2018 Dom Perignon Moet & Chandon

James Suckling 99 Punkte: Very floral aromas with jasmine, honeysuckle, lemons and subtle apples. Lavender as well. The medium-bodied palate has super-integrated bubbles, a touch of fine phenolics and a racy, lively finish. Weightless and refined for the vintage. The aftertaste includes ginger, dried apples, lychees, bitter lemons and minerals. 54% chardonnay and 46% pinot noir. Dosage 4.5 g/L. Mid-2026 release. A new style for Dom Perignon? Drink now.

Jeb Dunnuck: 98

Tasted in Hautvillers ahead of its release, the 2018 Champagne Vintage is composed of 54% Chardonnay and the remainder Pinot Noir and marks Vincent Chaperon’s first vintage as cellar master. Bright yellow in color, it is immediately more direct and crystalline, with flint, fresh mint, lime, verbena, pineapple, delicate tropical fruit, and fresh seashell. Medium to full-bodied, it has warmth and succulence but also tremendous focus and energy, with a refined mousse and a compelling interplay of sweetness and phenolic bitterness. Lime candy and honey emerge with air, while the wine remains remarkably pure and clear in its expression. There is pleasure here already despite its youth, and for my taste, this is a couple of notches above the 2017. It spent eight years on the lees and was finished with 5 grams per liter dosage. Drink 2027-2050.