like. Young, bright, fresh and tight. Ageless?
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8/27/2020 - Nanda wrote: 96 Points
This is a seriously impressive bottle of Champagne with a rare combination of power/intensity and complex, layered flavors. By the time most Champagnes show that tertiary development the energy has faded, which is not the case here. Amazing.
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8/27/2020 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Great Champagne and Burgundy Dinner (Park Ridge Country Club): I have had mixed results with this wine, and tonight's was rich and tasty but also more bready/ leesy than I prefer. I enjoyed both "P2" and "P1" from this vintage in the same flight more.
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8/23/2020 - Fosgrove Likes this wine: 98 Points
Elegant fresh. Just stunning
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8/8/2020 - strijbosmh Likes this wine: 91 Points
Rather acidic. Refreshing, but expected much more.
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7/19/2020 - sdr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very pale gold, lively, still young. Blind I would have guessed 2002 or 2004, although the modest spray betrays the true age. At first, too coiled and severe but after air and some warmth, it relaxes and broadens. Gingery and minerally in the Dom Pérignon style with minimal yeast or bread. A wine to contemplate and enjoy now and well into the future.
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7/12/2020 - Wine_lvr Likes this wine: 96 Points
Simply stunning. Very fresh. 96/100
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7/10/2020 - dcwino wrote: 98 Points
A lost Friday afternoon gathering COVID safety measures - Mostly Blind (Reston, Va): One of the participants mentions a hint of TCA, the host mentions being slightly lean. The 96 DP Oenotheque is fascinating as it often shows “lees funk”. With air and as gets warmer, exquisite nose displaying delicate yellow fruit, yellow peach, lemon curd, baked apple, brioche, smoke and mineral. Perfectly harmonious palate, very finely layered delicious yellow fruit, fine medium abundant mousse, polished and weightless, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a seamless long sweet yellow fruit driven finish with brioche and baked apple at the end. The palate to die for.
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7/2/2020 - _water.into.wine_ Likes this wine:
Total delight. A massive step up the P1 1996 and drinking much better than the P2 2002 at this point. A nice golden amber, but lots of freshness in the palate compared to the standard 1996,but showing good depth and complexity. Great acidity and well balanced. Long finish. Shared by BV at Langkawi
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6/3/2020 - jdtonic Likes this wine: 95 Points
Another perfect bottle
cellared since release.
chardonnay/straw yellow
10 second mousse (in a white wine glass), and
a very fine, more persistent bead.
The fates put another of these lovelies in my path very quickly, and, indeed, a superior and more giving drink is being roundly enjoyed. And rounder!
Nose of sourdough, flint, steel, and magnolias-- white flowers, anyway, with a whiff of sweetness!
Here on the palate more dough than before, and limestone, but with also increasing white peach pith, and honeysuckle nectar. The steely mineral element however is as persistent as her little bubbles, and the result is an inner mouth tension reminiscent of Krug and Salon from this same vintage.
The nose at 30 minutes is yellow flowered and distinctly honeyed.
Something green in here as well, like unto the skin of a granny smith apple, but with (if at all) the merest suggestion of actual apple. Very tasty and very popular. Just poured a glass rudely full. Fuck it, I'm with the paying percentage.
Mind: I am 24 hours without cash or working card, and in no mood to flatter. at all. Delicious.
95
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5/17/2020 - lifebreath wrote: 96 Points
Stellar! It really needs a little time to develop and a slightly warmer serving temperature to really show its stuff.
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5/9/2020 - Papies wrote: 95 Points
2008 disgorgement and a good 2 years since we tried this ( Papies 95) and the 6th time we have had this over the last 8 years. This remains a truly mesmerising champagne and the degree of that is probably affected more by our mood of the day than anything else.
Remains at top form, focussed and precise, round and lush and with lots of depth of flavour. We can go on for a long time here but no need. 95+
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5/7/2020 - jdtonic Likes this wine: 93 Points
Pale Straw.
Shy fine bead.
The Moose Bolts like a White Tail.
Sharp nose of Blue Steel, Bee Pollen and Sourdough Biscuits.
Strong but austere and almost completely lacking fruit. But very precise Limestone, Molten Pig Iron and A damp White Labrador Retriever.
Stick with Dom P in 2002 The 05 Rosé and 2008, among stronger Vintages, anyway. Been this way. Still this way.
Eventually got some Yellow Apple Cider, and maybe peach Tea, but witch Hazel cast a THINNER SPELL ON this bad girl imo...
93+
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4/25/2020 - jrkennedy37 wrote:
It’s amazing how this wine continues to evolve. Tonight it’s pure cream and lemon with an acid backbone that subtly conveys each precise element. There are minerals on the finish but not as profound as the last one consumed 2.5yrs ago - I’m attributing this to the balance here where no one flavor dominated the palate.
Planning to keep hands off for 6 more years to try my final bottle, unless I can find some for reasonable price at auction.
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4/3/2020 - dchain wrote: 92 Points
Light gold. A little tight and a bit austere. More biscuit notes, deep flavors but the fruit is a bit lost in the mammoth structure of the wine. Nice refreshing acidity without any feeling of harshness. Very fine mousse. Very nice to start off the evening but not a show stopper.
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2/22/2020 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Wine in the Sunshine State; 2/20/2020-2/23/2020 (Florida): Drinking well. This is still quite young and fresh. Bit of brioche. Touch of toast points.
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2/15/2020 - fcxj wrote: 94 Points
Balance point with both freshness and sweetness.
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1/20/2020 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine: 95 Points
Bordeaux 1982: not quite 40 years on (Chez Konstantina): Not as incredible as I have experienced in the past, but an excellent wine to be sure. Tasted just after the 2008, this wine - disgorged in 2008 - proved initially more subdued by comparison. And yet it built up in the palate with a gorgeous breadth akin to a fine and full bodied Chassagne Montrachet. The length was sneaky long, the bubbles refined and smooth. Bravo. Quite expensive, however ...
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1/11/2020 - fclarity wrote: 95 Points
This wine had a light yellow color and vigorous small bubbles. The medium intensity nose put forth lemon, baguette, white stone, and pear.
In the mouth, this wine was attractive at first and then became very attractive with air. It was refined but with a lot of flavor and outstanding balance and length.
There was no hint of oxidation here. This bottle was fresh and would have lasted for a decade. Excellent!
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1/7/2020 - sdr Likes this wine: 93 Points
DP, DPR, DPO, DPP2 (Ft. Lauderdale, Florida): The first Dom Pérignon in the series to display a bit of toast and it adds welcome complexity. The extra aging on the lees gives the Oenotheque more depth and more flavor. Really excellent for drinking now since it has the vivacity of youth and a hint of age.
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12/31/2019 - ToveStina Likes this wine: 96 Points
Much more to give
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12/25/2019 - Tartiflette wrote: 95 Points
Great but tight bottle. Nothing wrong at all just would have benefitted from more cellaring. Otherwise it gave all I expected from this Champagne.
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12/22/2019 - Kemo Sabe wrote: 95 Points
Sensational. Bright acidity, great color. Nose of bread, lemon, toast, coffee and minerals. On the palate this is vibrant and energetic. Strong 96 acidity but not out of balance. Like the structure. Solid finish on this wine leaving a sharp and clean taste. Great wine that is drinking very young.
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12/21/2019 - Aravind Asok wrote:
Excellent, but the 99 P2 I had a few months ago was more at this stage interesting imo. Clear Dom style with loads of coffee and toffee and toast. Lovely acidity and excellent bubbles...more toffee and lemon on the palate. Very lively, but not as exciting as some of the other 96s tonight.
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12/13/2019 - RolfT wrote: 92 Points
Back label stated 2008 disgorgement. Wine was in fine condition. Leesy citrus. Slight hint of Coffey beans. Brioche. A touch of sick. Also a green off note that detracted from overall experience. Dissappointed given the astronomical price and definitely not a rebuy. At this price I would rather drink older vintage krug or Selosse Lieux Dits.
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12/9/2019 - La Flama Blanca Likes this wine: 98 Points
Invigorating. So fresh, so clean with lively bubbles and a gorgeous perlage. It achieves unparalleled balance and precision with brilliant acidity. The tension in this bottle is provocative and screams COME-HITHER!
Vibrant and Energetic, the 96 OEno explodes with primary flavors of Meyer Lemon, Granny Smith Apple, Orchard Fruit, and Limestone. The palate is complemented by alluring aromas of oyster shell, white flowers, brioche and flint.
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11/26/2019 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 95 Points
Well assembled and in a very good spot right now. Best '96 oeno bottle I have had.
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11/26/2019 - BenBlu Likes this wine: 95 Points
This was drank in a flight of Dom 1990 (P1 & P3) and maybe that "hurt" it a little bit. Of course the 1996 Oeno was amazing - it was markedly fresher and seemed lower dosage then a standard 1996 I had two weeks back. My preference at this point would be for the standard 1996 but over time the Oeno might catch up. Both are wonderful champagnes.
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11/14/2019 - BillyT wrote: 94 Points
Dinner at Marcel's in DC. Stunning, everything I know this Champagne to be and more. Sorry no notes.
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10/18/2019 - Burgundy Al wrote: 95 Points
DC/Chicago Wine Dinner Extravaganza (Officina - Wasington, DC): I've had a mixed bag of experiences with this wine, but tonight's was one of the best ever. Lots of orchard fruit throughout, somewhat bready, slightly leesy, but still so clean and bright. Rich, powerful and very dense, while also refined and elegant. So good now.
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9/23/2019 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 94 Points
Kuki'o Wine Trip 2019; 9/22/2019-9/28/2019 (Champagne & Bordeaux): Consistently great.
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9/20/2019 - dcwino wrote: 96 Points
Another lost Friday afternoon gathering 96 Dom, 08 Cristal and a Rudy blend (Blacksalt, Washington DC): Fully mature complex nose displaying ripe yellow fruit, fresh apple juice, lemon curd, yellow peach, smoke, a hint of brioche, cinnamon, crème brulee and limestone mineral. I have always noticed a slight hint of dirty damp cellar smell in the 96 Dom Oeno. David points out “lees funk”, eureka! Fully integrated palate, very finely layered sweet yellow fruit, medium abundant very fine mousse, creamy and precise, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a seamless sweet yellow fruit driven finish with smoke and cinnamon at the end. This is a fully ready to go example.
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9/12/2019 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 94 Points
Consistent notes, consistently excellent. Great reduction and smoke character above the rich fruit.
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9/6/2019 - BradE wrote:
The 96 Oeno continues to improve. Very good DP that’s always a pleasure.
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8/15/2019 - DAN BAILEY Likes this wine:
2008 disgorgement. Very similar to the 95 oeno served alongside but more lemon notes and acid. Needs time. My 3rd favourite.
