Dom Perignon 2005

The 2005 Dom Pérignon is incredibly delicate, understated and silky, with gorgeous textural balance and class. Today, the 2005 comes across as a smaller-scaled version of the 2004 in that it is a Dom Pérignon built on finesse rather than the power that characterizes vintages such as 2002 and 2003. Today, the 2005 is a bit inward and not fully expressive, which is a good sign for the future. Still, given its mid-weight structure and previous showings, my impression is that the 2005 is best suited to near and medium-term drinking. Then again, Dom Pérignon has a brilliant track record for aging. Any way you look at it, though, there is little question Chef de Caves Richard Geoffroy made one of the two or three Champagne of the vintage in 2005. As I have written previously, 2005 will be a very small release by Dom Pérignon standards. So much so, that the 2006 is likely to be released by the end of 2015. Drink 2015-2025.

A bright lemon colour in the glass with fine bubbles. The nose is very fresh and aromatic, with clean ripe citrus and stone fruit notes and a lovely struck flint, smoky undertone. There are subtle layers of brioche that knit the nose together in true Dom Perignon style. The palate is vibrant and pure, with a real precision to the ripe fruit core that is elegant and perfectly balanced. The high proportion of Chardonnay in this year's blend (the highest since the 1960s) shines through with real elegance and persistence to the palate and a fine, creamy mousse that gives the wine excellent texture. The wine flourishes on the finish with all the yeasty, toasted brioche and smokey ripe stone fruit notes you could wish for. Delicious, and already drinking beautifully.

I believe that the 2005 DP is the best since 2002, which remains the best recent vintage and is probably only eclipsed by the amazing 100-point 1996. The 2005 is a full-bodied DP with so much richness and loads of ripe fruit such as pineapple and papaya. It has a wonderful, creamy texture and a long and intense finish. It’s a Champagne that fully satisfies but at the same time challenges you with its strength, depth and persistence on the palate.

Disgorged in late 2013 in order to be released in March 2015. The nose is immediately big, broad and almost sweet with a strong sensation of baked apple. This wine is already quite open – quite a contrast with the usual much tenser impression given by young Dom Pérignons. Relatively light and pretty, this is a pleasing, well balanced, relatively evolved wine with the lightest of bitter notes on the finish. But it’s unlikely to go down in history as one of the great Dom Ps.

With some botrytis on the Pinot Noir in 2005 this is rather a lush wine. 62% Chardonnay gives us some rather amazing honey notes, too. 2005 DP seems to be uncharacteristically rich and fat on the nose and too blowsy for true balance. This character carries on on the palate with a rather broad and fluid structure and not quite enough grip for it to be refreshing. RG stated that ‘Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the opposite and the complimentary’. They do not really seem to work in tandem his vintage. I can see that this is a tasty, moreish wine but it is just a little bit too flabby and loose-knit on the finish. RG added that it achieved ‘stunning ripeness’ and this time I agree, but I require much more acid drama on the finish. There is more density here than I expected for a Chardonnay dominant wine. This uncharacteristically forward wine is already drinking.