Dom Perignon P2 2003 (750ML)

98 JS / 97 FS / 96 AG / 96 WS / 96 DE / 94 WA  / 18 JR

This is a very thick, dense DP with layers of ripe fruit. Dried apple, pineapple and pie crust with some nougat undertones. Dense and layered with chewy tannins and a juicy finish. Umami undertone. This has the highest percentage of pinot noir ever. 15 years on the lees in bottle. 62% pinot noir and 38% chardonnay. Drink or hold. - James Suckling

Medium golden yellow, silver reflections, delicate, very fine and persistent mousse. A hint of caramel and candied orange zest on the nose, fine savouriness, a hint of dried apricot, some blossom honey. Juicy and elegant on the palate, powerful, underpinned with ripe tropical fruit, notes of dried pear, mineral finish, honey touch in the aftertaste. A very vinous style, characterised by dried fruit nuances that make this somewhat more opulent P2 a great food companion. - Peter Moser, Falstaff

The 2003 Dom Pérignon P2 takes all the natural intensity of the first release and turns the dial up to eleven. Power, generosity and volume are all exalted. The P2 balances richness with a greater sense of creaminess that comes through extended time on the cork. Readers should expect a ample, heady Champagne that is very much built for the dinner table. I can't say I am especially surprised by how well the P2 shows, even in this freakishly hot, dry year, as the first release continues to be terrific. (Originally published in May 2021) - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media 

A supple backbone of citrusy acidity provides fine definition for this still fresh and lightly mouthwatering 2003, which is soft and creamy on the palate, offering heady aromas and flavors of marmalade, baked white peach, white truffle and coffee liqueur, underscored by minerally brine and smoke accents. This is finely detailed and well-meshed on the verbena- and spice-laced finish. Drink now through 2028. - Alison Napjus, Wine Spectator

The bouquet of 2003 P2 is striking for its diverse range of complex scents. Succulent and exuberant aromas of white fruit such as pear and peach but also of mirabelle plum have an underlying olfactive counterpoint reminiscent of a salty sea breeze, which imparts an oceanic as well as an earthy dimension enhanced by notes of flint, smoke, and verbena. On the palate, there is impressive density and a seemingly tannic sensation that provides structure to the fleshy mouthfeel, while sneaky acidity and bewitching bitterness provide a flourish to the long finish. Time has proven to be a valuable ally indeed for this massive yet harmonious Dom Pérignon, one of its kind. - Yohan Castaing, Decanter

The 2003 Dom Pérignon P2 is rich and demonstrative, wafting from the glass with aromas of stone fruits, honeycomb and buttered toast that leave more space for the wine's generous fruit tones than the more overtly yeasty original disgorgement. Full-bodied, broad and textural, it remains very youthful despite its below-average acidity, with notable precision to its ripe fruit tones and chalky structuring extract that provides, to some extent, a compensating sensation of freshness; it's actually evolving more slowly than its 2002 counterpart. Given the wine's richness, it works best with food. Chaperon relates that then-Chef de Caves Richard Geoffroy rejected any musts with a pH exceeding 3.3, the only time this metric has been used as a basis for selection for Dom Pérignon, and that the juice was allowed to oxidize before vinification. I'm looking forward to seeing the 2003 in its P3 incarnation, as I suspect that the wine will really come into its own when it develops more tertiary notes. - William Kelley, Wine Advocate 

The notoriously daring vintage of Dom Pérignon at 18 years old in recently disgorged form. Rich, broad nose with notes of candied mandarin – not instantly recognisable as Dom P on the nose. Toasty palate entry and still quite rich on the palate, thanks to lower than usual acidity presumably. Again, there was no fear of phenolics when making this wine as the logic was that the phenolics would make up for the softness of the acidity. This is now a gentle wine with very much its own personality. Soft and smoky at the start and then saline and refreshing on the finish. It's more like a bit of told-you-so evidence than, necessarily, the one Dom P you would choose from the current range available. But, boy, does it persist! - Jancis Robinson