WTN: Dom and Dommer

[Jenise]

2005 Dom Perignon #1
Purchased at a Costco to take to a weekend of major debauchery with wine friends in advance of the eclipse. I'm not usually a Dom buyer but, circumstantially, this was the best choice available. The wine was gorgeous. Deep, golden color with a rich, heady nose of brioche and cheese, finish went on forever. A real showstopper that temporarily halted all conversation--just deeply satisfied exhales.

And so, driving home yesterday and stopping at another Costco, I decided I wanted to experience that again and have the whole bottle to savor so bought another.

2005 Dom Perignon #2
Light straw gold color. Not much nose, just a faint touch of something herbal that made me go "uh oh--TCA?" then "no" then "I'm not sure." On the tastebuds, not so TCA-ish but there's no THERE there in any other way either. Tastes like cheap mutt champagne, not pedigreed. Am guessing it's cork taint anyway and will return the bottle. But I'm surprised about the color difference--that's not TCA. Is Dom noted for extreme bottle variation?

[David M. Bueker]

Don is not noted for bottle variation, but 2005 is a problematic vintage with a mushroomy character that comes and goes. When it's there it seems a bit like TCA, and ruins whatever it touches. I have avoided the vintage like the plague since I ran across it, and found out how widespread it is.

My dissertation advisor, who is a devoted Champagne lover, has alleged that the bottles of Dom you get from the export markets are less consistent than those you get in France. Not sure how much stock to put in that.

[Jenise]

My dissertation advisor, who is a devoted Champagne lover, has alleged that the bottles of Dom you get from the export markets are less consistent than those you get in France. Not sure how much stock to put in that.

As a generality, that applies to all European wines. The process of export is rife with a multitude of situational damage opportunities. But in this case we're talking two bottles of the same exported wine. Forget taste and aroma--the color wasn't even the same.

Your dissertation advisor is always right. Until the patricidal paradigm shift.