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6/21/2019 - JohnnyBark wrote: flawed
Shocker, it was Corked! DP continues to out-pace any other higher end champagne producer I buy, for corked wines. I've had 25% of my Oeno bottles corked, and 50%of DP's, that I've purchased from excellent sources on '85, '90 and '96 Cuvees. What is the deal with this producer, and a their lack of quality in their corks? I get they produce a crazy amount, but holy smokes it gets old. When you drop $400+ on a bottle and every other one is corked, it makes no sense. I will never buy Dom again, as it's the only producer that I get consistently burned on, to a high percentage. I'm sure they will read this review, their tears will soak the mountain of money Moet lives on, and they will change their terrible ways.
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5/25/2019 - Jammy Wine Likes this wine: 95 Points
Tasted blind but immediately recognised it was a Dom Perignon from their distinctive seashell and reductive leesy crystalline scents, also supported by the Grand Marque style. High intensity of fresh and ripe fruits suggesting it comes from an excellent vintage, most probably 2002 judging by its tightness and freshness. Great tension and potency. Tasted multiple times over the past 3 years and I still find it too young. (95/100)
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3/3/2019 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 97 Points
Richard Juhlin Top 100 Day 1 @ Gustav Zürich (Restaurant Gustav Zürich): not blind, 3rd wine 1st flight
perfect bottle, such a baby, awesome fresh and reductive, oyster shell, toast, citrus, pink grapefruit, creamy in the finish, for the next 20 years, but not now. I prefer the regular degorgement. 96(98)
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2/2/2019 - Paco55 wrote: 96 Points
This is in a stunning place right now. Bundles of complexity with small perfectly formed persistent bubbles - this is a show stopper. Plenty of acidity will keep this fresh for years to come but if the occasion presents itself by wait.
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12/21/2018 - dcwino wrote: 97 Points
Holiday Dinner - Champ, Burg, Piedmont, Rayas and a ringer, Bordeaux and etc. (Officina - Washington D.C.): Incredibly refined example. Exquisite nose displaying subtle yellow and white fruit, fresh lemon, apple pie, peach, strong brioche, white chocolate, a hint of burnt sugar, white pepper, cinnamon and mineral. Perfectly harmonious palate, incredible finesse, very finely layered subtle yellow and white fruit, medium abundant very fine mousse, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a long subtle peach and lemon curd driven finish with white chocolate and brioche at the end. Showing exceptional finesse and detail. Although consistently excellent, there seem to be a significant bottle variation, i.e. some are youthful and energetic, others are refined and subtle. Excellent showing.
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8/10/2018 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fresher than the '96 original release with brighter acid. Neither as fresh nor complex as I expected. Did not note disgorge.
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6/15/2018 - Goldstone Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dinner with Rob (ON Dining Kitchen & Lounge, 18 On Lan Street, Central, Hong Kong): Light silvery gold colour. Brief but attractive mousse (served in wine glasses) followed by languid persistent streams of of tiny bubbles. Nose is alluring but more reticent than when last drank 3 years ago- lots of ozone sea breeze, light but also somehow weighted. Palate is extremely finessed but pronounced petillance, lots of leesy Epsom Salts minerality and touch of salinity combined with high and precise acidity. Quite ethereal....spare, elegant and astocratic in the extreme but still displaying underlying and understated power. Superb near-endless finale of high piano notes. A wonderful wine but it seems to be getting younger at this stage of its development and I think I'll leave my next bottle for at least another 3 years whilst drinking the 'standard' bottling in the meantime. 94+ but with greater depths yet to emerge.
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6/10/2018 - the player Likes this wine: 95 Points
Outstanding champagne but still young and needs further time. Golden yellow color, vivacious bubbles, got more complex and round after an hour of opening. Nose of brioche, pineapples, orange peel, citrus, green apples, and lots of minerality in which this stands out, buttery and very Burgundian on the palate. Rich and full bodied and a long finish.
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6/5/2018 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 94 Points
Well, this wine never disappoints. The first and freshest glasses are wonderfully reductive with a distinctive oeno smoky yet buttery nose. Very leesy. Gunpowder over bright and vibrant fruit. Tows the line between developed and nuanced and youthful and powerful. Consistent.
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6/2/2018 - dcwino wrote: 96 Points
Annual gathering with Chicago winos in Chicago - Burgs, old Bordeauxs, Cult Cabs and SQN (Smyth and The Loyalist - Chicago IL): Very clean, broad and complex nose displaying sweet yellow fruit, lemon curd, fresh lemon juice, apple, a hint of red currant, brioche, white pepper, cinnamon and wet stone. Very harmonious fully integrated palate, generous decadent yellow fruit, rich yet polished, generous very find mousse, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a long clean sweet yellow fruit driven finish. Drinking perfectly.
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5/20/2018 - Papies wrote: 95 Points
2008 disgorgement . 5 years since we tried this last ( Papies 94-96) and this remains a superb experience. Feels quite evolved, rich but in a mineral way rather than a honey rich way. Coats the palate , still vibrant and with the usual focus and depth expected from a dom. 94-95
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3/2/2018 - Burgundy Al wrote: 93 Points
Some Wine Tasted at the Zachys La Paulée Auction (Mourad - San Francisco CA): Small glass, brief note. Brioche and baked apple with some lemon peel for good measure. Ripe finish, very good length.
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2/24/2018 - PC73 wrote: 95 Points
Stunning bottle of wine. Just great balance. Elegant. Soft mouth feel.
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1/29/2018 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine: 97 Points
Chinese food and old Bordeaux? Sure! (Q by Peter Chang): The initial impression was one of smooth finesse, with burgeoning truffle notes, but still fruit driven and fresh. Clean and precise throughout, and at first not nearly as expressive an experience I have had with this bottle before, but perhaps a good thing, as it developed with time in glass, expanding in richness but always subtle in express and maintaining a lime driven focus. Not as sumptuous as previous editions at least initially (I brought the bottle), but one thing is for certain: the bottle was emptied fairly quickly.
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1/28/2018 - dcwino wrote: 97 Points
Bordeaux and Peking Duck (Q by Peter Chang - Bethesda, Maryland): Very fresh yet perfectly drinking example. Very clean and energetic nose displaying lemon curd, meyer lemon juice, candied lemon, granny smith, white flowers, smoke, white pepper and strong limestone. Perfectly harmonious and energetic palate, generous amount of very fine mousse, sweet citrus and apple driven palate impression, perfect amount of acidity and mineral and a long clean energetic and refreshing finish. An excellent, fresher, example.
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1/7/2018 - Corgi wrote:
Past its reductive stage yet fresh, crisp and high toned. Yeasty and crème soda characters. Drinks effortlessly. No tertiary characters yet... reckon that’s five - ten years down the line? Disgorged July 2012.
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12/31/2017 - jrkennedy37 wrote:
Has already transformed into a clean, precise and extremely minerally champagne. It seems almost a bit closed at this stage and showing absolutely no tertiary elements. Needs much more time to show everything it can offer.
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12/31/2017 - StasMedvedev.lv wrote: 98 Points
Great opportunity to taste side by side DP'96 and DP'96 Œnotheque.
Liquid gold in color. pronounced aromas of citrus fruits and sunflower seeds. Extremely mineral with petrol notes. Buttery both on the nose and the palate. Roasted notes. Very fresh and powerful, intense with vibrant acidity. Complexity & depth.
Spent 12 years on lees Œnotheque, which is now rebranded to P2, is full of youthful energy. Can't really assess when it will reach its full maturity.
It is amplified DP'96.
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12/31/2017 - ricknat1 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Even nicer than the regular 96, lusher, fuller, richer. not sure which will be the winner n the long run
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12/24/2017 - mr_swirl Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tasted alongside Salon 97. Later disgorged (now P2) much richer and lees development aromas. More complexity, still elegant champagne and mousse, but I think I still prefer Salon as I could have a whole bottle for myself. still young
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12/7/2017 - Kemo Sabe Likes this wine: 94 Points
The most complete wine of the 95/96 DP regular and Oeno. Toast, brioche, lees, complexity and nuance. Perfect acidity and structure. Awesome showing. 2008 disgorgement.
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12/6/2017 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 95 Points
Champagne Showdown: 1995 v. 1996 (Atera): Reductive nose that has sulphur, stone fruit, and citrus. Lees and brioche. Round palate that has a big mouthful of yellow apple with plenty of acid. For better or worse I consistently love this champagne... Clearly the best of the four DPs tonight. Both Œnos are much lighter in colour than the regular cuvée.
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11/23/2017 - Paul S wrote: 95 Points
Brian's Bachelor's Party (Mizuki, Ngee Ann City): Brilliant stuff. After a disappointing bottle the last time round, this really hit the ball out of the park. What a nose it had - cream and roses, white peach and melon, all taking on a caramelly richness, and then little shades of white meat umami and gentle minerality. Lovely stuff. The palate was still so very youthful, with a vibrant energy brimming throughout a spine of well-integrated acidity and wonderfully lacy mousse. It was round and gentle, endlessly creamy, but still had beautifully transparent flavours of white peach and sweet green apples, all lined with a quietly insistent minerality that drew the wine into a delightfully detailed finish, where little notes of caramel, cream and white flowers danced around a core of creamy white fruit. Absolutely lovely - youthful yet complete, powerful yet subtle, this still has many years ahead of it, but boy was it already lovely on the night.
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10/25/2017 - A.Hansen Likes this wine: 95 Points
A terrific champagne. Nose of freshly baked bread and white fruit. The palate had notes of crisp apple, yeast and flowers. This champagne has great acidity and length. Great now but will likely improve.
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10/22/2017 - dcwino wrote: 97 Points
Big 50 lunch (Mi Casa): One of the more decadent and ready examples, decadent yellow fruit, lemon curd, tarte tatin, honey, sweet spices, brioche and mineral. Excellent concentration, decadent yellow fruit driven palate impression, fine generous mousse, excellent density, good mineral presence, bright acidity and a long sweet yellow fruit and mineral driven finish. This particular bottle has reached the peak. Excellent showing.
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10/22/2017 - steinersing wrote: 94 Points
a bit of oak, some Dom smokiness, quite long.
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9/14/2017 - Markus IWC wrote: 97 Points
Champagne BYOB #8. A powerhouse, richness in flavors, early maturity notes and the super freshness and acidity that is the trademark of 96 vintage. Beautiful nose with green apples, citrus, gunpowder, crushed stones and hints of caramel. Elegant creamy texture, immense structure. This is still a baby and will live forever. Huge champagne from this legendary producer! 97p
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8/23/2017 - sdr Likes this wine: 90 Points
Much lighter in color than the standard version of this great vintage, the Oenotheque is almost shockingly young. Whereas the standard '96 shows substantial complexity and depth, the Oeno seems simple and delicate. Perhaps in the long term the Oeno will blossom but that's far from obvious at this point.
