The place for all things wine, focused on serious wine discussions.

WTN: Dom Perignon 1988

Moderators: Jenise, Robin Garr, David M. Bueker

no avatar
User

Ryan M

Rank

Wine Gazer

Posts

1720

Joined

Wed Jul 09, 2008 3:01 pm

Location

Atchison, KS

WTN: Dom Perignon 1988

by Ryan M » Thu Jun 07, 2018 12:41 am

I had the pleasure of sharing this today with my dear friend, predecessor, and teacher. The bottle was passed on to me by a very generous friend, formerly ITB. Before me, it was passed on to him by a friend that received it as a corporate gift (or something like that) but never drank it, so it sat who knows where in their house from around release until sometime in the past year. Apparently they weren't sure if it would still be worth drinking. My friend knows that I enjoy tasting old curiosities, so I ended up the lucky beneficiary of the tale.

Whatever the storage conditions were, it turned out very well indeed (consistent with some of the better notes on CT).

Moet et Chandon, Cuvee Dom Perignon, Champagne 1988
My first Dom Perignon, and the oldest Champagne I’ve tasted. Lovely golden / honey color. Wonderful nose of honey, shortbread, fresh raspberry jam, orange peel, and a hint of stone fruits, all with lovely mature notes of toffee, hazelnut (very abundant on the second pour) and fruitcake providing excellent depth, and with a touch of the pleasant sherry-like notes. On the palate, still fresh notes of peach and pear / apple, a hint of honey, then lots of orange and raspberry (alternatively, blood orange), then caramel and fruitcake creating a wonderful mature texture, and finally an excellent, long, lively, honeyed finish driven by sweet, slightly tart orange and some sherry-like notes. Full bodied and dense, with extraordinary depth; wonderful, compelling texture, honeyed and rich but also sweet-tart and penetrating, and with and underlying minerality; long and very satisfying (to the very last sip). The bubbles are no longer vigorous, but very much present (to the end of the bottle), very fine and delicate, and contribute a nice creaminess to the texture. The quality and depth are extraordinary; those who enjoy mature Champagne will be very happy. A wonderful experience. Drink now. 4.5 Stars [6/6/18]
"The sun, with all those planets revolving about it and dependent on it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as if it had nothing else to do"
Galileo Galilei

(avatar: me next to the WIYN 3.5 meter telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory)
no avatar
User

David M. Bueker

Rank

Riesling Guru

Posts

34256

Joined

Thu Mar 23, 2006 11:52 am

Location

Connecticut

Re: WTN: Dom Perignon 1988

by David M. Bueker » Thu Jun 07, 2018 7:37 am

1988 is a wonderful Champagne vintage, first of the amazing '88/'89/'90 trio of distinctly different but all fabulous years. It's the best of the three vintages IMO.
Decisions are made by those who show up
no avatar
User

Dale Williams

Rank

Compassionate Connoisseur

Posts

11125

Joined

Tue Mar 21, 2006 4:32 pm

Location

Dobbs Ferry, NY (NYC metro)

Re: WTN: Dom Perignon 1988

by Dale Williams » Thu Jun 07, 2018 8:58 am

David M. Bueker wrote:1988 is a wonderful Champagne vintage, first of the amazing '88/'89/'90 trio of distinctly different but all fabulous years. It's the best of the three vintages IMO.


What I was gonna say!
Thanks for notes, Ryan. Don't think I've had '88 DP, but certainly enjoyed the 88 Winston Churchill, Piper Rare, and Lanson (Noble I think)>
no avatar
User

David M. Bueker

Rank

Riesling Guru

Posts

34256

Joined

Thu Mar 23, 2006 11:52 am

Location

Connecticut

Re: WTN: Dom Perignon 1988

by David M. Bueker » Thu Jun 07, 2018 9:12 am

'88 Krug is amazing. '88 Pommery Cuvee Louise is also excellent. '88 Comtes is also great.
Decisions are made by those who show up
no avatar
User

Ryan M

Rank

Wine Gazer

Posts

1720

Joined

Wed Jul 09, 2008 3:01 pm

Location

Atchison, KS

Re: WTN: Dom Perignon 1988

by Ryan M » Thu Jun 07, 2018 10:57 am

David M. Bueker wrote:'88 Krug is amazing. '88 Pommery Cuvee Louise is also excellent. '88 Comtes is also great.


I've had the '88 Krug (which was awesome but on that occasion upstaged by the '96), and the '88 Veuve Clicquot Grand Dame Rose, which is one of the three greatest Champagnes I've ever had (along with the '96 Krug and the '92 Bollinger VVF; '88 Krug us probably something like 4th). I suspect the '88 Krug would blow this '88 DP out of the water side by side.
"The sun, with all those planets revolving about it and dependent on it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as if it had nothing else to do"
Galileo Galilei

(avatar: me next to the WIYN 3.5 meter telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory)

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: AhrefsBot, Amazonbot, ClaudeBot, Google [Bot] and 3 guests

Powered by phpBB ® | phpBB3 Style by KomiDesign