Winemaker Notes
United by a shared belief that creation is a continuous act of transformation, Dom Pérignon and internationally acclaimed artist Damien Hirst unveil a singular collaboration celebrating the creative power of metamorphosis. Through his unmistakable artistic vision, Hirst reimagines the Maison’s iconic shield in vibrant, dynamic forms. Presented across the Dom Pérignon Vintage 2018 and Rosé Vintage 2010 collector’s editions, this limited collaboration brings together Champagne and contemporary art in an exceptional expression of time, creation and transformation.
A radiant, luminous appearance, evoking a wave of light. From the very first notes, 2018 unfolds with a rich, deep clarity. A scent of summer, of an orchard brimming with juicy fruit. Tropical notes: yellow kiwi and mango. The green notes of a summer salad, ivy and balsamic plants. On the palate, the wine is glorious. It captivates with its brightness and richness. Full-bodied and dense, it envelops and coats the palate. Its generosity, underpinned by subtle bitterness, is matched by a sensation of fullness on tasting. The finish leaves a rare hint of apricot.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
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.
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Vinous
The 2018 Dom Pérignon is a total stunner. Bright and crystalline in the glass, the 2018 sizzles with mineral-drenched tension. Citrus peel, chalk, white flowers and slate are some of the many nuances that open with a bit of coaxing. The 2018 will need a few years to start hitting its stride, but it is super-impressive in the early going. Stylistically, it reminds me of the 2004 (also a high-yielding vintage) in its slender, lithe build.
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Wine Spectator
There’s a sense of finesse to this understated Champagne, which leads with minerally smoke and chalk accents on the nose before flavors of black cherry, lemon pâte de fruit, brioche, grilled nuts and pickled ginger come to the fore. Structured yet graceful, this expands beautifully on the raw silk–textured mousse, with the profile unfurling through the long, creamy finish. Drink now through 2045.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2018 Dom Pérignon, born of a dry, solar year and an August harvest, is a lighter-footed, less concentrated rendition when considered alongside the 2017. It opens with a moderately complex bouquet of clementine, fresh apricot and cardamom, mingling with notes of nectarine, iris and freshly baked bread, offering rather little in the way of reductive character. On the palate, it is medium- to full-bodied, ample and enveloping, with a sweet, fleshy core of fruit and a pillowy mousse. Its acids are ripe—and softer than those of the 2017, yet racy—carrying the wine toward a long, delicately phenolic finish. Even if it starts its life somewhat less expressive, as it evolves on its fruit and the extract derived from its ripe skins, it may well, in time, render my initial assessment on the conservative side. A blend of 54% Chardonnay and 46% Pinot Noir, it was disgorged in March 2024 and finished with a dosage of about seven grams per liter.
Dom Pérignon: an absolute commitment to Vintage
Dom Pérignon's commitment to vintage is absolute. Each Dom Pérignon is a true act of creation, made from only the best grapes. The champagne's intensity is based in precision, so inviting, so mysterious. Each Vintage has three Plénitudes, and embodies the total faith in the creation that is constantly renewed by Chef de Cave Vincent Chaperon. Coupled with a bold sense of playfulness, Dom Pérignon inspires the greatest creators in the world.Made only from the best grapes grown in one single year, each Dom Perignon's Vintage represents a harmonic balance between the nature of the year and the signature of Dom Pérignon. After no fewer than 8 years of elaboration, each vintage emerges complete, seamless and tactile. Dom Pérignon Champagne is made through an assemblage of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, created by using only the best grapes harvested from the 17 Grands Crus in Champagne and the Premier Cru of Hautvillers.
Representing the topmost expression of a Champagne house, a vintage Champagne is one made from the produce of a single, superior harvest year. Vintage Champagnes account for a mere 5% of total Champagne production and are produced about three times in a decade. Champagne is typically made as a blend of multiple years in order to preserve the house style; these will have non-vintage, or simply, NV on the label. The term, "vintage," as it applies to all wine, simply means a single harvest year.
Associated with luxury, celebration, and romance, the region, Champagne, is home to the world’s most prized sparkling wine. In order to bear the label, ‘Champagne’, a sparkling wine must originate from this northeastern region of France—called Champagne—and adhere to strict quality standards. Made up of the three towns Reims, Épernay, and Aÿ, it was here that the traditional method of sparkling wine production was both invented and perfected, birthing a winemaking technique as well as a flavor profile that is now emulated worldwide.
Well-drained, limestone and chalky soil defines much of the region, which lend a mineral component to its wines. Champagne’s cold, continental climate promotes ample acidity in its grapes but weather differences from year to year can create significant variation between vintages. While vintage Champagnes are produced in exceptional years, non-vintage cuvées are produced annually from a blend of several years in order to produce Champagnes that maintain a consistent house style.
With nearly negligible exceptions, . These can be blended together or bottled as individual varietal Champagnes, depending on the final style of wine desired. Chardonnay, the only white variety, contributes freshness, elegance, lively acidity and notes of citrus, orchard fruit and white flowers. Pinot Noir and its relative Pinot Meunier, provide the backbone to many blends, adding structure, body and supple red fruit flavors. Wines with a large proportion of Pinot Meunier will be ready to drink earlier, while Pinot Noir contributes to longevity. Whether it is white or rosé, most Champagne is made from a blend of red and white grapes—and uniquely, rosé is often produce by blending together red and white wine. A Champagne made exclusively from Chardonnay will be labeled as ‘blanc de blancs,’ while ones comprised of only red grapes are called ‘blanc de noirs.’