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8/15/2017 - Paul S wrote: 92 Points
Dim Sum Club at Kyoaji: Underperforming unfortunately. This was sleek and impressive, but a touch on the tight, reductive side. The nose was still rather subtle, with a little suggestion of white flowers floating around tight little aromas of Fuji Apple, mineral and toasty brioche and macadamia nuts. After that, the palate was surprisingly round and fleshy, with the mousse feeling rather tame and creamy, rather than energetic. Ripe apples with a touch of lemon zest dominated the midpalate, just before a nice, long finish set-in with a trail of mineral, nuts and brioche. I liked it, but was far from bowled over. It needs plenty of time yet.
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8/12/2017 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 94 Points
Wines of Good Hope: Summer 2017; 7/29/2017-9/14/2017 (River's Inlet, British Columbia): Another excellent bottle of this, consistent with past notes and particularly youthful with wicked effervescence still. That dommy brioche every time...
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7/21/2017 - dcwino wrote: 95 Points
Third rendition of Avery Family Cellar Wine Dinner - Root day and '14 DRCs to the rescue! (Mirabelle restaurant, Washington D.C.): Once again from RJ’s cellar and this seems to be a mature example, a significant bottle variation coming from the same case. Harmonious ripe nose displaying apple butter, lemon, shitake, oyster, candied ginger and oyster shell. Medium concentration, fine mousse, decadent red fruit driven palate impression, medium acidity and a medium to long lemon curd and apple butter driven finish. Paul likes the mature expression but I am hoping for a bit more freshness. Riper than the previous bottles.
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7/16/2017 - ricknat1 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Digorged in 2008, a big step up in elegance and freshness and complexity from the regular DP
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6/3/2017 - fatboi Likes this wine:
A good bottle of wine.. Fresh and young but not in a too young kind of way. very good acidity and overall balance. The wine never got into a second gear. But we had horrible stemware.
92/93
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6/1/2017 - dcwino wrote: 94 Points
Mostly French dinner at Ripple - Champ, Burg, Bordeaux and etc. (Ripple Restaurant in DC): One of the freshest examples. Energetic nose displaying lemon curd, dry apple slices, cream, smoke, honey, white pepper and mineral. Fresh and energetic palate, fine mousse, bright acidity, strong mineral presence and a medium finish with smoke and pepper at the end. The finish strangely clips towards to the end which is very unusual. So fresh, it is a bit shame but still really nice showing.
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5/16/2017 - conviction buy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Medium golden in color, fine speedy bubbles. Very fresh nose of complex fruits and toast. Refreshing on platae, fruits with high concentration and yet complex. Evolved over time into a more elegant blended champagne. My best experience with Dom Perignon.
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4/21/2017 - Burgnick Likes this wine: 94 Points
Intoxicating nose with flint, firework, mineral, yellow fruit and minerals. Palate is so fresh with lots of acidity. Its very complex. This is notches above the regular 96 dp. 94+
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4/2/2017 - dcwino wrote: 97 Points
Lazy Sunday lunch - La Las, Papa, Dom Oeno, Ultramarine, LOree, Nigl & old Prum (The Grill Room at Rosewood DC): Harmonious yet energetic nose displaying lemon curd, apple tart, cream, a hint of light honey, cedar and white pepper. Beautifully integrated palate, very fine mousse, creamy, bright sweet yellow fruit driven palate impression, bright acidity, good mineral presence and a long sweet finish. Drinking beautifully in a youthful way.
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4/1/2017 - psmith wrote: 91 Points
After a few bottles of this I really don't love this ('08) disgorgement. Young, but lacking in density and concentration. A characteristic clarity and flavors that tend more towards saline and mineral notes, albeit with a predominant earthy, mushroomy profile. A really firm, acidic backbone. Enjoyable, but I much prefer the original release.
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4/1/2017 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Wines Tasted at HDH Auction (Tru Restaurant - Chicago IL): Small glass, brief note. Served a bit too warm, which brought forward its tropical notes. Good structure and length, but not the best this wine has ever shown to me.
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4/1/2017 - acyso wrote: 93 Points
HDH Burgundy Auction (Chicago, IL): Disgorged 2008. The nose is a bit cheesy and funky, and there's just a slight bit of tart fruit as well. The palate is quite dense and rich, with tons of acidity. It's not fruity, this is purely acid-driven. I haven't had the regular bottling in a long time, but from what I remember, I do still prefer the regular -- it tends to be a little less umami and shows a little touch of sweetness as well.
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3/20/2017 - steinersing wrote: 95 Points
interesting nose, more flinty than the Dom 1996, showing very well and ahead of the Dom clearly in complexity
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2/19/2017 - clayfu wrote:
Night two: No more rain but a lot more Rousseau - a story of Fred's birthday in Orange County (J Zhou): Delicious yet surprisingly youthful. Lots of bright citrus on the palate mixed with laser like acidity, more restrained less opulent than the prior bottles I've had. But the restraint doesn't mean there's a lack of complexity as the flavors of citrus and saline interplay and chill on the finish.
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2/3/2017 - salil wrote: 94 Points
Recess: A fantastic showing. Richly fruited with bready, doughy, vanilla cream, and chalky accents, all conveyed with a sense of both power and finesse. Serious depth and intensity on the palate with a persistent bead, but so elegant with a bright acid spine keeping it incredibly fresh and lively.
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1/3/2017 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine: 97 Points
1966 birthday vertical at Domaine de Chevalier (Domaine de Chevalier - actually on 2 December 2016): Spends more years on the lees in bottle than the regular Dom Perignon. The chiseled precision of the vintage, with gorgeously fine bubbles provided magnificent texture. The color of the wine was younger looking than the Deutz, although both are from the same vintage. Guest Shaun Bishop, CEO of JJ Buckley wine importers in California, remarked that he would have thought that the wine was from 2008, had it been served blind. The flavors were toasty brioche, wet stone and fine citrus, of finesse and subtlety, and the length went on and on. Dinner guest and noted Bordeaux wine author Jane Anson tweeted that it counted among the top three wines of the evening, and later wrote a Decanter text counting it as among her top ten wines tasted in 2016. I agree.
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12/30/2016 - psmith wrote: 92 Points
Still very young. Just starting to develop some more characteristic DP coffee and smoke tones. Muted fruit profile, medium-bodied, with a salinity to the palate and resolving mousse. Not showing a great deal, but some promising elements and a sense of depth that hasn't quite emerged yet.
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12/22/2016 - fcxj wrote: 92 Points
Lovely.
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12/22/2016 - dcwino wrote: 95 Points
A lost Friday afternoon gathering 96 Oeno, 99 Roumier BM, 13 Ente VV, 95 Rayas, 90 Chap (BlackSalt, Washington DC): Thanks to RJ’s generosity, I was able to drink a dozen of it in the past two years. It is fascinating to observe a significant bottle variation coming from the same case. Although consistent excellent, some are very vibrant and focused and others are decadent and hedonistic. Tom mentions “really delicious” and RJ mentions “very creamy” which I agree wholeheartedly. Harmonious subtle nose displaying slightly oxidized apple, lemon curd, sweet spices, pepper, honey, cedar and mineral. Fully integrated harmonious palate, very fine slightly shy mousse, really creamy and soft, nice mineral expression and a subtle apple fruit driven finish that ringers. For my palate, I prefer the vibrant and precise examples a bit more. Nevertheless, really delicious and perfectly enjoyable.
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12/21/2016 - Paul S wrote: 94 Points
1996 Burgundy Grand Cru Dinner (Forlino's, One Fullerton, Singapore): A few bottles of this in recent months have shown markedly differently - this example was surprisingly ready and very delicious. It had a deep, compelling nose, with lovely developed aromas of butter and cream, yeast and brioche, even a bit of earthiness, all nicely integrated with deep white fruited tones. The palate was still very vibrant and energetic, with a tremendous spine of tingly acidity and firm minerality running through a big mouthful of ripe apples - very classic Dom Perignon flavours, but with a lot of extra strength behind them. It was nicely textured too, with a fine mousse underlaied by a grippy, chewy sense of of structure. Powerful stuff. The finish had tons of length - long and minerally, with a burst of mouthwateringly juicy citrus fruit alongside, it packed a real punch on the back-palate. On the night, this came across as very round and generous wine, perhaps needing a bit of time to lose just that last bit of brash edginess, but already a very compelling drink. This is one that can go on for decades yet, but there is no doubt even now that it is ab absolutely top-drawer champagne.
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12/20/2016 - KenK Likes this wine: 96 Points
Disgorged 2008, A bright and clean style with serious depth. Elegant with rich stoney fruits and a very long flavorful finish. Sophisticated, yet it's simply delicious. Great now, long life left. shows real breed.
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11/19/2016 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 95 Points
Hawaiian Escape; 11/19/2016-11/26/2016 (Kuki'o): Consistently excellent. Just crushes the 1998 P2. The optimal balance of developing toasty notes, crisp green and yellow fruit, and minerality. Everyone at Möet says the P series are the same thing, but the Oenothèques seem to edge them every time.
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11/19/2016 - Burgundy Al wrote: 94 Points
Great Burgundy Dinner (Bavette's - Chicago IL): Starts with lots of ripe apple and modest bready/ toasty character that almost had gingerbread hints. Very concentrated with a long, expanding finish. Pure elegance.
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11/5/2016 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 94 Points
Consistently great. That inviting nose of warm brioche with sulphur and a bit of smoke. Deep and rich on the palate with loads of red and green apple flavour. Bready and well developed. Textured with great minerals. Delivering so much pleasure right now. Mmmm.
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9/12/2016 - LWI wrote: 96 Points
1996 Champagne: Tight, Chardonnay-type smell; creamy yet structured, gorgeous, youthful and complex. Very different style from the normal DP
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9/12/2016 - hajoha wrote: 96 Points
Champagnesmaking av 1996 ĺrgangen (Oslo): Wow!
Nesen minner meg om en Grand Cru fra Burgund.
Meget rik på duft.
Krittmineraler, en slags fedmeaktig sitrus, krydder og det er noen flere lag som er vanskelig å identifisere så sent i smakingen.
Fantastisk munnfølelse med nydelig mousse.
Superb frukt med et nydelig løft i vinen.
Den er så fast og presis, samtidig som alt er i balanse.
Ungdommelig.
Den har en imponerende lengde med sømløs mineralsk intensitet.
En av de få vinene for kvelden som trenger mer tid.
Stunning!
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9/2/2016 - dcwino wrote: 95 Points
A lost Friday afternoon gathering Burgundy, Piedmont, Riesling, Champ and Sautenres (Blacksalt, Washington DC): This has been really consistent. However, some are more decadent where others are fresher. This is a more decadent example. Dense sweet yellow fruit driven nose, lemon curd, cooked apple with a hint of cinnamon, honey, sesame and mineral. Excellent concentration, dense yellow fruit driven palate, bright acidity, good mineral presence and long clean slightly toasted sweet finish. A couple points lower than usual for not finding the freshness.
