Dom Perignon 2017

The 2017 Dom Pérignon is so impressive. A sort of mini-2002, the 2017 is a Champagne of textural richness and resonance above all else. Its creamy, voluptuous contours are so inviting. Production for the 2017 is tiny, about a three-month supply, so this wine will come and go pretty quickly. That represents a fairly dramatic shift in philosophy at Dom Pérignon. In the past, a wine like the 2017 would not have been commerically viable because of its small volume. Today, Chef de Caves Vincent Chaperon prefers to bottle Dom Pérignon in every vintage, if possible, as a document of the year, even if that means some releases will be very small. The 2017 is a wild, exotic Dom Pérignon. I loved it. 2026-2042

Of the two releases—the 2017 and the 2018—the 2017 Dom Pérignon is the deeper and more structurally endowed wine, unfurling from the glass with a complex bouquet of orange peel, dried apricot and burnt buttered toast, mingling with nuances of dried flowers, toasted hazelnut and cacao bean, all strongly singed with the house’s signature smoky reduction. On the palate, it is full-bodied and concentrated, with a rich core of fruit. Its darker, open-knit profile is animated by a pillowy mousse, vibrant acidity and attractively bitter, structuring phenolics that assert themselves on a long, resonant finish.

This is a superb achievement for a vintage that required uncompromising selection, as acetic rot began to intrude upon the Pinot Noir grapes despite otherwise favorable conditions until mid-August. The fact that it represents the smallest Dom Pérignon release by volume should not mislead readers into complacency; indeed, I would much sooner own several bottles of the 2017 than divide my allocation with the 2018. A blend of 61% Chardonnay and 39% Pinot Noir, it was disgorged in March 2024 with a dosage of five grams per liter and will offer considerable complexity and generosity out of the gates. 2026-2041

A classically proportioned and aromatic Dom Perignon, this 2017 had an open-knit and refreshing nature that puts it ahead of the 2015 for us. Pale straw in colour, the nose has the classic blend of citrus fruit, deep toasted brioche and a little flinty reduction, together with pressed dried flowers and a little salted butter. It is aromatic and very enticing. The palate is fine-boned with a succulent mousse and vibrant yellow and white fruit at its core. There are more layers of flint and a little patisserie here too. This is not a full-bodied wine, but its precision and balance is impressive, with waves of refreshing acidity making it very appetising. Long on the finish with high tones of leesy bread and more dried flowers, you can enjoy this wine tonight, though it will age gracefully for over a decade.

Full bottle 1,646 g. Richard Geoffroy's last vintage, to be released commercially at the beginning of 2026. He controversially decided that the 2016 base wines weren't concentrated enough so they skipped that year and more or less had to make a 2017, from a notoriously difficult growing season when many a grape was ruined by galloping acetic acid infection. One of the ripest vintages ever and, until storms on 15 August, everyone was touting it as the best vintage ever. Chardonnays were even riper than in 2003 but finding good Pinot Noir in the warm, wet conditions of late August and early September was a real challenge. This blend is 62% Chardonnay, 38% Pinot Noir and in terms of quantity is the smallest Dom P release ever, only three or four months' sales-worth. Even smaller than 2005. Described in-house as a 'radical' vintage, a bit like 2003 ie one that was not widely made.

Exceedingly rich nose with more crème pâtissière than lemon in this vintage – a less-citrus Dom than usual. Seems quite sweet and a little simpler and lighter than the 2018. And not as long. But perhaps it's suffering by comparison with the sheer intensity and obvious ripeness of 2018 tasted alongside. May even be a slow burner. There's a touch of bitterness at the end.