($150) Light gold. High-pitched aromas of lemon pith, quince and green apple, with complicating notes of smoky minerals and chamomile. Dry, nervy and very tight, with slow-to-open citrus and orchard fruit flavors and complicating notes of white pepper and buttered toast. Boasts excellent intensity and clarity but shuts down hard on the finish, which features strong mineral and citrus zest qualities and a hint of smoky florality. I tasted this Champagne two other times this fall: one bottle behaved in a similar tart, citric fashion while the other showed more of the classic smoky, reduced character that I associate with young bottlings of Dom Perignon. As this is a fairly recent release, I would rather reserve judgment until next year. (Moet Hennessy USA, New York, NY)

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Extraordinarily firm, confident, intense nose. Definitely the savoury side of Dom. Nothing remotely sweet or fat - though it's as intense as a Montrachet. Wonderful quality of mousse - surely slightly less bubbly than it has been? More like a Montrachet with a bit of carbon dioxide laced into it than a typical champagne. Broad and long with a hint of orange peel. Great persistence. This already delivers but has such backbone and great acidity and light grip (only noticeable at the very end of the tasting experience) that it surely has a long life ahead of it. Really reaches every hidden cell of the palate. A very assured performance. LVMH at its very best?

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The 2002 Dom Perignon is at first intensely floral, with perfumed jasmine that dominates the bouquet. With time in the glass the wine gains richness as the flavors turn decidedly riper and almost tropical. Ripe apricots, passion fruit and peaches emerge from this flashy, opulent Dom Perignon. The wine's volume makes it approachable today, but readers in search of more complexity will want to cellar this for at least a few years to allow for some of the baby fat to drop off. Geoffroy describes the vintage as very ripe and adds that some of the Chardonnay showed the ill-effects of the hot growing season in it the somewhat burned, dehydrated fruit that came in that year. This bottle was disgorged in July, 2009.

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A rich and smoky Champagne in a graceful package, with a beautiful, fine-grained texture to it and layers of flavor - biscuit, candied lemon peel, coffee liqueur, chamomile, pine, crystallized honey and wood smoke. This is the haute couture of the Champagne world - all about elegance, texture and attention to detail.

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