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8/5/2016 - dcwino wrote: 97 Points
French and Italian wine gathering (The Grill Room at Rosewood DC): Another excellent showing. Beautiful harmonious nose displaying a hint of mature white Burgundy, energetic white fruits, fresh pear, lemon curd, smoke, white flowers and creme brulee. Excellent concentration, beautiful interplay of abundant sweet fruits, bright acidity and strong presence of mineral. Beautiful harmony and energy. Drinking at the youthful peak. A lot life ahead but so darn good at the moment.
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7/23/2016 - KenK Likes this wine: 95 Points
Amazing how this opened up from 1st glass to 3rd, better and better with each sip. Very pretty deep rich aromas of white stones, brioche, and honeysuckle. Quite fresh and clean with great purity and concentrated fruits. Nice tension and good toasty appeal. More nuance with each taste. Long finish. Quite impressive. Drinks great now, but no rush to drink up. Yum!
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7/22/2016 - dcwino wrote: 98 Points
Poker night - Mostly double blind - Rayas, Masseto, Schrader, QC and etc. (Reston, Va): One of the best showing of this consistently excellent champagne. A lot of ripe fruits, mineral and honey. Exceptional concentration and great balance.
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6/29/2016 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 95 Points
Ten Days in Burgundy, Champagne, and Paris; 6/24/2016-7/6/2016: Brioche beginning to emerge on the nose. Much deeper and with better development than '98 served in the same flight. Rich and also round. Toasted coconut. Haven't had a '96 P2 before but ostensibly it is the exact same wine as the '96 oenotheque. Said the winemaker, "the second plenitude is more Dom Perignon, it is the same expression but in a louder voice, oenotheque has always been a P2."
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6/18/2016 - Elvis1969 wrote: 90 Points
Trevlig och förvånansvärt ung men jag håller nog vanliga 1996:an högre än Oenothéque:n.
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6/16/2016 - Kirk Grant wrote:
Opened and served in a Riedel GC Burg glass. This took about 45 minutes to open up. The nose is almost creamy with scents that range from citrus and tropical fruits to ocean air & fresh linen. The flavor broadens on the palate like the wake of a speed boat on the water as it continues to expand across the palate. Time seems to stand still and yet move forward all at the same time...this is really something special. Medium body, medium+ fruit, high acidity, and a long finish. Extraordinary. Check in again in 10 years.
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6/16/2016 - galenico wrote: 95 Points
BORGOGNA BIANCA DA VINOGODI: Naso da Criots.... da buttarsi per terra!! Bucce di legno e zenzero, mare, ostriche, fiori bianchi incremati. Elegantissimo e molto borgognone.
Anche la bocca è precisissima e aristocratica, scandita in ogni suo componente e resa vibrante da una tensione acida adolescenziale ancora da domare in parte. Il corpo è quasi sottile e la persistenza è tutta in finezza, quasi un sussurro. Legno ancora un pochino da digerire.
Potenziale smisurato, già buonissimo oggi, ma ha ancora tanto in serbo per i decenni. Immagina un grande Borgogna con le bolle
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5/31/2016 - dcwino wrote: 94 Points
TN: Trump BdB, Chardonnay, Piedmont and Burgundy (The Grill Room at Rosewood DC): A bit more coiled/dense and yellow fruit than usual. Dense Burgundian nose displaying deeply toned sweet yellow fruits, lemon curd, brioche, honey, oyster jus, sesame and mineral. Excellent concentration, dense yellow fruit driven palate impression, perfect amount of acidity, good mineral presence and long deeply toned finish with smoky end. I prefer more white fruit in this wine. Different/denser expression than the past few bottles.
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5/16/2016 - BuzzzzOff Likes this wine: 96 Points
We sipped at Ocean Sushi in Tsim Sha Tsui East Hong Kong. She followed the 1999, but proved actually to be younger. This stunner easily will sip for another decade or two...wow!
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5/13/2016 - oxwombat Likes this wine: 97 Points
Opened in Oxford. P&P into Riedel Sommelier Champagne Flutes.
This is a wonderful champagne. The bubbles were extremely fine and well integrated - making it light and frothy rather than being sharp on the tongue. There were nutty, toasty notes of brioche and hints of caramel popcorn coming through but was perfectly balanced with zesty acidity that also had precision.
Really, really good - if you like your champagnes fresh, then it is in a perfect spot.
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3/12/2016 - the player Likes this wine: 95 Points
Amazing champagne but probably about 5 years or so from reaching its peak. Palate much more evolved than the nose. Golden green color, nose of yeast, brioche, stones and apricot. On the palate fat and rich, buttery and very long finish. Simply sublime.
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2/19/2016 - lepetitchateau wrote:
Same wine, same place (per se), just 1 1/2 years later - same impression of this wine. It is still too young but has grown more expressive, and is showing a tiny bit more of what is there in its huge potential. If you have to choose a 1996 champagne for now, go with the regular 1996 Dom before this. (JAL)
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2/13/2016 - PC73 wrote: 93 Points
Salty, minerality, yeasty and smoky notes on the nose.
Lovely softness on the palate. Nice underlying sweetness. Yeast quite prominent.
Delicate bubbles.
Overall a lovely glass of bubbly.
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2/6/2016 - nortonnose wrote: 96 Points
Sublime. Decanted and served in Burgundy stems. Beautiful light straw color, and as sexy and alluring a bouquet as you can imagine. You simply don't want to remove your nose from the glass - ever. Just a rockin' display of crisp, fresh lemon zest, hay and a hint of hazelnut. Rich but ethereal palate - fresh, clean citrus, perfect acidity. A truly contemplative wine that is still a baby. Easily another 10+ yrs of superb drinking ahead.
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1/28/2016 - samjnsn Likes this wine: 96 Points
Fantastic DomP very Balanced
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12/31/2015 - psmith wrote: 93 Points
Clean, more subtle nose than I remember. Some light citrus and mineral notes. More of a statement to the palate. Rich, maturing citrus fruits; orange and honey notes. Mousse is integrating well. Very nice, though I tend to prefer the regular disgorgement.
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12/28/2015 - KenK Likes this wine: 96 Points
Wow, stunning bubbly and my Champagne of the night. Clean bright dense with a sleek elegant feel of rocky Quartz. Drinking more like a Blanc de Blanc with some similarity to Salon style. Long life ahead, but why hold longer? Fantastic stuff very regal.
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12/27/2015 - Burgundy Al wrote: 95 Points
Holiday Champagne Dinner (Chez Kailin - Northbrook IL): Best I can ever recall for this wine. Lots of ripe apple, lots of lemon and lemon zest, all with nice floral notes. Excellent balance and length.
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12/18/2015 - KenPlace wrote: 99 Points
This bottle was as close to perfection as champagne gets. Amazing purity, elegance, finesse, length, complexity. Stunning wine.
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12/13/2015 - sandwich Likes this wine: 96 Points
Stunning and drinking wonderfully with many years ahead. This has a tremendous freshness and a youthful acidity but has a refined texture and mature hints of green apple, lemon, and a subtle salinity.
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11/19/2015 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 95 Points
Great nose of salinity and brine with awesome smoke and sulphur. Smouldering smoky driftwood on the palate with big minerals and sharp effervescence. Tight citrus still, loads of grapefruit. Light brioche, sweet and lemony. Full on the palate, baking macaroons. Croissant. Lots more smoke than usual for Dom. This was an unreal crowd pleaser amongst several other and arguably more serious champagnes. Will absolutely have to track down more of this. Terrific.
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11/6/2015 - Goldstone Likes this wine: 95 Points
A light silvery gold colour. Brief but attractive mousse (served in wine glasses) followed by languid but extremely persistent streams of of tiny bubbles. Nose is drop dead gorgeous - so sniffable you almost forget the purpose is to drink the stuff - light but also somehow weighted, light toasted hazelnuts counterpointed by fresh-peeled hazelnuts straight off the tree, some citrussy notes and with an underlying subtle counterpoint of lemon-oil luxury soap.....violin notes from a Stradivarius. Palate is a fencer's epee - absolute pinpoint precise perfection and almost weightless....all very light but powerful. Quite ethereal....spare, elegant and astocratic in the extreme, absolute laser purity. Wonderful toasted finish and very resonant inside the head on the finish. Endless resonance. So light, so powerful, so etherial. Each time I drink this it moves a step closer to the impossibly perfect 1971 Oenotheque, especially tonight when the two of us drank the bottle slowly and contemplatively over an extended exquisite dinner of light classic Cantonese cuisine. Thrilling....and it will only continue to improve with more age.
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11/5/2015 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 94 Points
2014 disgorgement. Great funk on the nose with noes of meyer lemon. A dry creaminess on the palate with oyster shell. High acid but smooth. A nice attack with pressing acid but rounds out over the palate. Will be even better in 5+ years. Consumed with roasted turbot with champagne sauce. 94+
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10/23/2015 - dcwino wrote: 97 Points
The 96 oenotheque is showing incredibly well at the moment. Beautiful Burgundian nose displaying granny smith, lemon curd, white flowers, butterscotch, oyster brine, smoke and mineral. Exceptional balance, fine abundant mousse, decadent yet pure, strong presence of mineral, bright acidity and lovely long finish that ends with smoke and mineral notes. This may be the freshest showing to date. Really enjoyable.
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8/25/2015 - Raycheng77 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Fine bubble, with green apple, lemon, zest, with honey and yeasty behind. Good acidity and complex.
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8/16/2015 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 93 Points
Firmer and younger than prior experiences. Light funk on the initial nose with faint petrol. Transitioning to lemon and green apple. Ever present acidity which is focused and not overpowering. Crisp but not sharp. Just a touch, but much less than I recall, of almond and yeastiness. Consumed with duck confit papardelle and tea fluke. While this clearly will benefit from more time and will age for a long long time, this was perfect now for the setting (outdoors) and the food (tea smoked fluke in particular). 93+
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8/1/2015 - ggj wrote: 96 Points
Very young and fresh. ShinBay in Phoenix AZ
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7/18/2015 - Wine Canuck wrote:
Year 3 - Super Tasting 2 of 5 - Andrew does 96 Chamapgne (Langdon Hall, Cambridge, ON): Really quite similar to the regular Dom but with a strong reduced overlay. Very strong plastic and rubber notes make this a difficult one to enjoy. Perhaps this will be good one day, but not really all there today. Followed over several hours without much change.
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7/18/2015 - Dave Canada wrote:
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 utterly reduced on 1st pour...so we waited. It was utterly reduced on second pour 25 minutes later. When we checked in 2 hours later it was.....you guessed it. Reduced. All rubber and plastic. Not rated.
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7/2/2015 - BillyT wrote: 97 Points
My third bottle and everyone consistent with the other and one of the best Champagnes I have every had bar none. Previous notes apply. Sorry, once again drank for my 65th at Fortaleza do Guincho in Portugal so more interested in the food, my beautiful wife and great Champange and 89 Baron so I didn't take copius notes. In fact not one. But between the two wines it was a great birthday and even greater wine and food experience.
