TN: 2003 Dom Pérignon

Normally, I’m really skeptical of food and wine pairings, but this just killed with snow crab legs. '03 might not last as long as other vintages, but it is certainly open for business now. Seeing as how this was the first full bottle of Dom that I’ve purchased, I was fearful of it showing some flab from the unusually hot vintage. Thankfully, this was still precise and beautifully balanced. I love how the attack is very dry and toasty and the dosage doesn’t kick in until the finish. Thus, the wine tasted drier to me than I thought it would be so that’s a big plus. Between the two grapes in the assemblage, the Chardonnay is the real star in my mind. Perhaps a bit overpriced nowadays but whatcha gonna do? 92 pts.
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I’ve served it several times to great palates , from a case I bought, and it has received nothing but praise.
In my opinion I believe it still has time to fully open & will last a long time.

I skipped from 02 to 04 and am now ready to go large on 05. I kind of wish I had picked up some 03 for early drinking now. If you ever heard northwest, look me up.

Did this experience change your mind at all? They seem like a good pair.

congrats!

but i’m more interested in the non-full bottles of DP you’ve purchased…please elaborate.

I thought they were magic together. I’m guessing the relative messiness of eating crab legs is why it isn’t often paired with Champagne.

I had the 2003 Dom last week with lobster salad - yup, beautiful match, although I did get a touch of sweetness on the palate.

Ha! Yes, I suppose. I hadn’t thought about the actual process of getting to the crab legs, just the flavors with big Champagne, which seemed like a slam dunk.

I bought 02 and 04 and am skipping until 08. 05 had very sneaky rot problems, and I’ve not been a fan of 06 and 07 Champagnes I’ve had.

My experience with Dom Perignon is that it rides the vintage more than most - so it is greatest in great years like 96 and 02 and merely good in other years, and consequently rarely good QPR except at the deepest discount. If there has been a year where the wine outperformed the vintage, I have yet to taste it.

Looking forward to the 08!