The Greatest DP in History?
2002 Dom Pérignon
Special Edition Andy Warhol Labels
Art Icon, Meet Champagne Icon
"Extraordinarily firm, confident, intense nose... Nothing remotely sweet or fat - though it's as intense as a Montrachet... This already delivers but has such backbone and great acidity... Really reaches every hidden cell of the palate. LVMH at its very best?" - Jancis Robinson
Strong words. But certainly on the short list - only time will tell. Even Dom Pérignon’s Chef de Cave Richard Geoffroy himself pulls out all the stops with comparisons to the exemplary 1982, 1990 and 96 Dom Pérignon.
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I’ve always loved Dom Pérignon - the seductive complexity, the intensity, the precision of the wine itself juxtaposed with a sexy kind of edge, a bit of a playful spirit.
My love affair with this house dates back to the 80s, when I bought my first bottle of 64 and fell - hard. This was the beginning of my obsession.
Recently though, Dom Pérignon has impressed me even more, as each new release is a clear testament to the house’s tireless pursuit of perfection… and yet, they also manage to never take themselves too seriously (reference today's striking labels). I recently said, and I think it’s worth repeating here: “It continues to be clear that Geoffroy is achieving greater heights and more intensity with each cuvée.”
The 2002 epitomizes this, full of tension and intense focus while also packed with ripe fruits, wild florality, richness and a flash of opulence and revelry… and that’s not to mention the chic special edition Warhol labels. (A coincidence that these were released in time for fashion week?)
This is the first time DP has ever strayed from their signature label, and these special edition bottles throw the timeless DP shield in sharp contrast against the black bottle with shocking Warhol-inspired primary red, yellow and blue tones. Art icon, meet Champagne icon.
Sure, if there wasn’t an insane wine behind these labels, this would just be another meaningless PR stunt. But the wine speaks for itself, regally, and silences all of that while coasting through an elaborate score of jasmine, honeysuckle, dripping pear, apricot and passion fruit, then pure liquid mineral that is utterly saturating on the palate.
As Geoffroy noted to Champagne guru Peter Liem, “The name Dom Pérignon is often synonymous with champagne, and often, people expect it to be a classical, traditional champagne. But it is not.” Sure, this is a classic house, one of the oldest and most respected in Champagne, and yet, as Geoffroy goes on, Dom Pérignon embraces “a duality of youth and maturity, complexity and balance, rigor and seduction. As soon as you see one side, the other appears again.” This duality also embraces tradition at the same time that it looks to the future; the habit guarantees that Dom Pérignon will remain in the highest echelon of serious Champagne circles as time goes on.
The labels simply make an already super-collectible bottle even more covetable. Bring this to anything from a first-class wine dinner, a best friend’s birthday celebration or even a record release party, and this is guaranteed to turn heads - both by the cool factor of the bottle and, more importantly, by the outrageous quality of what’s inside the bottle.
The 2002 is bound to go down in history as one of the maison’s greats - compelling, intense and ageworthy as a Montrachet, as Jancis Robinson points out. Our guess is that today’s limited edition pop labels will be all the more in demand as this matures into its 20s and 30s - and you can be sure, the wine's evolution will be awesome. The six-packs offer two of each color (bold red, yellow and blue) and are ideal for serious collectors. For single bottle orders, color requests are not possible.
To place your order, please email us at offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463. Please specify if you'd like bottles with the classic label or the Warhol label when you place your order.
Robert Schagrin
Managing Partner
Crush Wine & Spirits
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Jancis Robinson: 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?
Wine Advocate: 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.
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