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6/26/2015 - Alex H wrote: 90 Points
Fresh young and lively. Almost like a Chablis. Sharp fresh and linear like a laser. Super fresh and tense.
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6/23/2015 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 95 Points
A Memorable Seaside Dinner in Corsica (Porticcio, Corsica): Bright, vibrant and compelling, with a clean saline nose and loads of flavor. The lemon notes dominate on the front palate, and the persistence is impressive. I think this is drinking at peak right now, with no hint of oxidation and impressive depth.
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6/10/2015 - BradE wrote:
The 96 Oeno is finally living up to its pedigree. Its always been very good, but given the vintage/producer it should be great. Recent bottles have been superb, and this vintage of Oeno is really coming into its own.
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5/30/2015 - burgburgburg Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still an infant but very enjoyable now with sharp apple and charming mineral in the bouquet which resemble to a fine puligny. On the other hand, the palate is still short from a maestro at this moment which I reckon times will render it into a master piece. Will try another one in 2 or 3 years.
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5/14/2015 - Drinking Trees wrote:
Yeasty, sweaty nose of sourdough and sour cream, with hints of spring onion and melon. Palate is very dry, very crisp, and very mineral, with a long, firm spine of acidity. Shows only hints of fruit flavour: fresh apple, brown apple, and lemon, with yeasty notes of sourdough and sweat.
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4/22/2015 - Christine Havens Likes this wine: 98 Points
Oenothèque differs from the regular Dom Pérignon Brut in that bottles are aged on the cork, rather than on crown-seals, it also receives a lower dosage following disgorgement. As such this is a flawless Oenothèque. It reminds me of Michelangelo's Davide in all that it communicates—timeless, there is lightness of form and yet the gravity of pure stone, such is the graceful, masculine power this Champagne expresses. Heady and classic aromas of wet shell, brioche, smoke and lemon zest lead into a wine that is subtly creamy on the palate, then coursing with minerality and acidic tension, like muscle under flesh.
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4/16/2015 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 94 Points
I find many of these bottles distinguished by a pleasing initial funk and light petrol on the nose. Honeysuckle, white flower, white and yellow fruits on the palate. This wine can take some time to open up with light yeasty notes and subtle butterscotch coming out on the backpalate with the progression of time and temperature. This wine will clearly benefit from more time.
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4/4/2015 - jhngo Likes this wine: 95 Points
starting to resolve and get pretty
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3/27/2015 - Goldstone Likes this wine: 94 Points
My Birthday Dinner (Pierre Restaurant, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Central, Hong Kong): Another fantastic showing for this perennial favourite........ it is currently in a gorgeous equilibrium between richness of maturing nose and body and the classic younger zingy freshness that the Oenotheque bottling adds. Drank as an opener to my birthday dinner......drank too quickly to fully contemplate, which would have yielded it a higher score. Utterly gorgeous.
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2/16/2015 - Burgundy Al wrote: 93 Points
Burg Dinner with Friends (Formento's - Chicago IL): Lots of ripe apple aroma and flavor with some yeasty, toasted brioche throughout. Slightly nutty background notes. Very good power everywhere, and the ripe fruit is nicely balanced with sneaky amount of acidity that comes through nicely on finish.
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1/30/2015 - dcwino wrote: 98 Points
Dinner with Charles M - 96 DP Oeno, 96 Dom Rose, 90 Margaux, 90 Mouline, 93 Ponsot Chambertin & etc. (The Grill Room at Capella Hotel Georgetown): Another incredible showing which starts to convince me that this may be better than the regular 96 Dom. Incredible freshness, fresh white fruits, apple, lemon curd, white flowers, limestone, oyster shell, saline and smoke. Excellent concentration, delicate yet decadent, sweet white citrus and apple driven palate impression, bright acidity and lovely seamless finish. Charles mentioned a great Burgundy with bubbles and I have to agree. Once again reminded me a great Chevalier Montrachet, very vinous nose.
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1/18/2015 - elvinet Likes this wine: 96 Points
Color amarillo bien intenso con suaves irisaciones doradas, fina burbuja que no llega a formar corona, brillante y extremadamente limpio. Inmensa nariz con unos aromas muy sensuales de bollería recién orneada, pan tostado y recién sacado del horno, harina caliente, mermeladas de fruta blanca y de hueso (ciruelas verdes), orejones frescos y carnosos, curiosa sensación de rebozado de croquetas (y no pongo otras cosas porque sino resultaría una nota de cata un poco extravagante), frutos secos sin pelar (almendras y avellanas), miel seca, recuerdos de mantequilla fresca, galletas dulzonas algo calientes, suave toque de cera caliente, hierbas del monte secas, flores blancas con un suave fondo mineral que agranda el conjunto y lo magnifica. Explosiva entrada en boca con un inicio excelente y un recorrido espectacular en el que discurre una multitud de sensaciones que cabe discernir poco a poco, un carbónico fino y muy elegante que se integra de maravilla, fruta bien madura con toques de fruta blanca y matices de fruta roja escarchada, notables tostados que se derivan en el pan y los frutos secos, excelente acidez, mantequilla y crema cítrica, con mucho volumen y cuerpo, muy amplio y profundo, de notable intensidad, seductora textura, sedoso y elegante, magnífica persistencia. Final largo, postgusto de fruta madura y miel y retronasal ahumado.
More information: www.elvi.net/2013/09/25/dom-perignon-brut-oenotheque-1996/
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1/8/2015 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine: 96 Points
Holiday dinner with Washington DC Winos (Ripple Restaurant in Washington D.C.): If you love Champagne and have the budget, seek this out. Clear aspect, very fine bubbles. Subtle yet echoing and deep aromatics reflecting biscuit and toast but so finely matched by lively citrus aromas all followed through on the palate which began subtle but expanded to a full bodied aspect, with a silky light creamy texture - those fine bubbles tickling the palate - and a precise laser like focus from the vintage's excellent acidity leading to a long echoing finish. This wine was only recently released, disgorged after 12 years in bottle and has upside "point potential" for all you point chasers. Worthy of further aging in the cellar.
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12/31/2014 - dsabolish Likes this wine: 96 Points
Golden yellow, crystal clear with fine bubbles. Still very youthful. Charred oak, toast, bourbon, brioche, and yeast on the nose. Ripe lemon with peel, lemon curd, creme brulee, and butter on the palate. Mouth-wateringly high in acid.
If I had another bottle I would wait 10 more years to drink it as it clearly has the structure to age well and I believe it will benefit with age.
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12/20/2014 - BradE wrote:
A very nice bottle.
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11/30/2014 - clayfu wrote:
This wine needed a lot of time to show up. In the beginning it was an acid monster, full of brioche and.. well acid. But at the end of the night it really came out of its shell, a hugely powerful dense champagne with brilliant intensity. Awesome awesome wine with just so much life ahead of it.
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11/29/2014 - FYC wrote:
In contrast to the regular cuvée this was lighter in color, and with much more prominent acidity. Nice brioche and tart apple. I agree with other posters that at this stage, I prefer the regular 96 Dom.
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11/28/2014 - LJT wrote: 95 Points
Great champagne. Apple and toast. Stron flavor for a Dom P. Long after taste.
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11/13/2014 - SineQuaNon Likes this wine: 95 Points
Jeebus, what a development with airing! Started out at a "measly" 91+ with the acidity quite up front and lemon/lime notes and a bit of toffee-development but then developed into the most beautiful freshly ground coffee note and fleshed out considerably as it sat in the glass. Not convinced I prefer this to 'Cuvée Normale' but this puppy is certainly a great Champagne with years of positive evolution expected ahead of it.
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10/19/2014 - Burgundy Al wrote: 92 Points
Chicago Burgundy Geek Dinner (Boka - Chicago IL): Cross-section of apples on nose and palate with plenty of concentration and character of rich, toasted brioche. Much like previous bottles, this is a wine I always enjoy, just never as much as the "regular" Dom Perignon 1996.
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10/4/2014 - Le Monty wrote: flawed
I disliked the '96 Oeno for the first 2 years after release. But then it finally began to drink and I have been a fan ever since. Unfortunately, this bottle had just a touch of cork on it, which was just enough to make it undrinkable for me.
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10/4/2014 - Glenn92 Likes this wine: 96 Points
For a champagne this still needs to breathe to understand the meaning of Dom
From beginning to end extremely wonderful flavors but after an hour or so the minerality can come out
Really wonderful glass of champagne
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9/25/2014 - CamWheeler wrote: 95 Points
The Full Monty: Expansive and open for business. Vanilla, floral, peach, bready and lightly nutty. The fruit purity is delicious and a wave of acidity pierces through and give it superb length. Compelling Champagne.
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9/17/2014 - David Paris (dbp) wrote: 86 Points
Rockstar Champagne... like, all of them (E&R Wine Shop, Portland OR): Most certainly smells like Dom... which is admittedly a house style I'm not to keen on, and this Oenothèque is no different. The nose is very expressive and smells of rancid oak. Luscious but funky and totally in your face. Better on the palate, which is luscious, but there's still a strong wood note that's a little bitter and harsh. Odd lingering notes of wood funk, spice, and bitterness. Rich minerality, but not pleasant.
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9/10/2014 - tooch wrote: 94 Points
Dinner at Elite (Elite Chinese Restaurant - Los Angeles, CA): About the same as the bottle I had a couple weeks earlier. Big and brawny, this is a powerhouse. Tons of dense, creamy, toasty, lemon and apple tones with a very firm bubble. I came back to this later in the night and the firmness had broken down a bit, but this is a bottle that'll reward patience.
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8/28/2014 - tooch wrote: 95 Points
Dinner at Paris Club (Paris Club - Chicago, IL): Pop and pour. Lots of power and refinement with layers of sweet fruit, and florals. Tons of energy, weight, and balance. An incredibly young champagne that packs the power, balance, elegance to transform into something truly special with time.
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8/8/2014 - dcwino wrote: 96 Points
Baller dinner honoring Chicago winos -- 99 La Tache, 99 Leroy RSV, 07 SE & etc (The Grill Room at Capella Hotel Georgetown): Started a bit clumsy/ripe. With air, freshen up nicely, yellow fruits, lemon, a hint of green apple, smoke, oyster shell and mineral. Once again very Chevalier like. Fine mousse, mineral, good concentration, oyster brine, bright acidity and long finish. Not as good as the last bottle from the same batch. Nevertheless really enjoyable.
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7/25/2014 - dcwino wrote: 98 Points
Mostly Northern Rhone dinner (The Grill Room at Capella Hotel Georgetown): I have always loved the regular bottling of the 96 Dom and have often preferred to the Oeno. However this has to be the best example to date. Smoke and mineral, Chevalier Motrachet like fresh white fruits, lemon, oyster shell and fresh white pepper. Quite airy and delicate yet intense palate, strong presence of mineral, just the perfect amount of acidity and long seamless finish. Although still very youthful, incredibly hedonistic. Really reminds me a great Chevalier Montrachet with very vinous nose.
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6/30/2014 - BillyT wrote: 95 Points
I know the DP haters won't agree but Incredible, incredible, indcredible. Insanely one of the best champagnes I have ever had. I don't often feel this way but it was worth the price. At dinner with my fiance who was in NYC for first time in her life. Bachannol in NYC, new. Food incredible and outstanding, highly recommend, wine better. MUST TRY if in NYC. Sorry not more complete notes.
Sorry for such a late edit. DCWINO I think hit the nail on the head regarding the flavor profile.
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6/24/2014 - dcwino wrote: 97 Points
BYOB dinner with Jamie Pollack (Bourbon Steak): Very youthful, delicate and decadent. This is a lyric tenor where the 96 regular is a baritone. Fresh citric yellow fruits, lemon crud, a hint of pear, honey, a mature Chablis like oyster shell and mineral. Lovely spring like refreshing mouthfeel, nicely integrated acidity and lovely seamless mineral finish.
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6/20/2014 - bill00 wrote: 96 Points
Similiar notes to previous bottle a couple of months ago - another great bottle.
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5/31/2014 - BradE wrote:
A beautiful bottle of 96 Oeno. When this is on, its gorgeous.
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5/16/2014 - lepetitchateau wrote: 94 Points
This is a young wine that is not yet showing what it has to offer. From the notes there is a good amount of controversy surrounding it but with time it will be amazing. Just hold on to it for another 10 years! (per se)
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5/4/2014 - jhngo wrote: 92 Points
good not as expressive as other bottles.
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4/30/2014 - jhngo wrote: flawed
Was flawed. chalky. just dead in the mouth.
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4/16/2014 - BradE wrote:
A beautiful Oeno, that's getting much better with age.
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4/12/2014 - bill00 wrote: 97 Points
Really excellent. Terrific complexity and depth. Creamy lemon, apple and minerals. Drinking beautifully with a long life ahead.
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3/21/2014 - jhngo Likes this wine: 95 Points
Brioche whipped cream with tightness of acid.
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3/20/2014 - Nanda Likes this wine: 97 Points
Wines that Charles loves (Cafe Pyrenees): Gorgeous nose is bready with deep floral and baked apple notes. Palate is young and vibrant with plenty of racy acidity. Gets better and better with air. Long, penetrating finish.
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2/23/2014 - pomkiwi Likes this wine: 96 Points
Drunk at Xmas with the family. Superb. Gold coloured with fine bubbles. Yeast on the nose with a richness of flavour that made 'standard' Dom seem almost ordinary. Would love to have another bottles for 5 years time.
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2/11/2014 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
It had a whiff of matchstick and plenty of fresh citrus. There was a hint of mushroom and was rich and nutty in the mouth. It had great complexity and terrific acid line.
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1/18/2014 - aro Likes this wine: 94 Points
Reductive, tart style. Angular, but with smooth edges. Will be a great champagne with time.
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12/30/2013 - jeremy@ Likes this wine: 95 Points
Dinner at the Fung's! (Fung's): Citrus and bread on nose and pallet.
bubbles were super fine. very nice!
medium finish.
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12/16/2013 - NNV Likes this wine: 96 Points
Spectacular!
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12/16/2013 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine: 97 Points
Seeing stars at the Abbey in Hautvillers, just outside Epernay (Abbey de Hautvillers, near Epernay): Simply magnificent. I bought a six pack after tasting this, it was that good, offering everything anyone would want from great Champagne: vibrancy, tension, a panorama of aromas and flavors and a more intense brioche like creamy texture coming from the long contact with the lees in bottle. The bottle had been disgorged in 2008. It exuded fresh notes of grapefruit and lemon but with mocha, and superb precision and focus, with fine and vibrant bubbles balancing the creamy texture. You could almost drink it now, but it needs time in glass to soften its coiled up sensation, and would be better to save for a few years ideally.
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12/8/2013 - IWineAlot wrote: 96 Points
I thought this was fantastic and one of my favorite champagnes of the afternoon. Color was pale yellow, nice fine mousse. Very fresh on the nose and palate. Tropical fruits galore with yeasty notes. I agree with the laser like focus on this wine.
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12/3/2013 - PC73 wrote:
Golden. V fine bubbles.
Nutty and savoury brioche on nose.
Powerful on palate. Rich. Crisp lemony citrus notes. Subtle acidity. Slightly smoky.
Overall this was a lovely bottle. Would be interesting to compare to the regular 96.
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11/21/2013 - AV2012 wrote: 92 Points
There's peppermint, fennel and gunpowder tea. Super complex and interesting in its typical reductive character.
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11/21/2013 - DAN BAILEY Likes this wine:
Far more approachable to me on this evening than the regular 96 DP. Slightly smoky nose with hints of what I term cold rolled steel. I get a similar note in the Dauvissat Preuses if that means anything to anyone?! Really, deep, perfectly balance and almost regal. Didn't budge an inch.
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11/21/2013 - SimonG wrote: 92 Points
Dom Perignon @ Medlar: A touch more reductive on the nose than the straight 96. This seems more vibrant on the nose and on the attack, but is a little disjointed and lacks something in the middle currently. Doesn't flow seamlessly from start to finish as the straight 96 does. Some preferred it more. ****
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11/14/2013 - rnellans wrote: 93 Points
A little reduction initially..yellow. Loved the minerality and freshness. Sweetness on the finish. Great wine.
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10/29/2013 - Corgi wrote: 93 Points
More refined and tamed relative to a few years back... But I think these should be tucked away for another 20 years for true greatness. Disgorged in 2008.
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10/19/2013 - jhngo Likes this wine: 98 Points
About the best Champagne out there. power, balanced acid, deep long finish. just a beautiful age worthy bubbles.
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10/15/2013 - Rupert wrote:
Fine mouse, lovely edge, great precision - young but brilliant
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10/1/2013 - Average Wine Guy (MH) wrote: 94 Points
The 1996 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon Oenothèque medium (-) bright straw in colour with an intense nose of fresh tropical fruits (pineapples), green apples, lemon zest with overtones of slight sunflower oil, fresh yellow flowers and good minerality. There's a hint of breadiness as well (which is not too consistent with other notes here, and I'm beginning to suspect a bottle variation on this one). On the palate, an initial entry of sunflower oil backed up with lemon zest and fresh crunchy green apples. Minerality strings through the palate from start to end with good backbone of fruit and slight floral notes.
Rather linear but superb intense finish. Impeccable laser-like focus with vibrant and bright fruit flavours along the middle of the palate. Good weight on the finish with a nice underlying salinity. Should have waited a little longer for it to be more expressive. Got some weight, but still a little tight when tasted. Surprisingly fresh and vibrant, years ahead still for sure. Some decanting will do the job if uncorked today. (94-96)
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10/1/2013 - Pacalet Likes this wine:
Still very young and sharp, still painfully so. Nose with a bit of petrol and rubber. Very long and lovely minerality at the end. Better dont touch this baby for another 5 years
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9/29/2013 - Papies wrote: 96 Points
The mouthfeel in this champagne is what will stay with us for ever. So vibrant, elegant yet so refined and balanced. Almost a fragile giant. A bit too young in our mind to warrant an oenothque but still a magnificent bottle true to what great Dom needs to be all about, focused, precise and as memorable as the moon landings were to a 10 year old. 96-97 and really on the young side, but still great.
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9/24/2013 - jrkennedy37 wrote:
Stunning wine with tons of depth. Showing nice acid on the entry, with distinct minerality in the mid palate and finish. Tons of nuttiness and yeast throughout the experience. Lovely wine that should persist and improve for years to come.
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9/19/2013 - clayfu wrote:
Defreakinglightful. Just full of life and energy on the palate. The wine is so bright and just bursting with citrus and acidity. Way more youth than the one I had last year as the concentration of fruit was so forward and aggressive. Really liked it
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9/16/2013 - Charlie Carnes Likes this wine:
Disgorged in 2008 and pop and pour. This started firm and rather subdued. As the bottle warmed on the table it became an awesome drink. This bottle is certainly more firm and less fruit forward than the regular 1996. But when it landed I was struck by white earth minerals, sand, silica flour, glass, oyster shell and limestone. Again, as it warmed the fruit began to show on the nose and in the mouth. There were aromas of dry Riesling residue, stone fruits, and hints of lemon. In the mouth it was zippy and fresh with lemon, and bitter stone fruit, and lemon cream, tied together by kind of a citrus/saline perception that was all the rage to my senses. The last sip was the best and I lament not letting this one get even more air. These should age well and be good for quite a while.
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8/17/2013 - Gurto wrote: 93 Points
Samma intryck som sist. Grymt bra!
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8/9/2013 - Gurto wrote: 93 Points
Elegantare frukt än Krug GC och Egly-Ouriet 2002 (dracks parallellt med dessa). Mer mognad märks också tydligt. Mer fokus på sekundära dofter snarare än frukten: rostat, nötter, svamp och lite koskitskänsla (på ett positivt vis - hur märkligt det än låter) med ordentlig rökig mineralitet.. Orkade dock inte leverera lika länge (med högre värme och utan mousse) som Krugen.
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8/8/2013 - Burgundy Al wrote: 93 Points
Hart Davis Hart Summer Champagne Tasting (City Winery - Chicago IL): Tasting, brief note. Robust fruit with toasted brioche hints. Dense and powerful on plate, well textured and energetic, hints of citrus on finish. Very good, but to me not quite worth the price premium over the sensational "regular" DP 1996.
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8/3/2013 - Goldstone Likes this wine: 95 Points
Angela's Belated Birthday Dinner (Crown Wine Cellars, 18 Deep Water Bay Drive, Shouson Hill, Hong Kong): Drank over 6 hours, including 5 hours removed from the ice bucket. Colour is very light straw gold. Nose is BAM!..... absolutely beautiful, full, fresh-baked French baguettes, lemon sherbert boiled sweets from my childhood, tons of other various mineral notes, complex but most significantly this is just very integrated and complete. Palate is light honeysuckle, toffee boiled sweets from my childhood, hints of hazelnuts, lots of minerality and a slight element of honeycomb on the back end. Quite sharp acidity and also slightly burningly alcoholic when straight from the ice bucket but both toned down as it slowly moved towards cool room temperature and the hazel nut element became more prominent. I would give this 97 points for the nose, which was still going strong in a glass put aside for 4 hours. 95-96. Everyone's wine of the night....this really does transport you somewhere.
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6/27/2013 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 94 Points
HDH Dom Perignon Oenetheque Private Dinner (GT Fish & Oyster Chicago IL): Explosive in the mouth. Lots of effervescence. Masculine, long lasting on the palate. Released in 2008 vs the regular Dom which was released in 2002.
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5/30/2013 - Sleepy Dave wrote: 95 Points
Alcohol :: 12.5%
Dosage: 5g. Definitely a treat to have this. I thought this would be dominated by the solid structure and acid from the 1996 vintage but I was wrong. This is showing superbly well and everyone in the room get hooked immediately. Extraordinary focus, depth and complex with touch of oxidative note that blossom from the glass along with chrysanthemum, lily, hazelnut and intense yellow fruits. On the palate this is all about harmony. Impeccable balance between the vivid acid core and seductive fruits. Complex layer of flavors continue to expand and linger on the palate effortlessly. Palate staining intensity yet remains so elegance, lively and weightless. The grip at the finished is firm but no forceful, with complex salinity and sweet juiciness lingering. Bravo.
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5/15/2013 - Drinking Trees wrote:
Nose shows strong savoury notes (sourdough, grilled nuts) over mostly red fruit (cranberry, red apple). Palate is austere and pallid, despite a strong, tight spine of acidity. The typical Chardonnay note of green apple is present but, unusually for a Champagne, there is also a Pinot Noir red cherry note. Impeccable structure; likely has a long life ahead of it.
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5/8/2013 - Keith Levenberg Likes this wine: 96 Points
Moet Hennessey USA tasting (The Graham Georgetown): Superb stuff, but you already knew that. It's interesting how this Œothèque version of the '96 takes the classic Dom profile and puts it in an even more bright, bracing, and precise package -- Champagne cut like diamonds -- and consequently, I think, probably a few years behind in the maturity curve than the regular '96 has been in terms of its freshness, even as it's picked up the typical flint-and-gunmetal mineral element that these usually need a few years of bottle age to develop. The aromatics on this are just soaring, a no-doubter as soon as you pass your nose in the vicinity of the glass that this is going to be wide-open and expressive, and it is.
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5/8/2013 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 96 Points
Moët Portfolio Tasting (Graham Georgetown Hotel - Washington, DC): Intoxicating aromas of lemon cake, buttered croissant, yellow apple, honeydew, dried white flowers... and the aromas just keep going. Rich on the palate, with green apple and melon fruit, buttered toast and dried honey, but this wine maintains so much focus and precision. The minerality in this wine is astounding, same goes for the acid, which never ceases. Such beautifully dramatic tension between the lean and rich aspects. Chef de Caves Richard Geoffroy has made a masterpiece with this wine. If I had a bottle of this, I'd put it down with a cellar tag that reads "Do not open until apocalypse."
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5/1/2013 - dcwino wrote:
Bernard Burtschy dinner at Taberna del Alabardero (Taberna del Alabardero, Washington D.C.): Yellow fruits, crushed white pepper, very ripe fruit expression, rich palate. Perhaps the pour was too small but it wasn’t showing too well. The last bottle was exceptional. Can’t read clearly.
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3/25/2013 - St Paul wrote: 97 Points
This is so good. Typical Dom Perignon nose with its roasted coffee and sweet berries. This is the best oenteque I have ever had I think. It is actually better than the normal vintage was I think. I will open one of them still stocked in my cellar to see how they are developing. Top champagne!!!
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3/17/2013 - acyso wrote: 95 Points
Dom Perignon dinner at L2O (Chicago, IL): Slightly cheesy aroma to start, but on the palate, this is extremely fresh and lemony to a fault.
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3/14/2013 - Matt T Likes this wine: 99 Points
Brilliant. Longest finish I have ever experienced on a champagne. Very fruit forward, but still maintains balance and elegance. More mousse and yeast on day two. Eclipses the regular bottling of 96 by just a hair. A superb wine to celebrate our new house!
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3/6/2013 - Alex H wrote: 89 Points
Linear grippy acidity. Monolithic column of lime and minerals like a roman limestone marble column. More apple weight with time. Wine of strength as vigor.
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2/22/2013 - Goldstone Likes this wine: 95 Points
Chú Xī (除夕) Dinner at Home for Chinese New Year (Our House, Hong Kong): What a lovely surprise......I thought it was Dom Perignon 2002 I had at home when our best friends arrived for dinner but I'd forgotten that it was an Oenotheque 1996 I'd pulled from the cellar for Christmas but hadn't opened. It couldn't have been better company to share the fortune with....especially as Chinese New Year drew to a close.
Light green-gold colour. Incredible nose.....smoky bacon, brown toasted bread, ozone in spades, lemon zest. The ozone nose is so typical of an oenotheque. Palate is really zesty, alive, effervescence with really deep, rich mesmerising toastiness and depth. Impressive resonance. Really silence-creating, which is the highest accolade I can give to a wine. Even 5 hours after opening and after our guests had gone, the zestiness of the palate is still as zippy as ever. So toasty and with a salinity and Epsom Salts palate that is so memorable. Close to perfect...and with the time ahead of it to reach my paradigm of absolute perfection, which is the DP Oenotheque 1971.
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1/26/2013 - Papies wrote: 94 Points
The sky is the limit here and having tasted oenotheque's back to the 70's this has the stuffing and vitality to age and evolve. We wonder if this was released a bit ahead of its time and we look forward to future releases of this amazing vintage.
For what it can achieve it is a bit backward and restrained at this stage and we would point to the regular bottling for the moment and let this baby sleep and evolve into something spectacular. Don't get us wrong we did love it though. 94 at the moment but could well reach 100 as it matures.
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12/30/2012 - KingSlacker999 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Much richer, riper fruit than '95. Wonderful balance of fruit and yeasty-ness. Opened up over an hour or so in the glass even more.
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12/29/2012 - Krugman wrote: 95 Points
The 1996 Dom Perignon Oenotheque is coming along very nicely and seems to have officially started to enter its drinking window. In fact, this was probably the best bottle of Dom Perignon that I have ever had. It had some rich citrus and spice aromas on the nose. On the palate it immediately showed dark minerals, limestone, bright citrus, honeysuckle, fresh baked bread, allspice, almonds, a slight grassy flavor, and a lovely creaminess. The champagne also felt light on its feet thanks to the bright acidity that is now well integrated with the other components. This Oenotheque also seemed to have a bit more precision and focus than the original release of the 1996 Dom Perignon.
It is clear that the 1996 Oenotheque will continue to improve with time and will have an extremely long life. I was considering giving this more than 95 points, but for me, I still like the style of champagnes from the likes of Bollinger, Salon, and Krug a bit more than the style of Dom Perignon. So my score reflects my stylistic preference more than anything else. But if you like the DP style, then this is a can't miss champagne.
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12/8/2012 - Burgundy Al wrote: 93 Points
Eighth Annual White Truffle Dinner (Chez Weber - Chicago IL): Served alongside the DP 1996, this was very similar with plenty of ripe apple, just a bit more bready and yeasty. Perhaps a bit larger and fatter, but it came across as a bit more backward. I preferred the "regular" bottling to the Oenothèque, while the rest of the table was about evenly divided.
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11/30/2012 - Seth Rosenberg Likes this wine: 96 Points
White Truffle Dinner at Yann's. (Yann's Place, New York, NY): Light gold. Really on. Nose of tart red apple, lemon, butter and brioche, creamy yet lively, a beautiful contradiction. Incredibly bright and acidic on the palate: lemon, but with a creaminess that makes you swoon. Brioche, white chocolate, white flowers, minerals and lemon curd. Lemon finish. Still young. Nose - 5.5/6, Palate - 6/6, Finish - 5/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 1.5/2 = 18/20.
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11/30/2012 - salil wrote: 93 Points
Round Table dinner at Jake's (NYC): Tough act to follow the Salon, but this is very impressive in its own right. Richly fruited and framed by layers of autolytic bready, doughy and toasty elements, wonderfully balanced and really enjoyable.
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11/17/2012 - Vintomas wrote: 94 Points
Dom Pérignon Masterclass with Richard Geoffroy at Decanter Fine Wine Experience (Landmark Hotel, London): Appearance: bright yellow, slightly more yellow than the 2002.
Nose: powerful toasted notes with toasted hazelnuts, cocoa powder, citrus, a hint of herbal notes, developed notes with some pine tree needles and resin, spice. It “sings more in a bass voice” than 02 or 03, and hints at oak barrel or other wood notes.
Palate: noticeable minerality, citrus, some apple, a hint of spice, some resion, grapefruit bitterness, a hint of tannic impression on the mid-palate and in the aftertaste. The aftertaste is extremely long with mineral and citrus notes.
Overall impression: not a heavyweight compared to 2002 and 2003. Still young, more developed in the nose than on the palate, but the palate is also reasonably accessible. 94+ p.
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11/17/2012 - Papies wrote: 94 Points
Dom Perignon Masterclass, with Richard Geoffroy (Decanter FWE, The Landmark hotel, London): Bright, luminous light golden in colour. Quite intense nose which continues to evolve in the glass. Nose is starting to show age evolution, light toast, light yeasty notes, ripe fruit notes. On the palate it is vibrant, focussed yet with a silky texture. Never dries out. Very harmonious wine with good acidity and more mineral than fruity. Just about entering its drinking window and has a great future ahead of it and can last another 20-30years easily.94
To quote RG, welcome to Dom Perignon!
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11/11/2012 - JeffW wrote: 97 Points
Very impressive wine. Nice citrus flavors, with incredible power. The finish lasts for a minute. I haven't tasted an Oenotheque before...definitely a big step up in Dom..
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11/10/2012 - Barry Rothof wrote: 93 Points
DOM PERIGNON tasting (Rotterdam, Netherlands): In the month before grapepicking 16 september, it was as much the spells of hot weather as the influence of north-easterly winds that led to the original maturity of the vintage.( disgorging date 2008 ) Magnificent verdant gold color, on the nose very young and fresh with soft minerals, the palate is tense, profound and intense, acidity on the high side but not extreme, some complex aromas of candied citrus, toast and smoke, lots of energy and power, a great lingering aromatic finish. A great Oenotheque and stil very youmg!
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11/8/2012 - Alexis A wrote: 92 Points
Tight. Yeasty and nutty. Still very young. Had it side by side with the standard 96 and you could really tell the difference. Even the color ismore pale. Great Champagne. Tigher and faster bubbles racing to the top. This will be amazing in 5-10 years. At the moment, standard one more approachable.
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10/29/2012 - BradE wrote:
The 10/25 note is spot on. Initially, it was a bit closed and tight. Letting it open for a while, it really blossomed. This is great champagne.
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10/25/2012 - mwanasheria wrote: 94 Points
Zachys Pre-Auction Dinner (Bar Boulud, NY): Initially light but gained rapidly in the glass. Aromas of lemon, flowers, curd. On the balance snappy at first but really blossomed with tropical fruit and nicely balanced acidity. Great.
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10/13/2012 - kleal wrote: 93 Points
In the glass the color was light gold. A nose of toast and brioche, apples. Light to medium bodied with a tight bead. Primary fruit flavours of green apples, some ginger, sooem nuttiness. Good acidty to balance verything out. Still very tight and focused at the moment. You could drink now but id wait another 5 years.
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10/13/2012 - BradE wrote:
Somehow this was empty before I got any. The reports were quite positive.
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9/23/2012 - pacificoast wrote: 97 Points
What a remarkable, complex and fascinating Champagne. One of the best of this outstanding vintage, it is multi-faceted and highly rewarding. Others have noted a strong smoke character, Jancis calls it 'struck matches', and that it has in abundance, yet in a complex and interesting way. Lemon, toast, yeast and brioche are other notes that play on the nose and palate in seemingly endless variation. Not as dry or austere as one would suspect, knowing that the Oenothèque cuvée differs from standard Dom Pérignon by its lower dosage (in addition to being aged on the cork). Disgorged in 2008, it is just coming into its drinkability window, but has enough acidity to comfortably carry it through another 20 years or more. Very complex, beautifully crafted and unique, truly a magnificent Champagne and a delight to drink. Superb.
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8/5/2012 - jhngo wrote: 97 Points
love this vintage. from start to finish the power and depth is apparent. an epic champagne made to last for the ages.
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7/15/2012 - JulianSkeels wrote: 94 Points
Good, but not great. Grass and herbs, giving way to yeast, chalk,. Acidic (but not as much as some other DPs) with good breadth and length. Improved noticeably in the large glasses we drank this from. I would hold off drinking this for 10 years. Buy? No, although wife is a fan.
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7/2/2012 - clayfu wrote:
Birthday Wines for Mr. Wei at Chateau De Husky; 6/29/2012-7/2/2012: Very interesting champagne. The nose was a bit off putting as the bready nutty flavor was so powerful that it took me by surprise. I expected a more high toned yellow fruit to lead the way on the nose. But on the palate the wine was full and lush and coats every receptor with a creamy chalk and bright explosive citrus fruit. Compared to the early releases of the 96 Dom (normal bottling) this doesn't have the precision of acid but not in a bad way as I've yet to have a 96 Dom that is an expansive on the palate as the Oenotheque is.
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6/29/2012 - Brewcreu Likes this wine: 95 Points
Admittedly my judgment over this bottle may be biased: my girl agreed to marry me and this is what we drank to celebrate. That said, as someone who really likes DP, this just takes it up to 11. Beautiful floral and citrus nose, wonderful mouthfeel and terrific finish. Went well with the diverse tasting menu at Auberge Carmel, and by itself.
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6/10/2012 - BradE wrote:
This drank beautifully. These are in a great space right now.
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5/25/2012 - The Drunken Cyclist Likes this wine: 95 Points
As you might imagine, this was fabulous. In my opinion, this is still quite a baby (for reference, my favorite wine of all time was a 1973 Dom that I had in 2011). The wine had the characteristic brioche and biscuit flavors that Dom delivers in spades. The citrus and fruit were hiding a bit, but certainly were there. It would be great to have a case or two of this to monitor this one as it evolves. So if any of you out there that would like to donate a few dozen bottles…. Outstanding.
* http://www.thedrunkencyclist.com
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4/25/2012 - Pacalet wrote: 92 Points
Light golden color, a tad darker than the 03 drunk side by side. Nose of fresh hazelnuts and peachy tone. Very fresh and dry, overall very sharp and tight but with lots of potential, the normal 96 Dom is in a much better place to drink now, won't touch this for at least a few years.
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4/23/2012 - psmith wrote: 93 Points
Young, more yellow citrus and oyster shell tones. Firm profile. Yeasty, aggressive mousse. Nice, but I prefer the regular '96 disgorgement.
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4/23/2012 - Burgundy Al wrote: 92 Points
Dom Perignon Dinner (NAHA - Chicago IL): Similar to the Dom Perignon 1996 in the next glass, but larger scaled and breadier, less citrus-driven and precise. Some preferred this Oenothèque tonight, which was quite wonderful, but I frankly prefer the sensational "regular" 1966 cuvee.
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4/14/2012 - BradE wrote:
A great bottle of 96 Oeno. This vintage of Oeno is showing great now, and will likely go from strength to strength. Still at a price that will look cheap in five years.
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4/4/2012 - botrytisvirtuoso1819 wrote: 98 Points
nose; lemon, smoke, minerals, and chalk.
palate; baked bread, green apples, pears, and red berries.
medium plus acidity.
full bodied.
60 plus second finish.
my first oenotheque.
no doubt the best dom perignon I have drank.
opened to celebrate the birth of my first nephew.
a very special day in my life.
unforgettable!
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4/1/2012 - monk8miles Likes this wine: 93 Points
A beautiful wine. Good green apple and bright citrus, a little bit of yeast, some minerals/chalk and a medium long finish. What makes this wine really good is its balance and precision. Like a Swiss watch, nothing extra, nothing overbearing the others, everything moving in perfect concert. It actually stopped some conversations as the wine danced in people’s mouths. Not as sumptuous as the Bruno Paillard 1996 that we drank alongside it, but gorgeous in its own right.
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12/21/2011 - dcwino wrote: 97 Points
The 97 Cult cab/Meritage dinner at RIS in DC: This is so fresh, limestone, cooper, white flowers, sea salt, sea breeze and etc. The palate is citric and steely and displays excellent concentration and birth acidity. A wonderful young champagnes that is drinking beautifully.
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12/8/2011 - Goldstone wrote: 95 Points
Dom Perignon Dinner (2002,1996,2000 Rose,1971) (Man Wah Restaurant, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Hong Kong): Deep green-gold, bright, sharp colour. Little mousse as it was served in a wine glass. Nose is a notch up from the 1996 Dom Perignon drank in parallel with it......amazing purity (I underlined this word in my notes) and precision, like a really sharply-focussed photo of a rockface.....intense hand-crushed lightly roasted whole lemons with almost no tones of yeast or brioche. Weightless, like the nose of a young Montrachet. Palate has the same marked effervescence of Alka Seltzer as the standard Dom Perignon 1996.....mouthwateringly fresh and vibrant.....absolutely stunning....such lightness but sabre-sharp tension....saline...incredibly salivative....lemons, lemons, lemons....gorgeous......heady and very resonant on the finale. This has decades ahead of it but it already has me totally captivated. Gosh.... I don't think champagne gets much better than this...erm, until we were served the Dom Perignon Oenotheque 1971.
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12/2/2011 - Krugman wrote: 94 Points
I was expecting great things from the 1996 Dom Oenothque and it mostly delivered. To me this will likely continue to evolve and improve for the next 20 years, but is already starting to enter its drinking window. The thing that struck me the most about this bottle was the perfect balance and delicateness that it displayed. It was also remarkably light and seemed lighter on its feet than most regular vintage Dom Perignon's (maybe a result of the lower dosage in the Oenotheque bottlings). The most apparent flavors included citrus, light red apple and some yeast. Even though I was not totally blown away, this was a very good champagne. Not worth its price in my opinion, but that might change in another decade or so if this continues to improve.
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11/19/2011 - psmith wrote: 93 Points
Rich and full bodied, with baked apple and bread notes. Round and darker fruit profile. A bit top heavy, but overall very nice.
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11/12/2011 - Burgundy Al wrote: 94 Points
Chablis dinner, plus more (GT Fish & Oyster - Chicago IL): Starts as I expected from a 1996 Chardonnay-based Champagne, with intensity and lots of big fruit. Last time I had this, I preferred the 1996 regular DP cuvee tasting alongside. Interestingly, this picked up power, textures and complexity with more time in glass, and somehow actually started seeming more bright and fresh.
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8/26/2011 - Lombardi wrote: 95 Points
Incredible nose of tropical fruits and reach complex layers. The bubbles were delicate and almost completely disappeared in the glass after some time. This has a beautiful gold color. Palate was nearly perfect. So rich but live and flowing. Acidity was very good sustaining well the fruit. Flavor profile of tropical fruits, butter scotch, and once the effervescence was gone this really tasted like an aged Grand Cru Chablis. Long finish, simply amazing!
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8/22/2011 - St Paul wrote: 94 Points
Lovely earthy structure but not as fresh as I would have guessed it to be. The coffee is there as well as the red berries. Nice champagne
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8/20/2011 - lean88j wrote: 94 Points
Had this at a dinner tasting in TST. This was the opening champagne. This was a elegant and complex champagne. I enjoyed the depth and this really had a great freshness and really tasted very young. This will be much better in 20 years
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8/1/2011 - vespa110 wrote: 95 Points
Giallo tendente al dorato.Parte ridotto su note troppo banali di tostatura e caffè, poi con il passare dei minuti si apre , note floreali e gesso, agrumi dal lime al mandarino , zucchero filato , poi la frutta gialla albicocca disidrata, melone giallo. Bocca fine , elegante , con una bellissima acidità , una leggera punta di ossidazione , lungo finale con ritorni di anice .
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6/3/2011 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 97 Points
Piedmont Dinner (Barbetta): What great stuff. This is the best showing of '96 Dom I've experienced since the original release came out; I guess the later disgorgement of the Oenothèque program has managed to reopen the wine somewhat. It tastes essentially the same way I remember the regular '96 (with the chardonnay parts of the flavor spectrum more dominant than the norm for DP) but leaner and more bracing, I guess due to the lower dosage. But the most remarkable thing about it is its sense of delineation. Tough to explain the sensation but as soon as you take a sip it seems to carve out a space for itself and you feel the structural borders before it fills them in with flavor... then comes the rush of bracing lemony/pineapply fruit spackled with metal shavings and other vivid mineral elements.
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3/19/2011 - BradE wrote:
Wonderful champagne. Continue to like this, even at its young age for current consumption.
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3/6/2011 - BradE wrote:
This vintage of Oeno gets better each time I have it. I underrated it initially (must have been an off night, or an off bottle), but each time since its impressed. Tonight it went head to head with 75 Oeno, and held its own (age adjusted). Reloaded twice this week - suggest folks buy at its relatively reasonable current price point as this will likely move up significantly.
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1/15/2011 - sdr Likes this wine: 94 Points
I have not tried the "regular" (first plenitude) '96 in a while so I can't directly compare them, but this second plenitude version, disgorged in 2008, is a stunner. Flamboyant in DP terms, the lusty aroma of ripe melon and fresh baked white bread reaches you well before the flute even comes close to your nose. Open, friendly flavors with no undue acidity makes this absolutely delicious right now. Can it age for decades?
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11/16/2010 - dave747400 wrote: 89 Points
Farr Christmas Tasting 2010: Noticable oak, nose & palate. Lower mousse than the 2002 Dom, full bodied. £2200/cs (Sal not impressed 87pts)
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11/10/2010 - KC Bloodlines wrote:
I really should have waited on this one. Just OK right now, too much sulfur. Never unfurled like I hoped it would. Good precision but not enough mousse for my tastes.
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