Moët & Chandon Brut Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon 2012

98 points Yohan Castaing (Decanter): "What a magnificent bouquet for this Dom Pérignon 2012! Pastry, a hint of smoke and autolytic notes provide a compelling counterpart to eager yet elegant aromas of citrus (lime, tangerine and kumquat) joined by those of fresh fruit, herbs, liquorice, and menthol. There is even a refreshing note of ivy. The palate is tense, vibrant, and very fresh despite its impressive density, which meets its match with an unending finish. This 2012 incarnates the very essence of Dom Pérignon with such a concentrated degree of intensity, along with a capacity for ageing, that it is surely destined for a second life in a P2 edition. Drinking Window: 2021-2050. (May 2021)"

98 points John Gilman (View From the Cellar): "The 2012 Dom Pérignon is a brilliant wine in the making and seems likely to ultimately be judged one of the greatest vintages here in the last quarter century. According to Chef de Cave Vincent Chaperon, the wine is close to its ideal cépages of fifty percent each of chardonnay and pinot noir in 2012. The wine is quite a powerful vintage of Dom Pérignon, but with all of the customary elegance and structural chassis of the greatest vintages here and it remains a young wine, brimming with energy and superb depth. The bouquet wafts from the glass in a classic blend of lime, green apple, menthol, stony minerality, discreet botanical tones, gentle smokiness and a topnote of citrus peel. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, focused and complex, with a great core, superb mineral drive and grip, utterly refined mousse and a long, zesty and beautifully balanced finish. I love how the perfect ripeness of the 2012 vintage is seamlessly interwoven here with a superb girdle of acidity, great minerality and excellent purity, which will end up producing a legendary vintage of this wine. It is certainly approachable out of the blocks, but I would opt to tuck bottles away for at least eight to ten more years before starting to drink the 2012, as there is so much left here to still unfold. 2029-2075. (May/Jun 2021)"

98 points International Wine Report: "The 2012 Dom Pérignon is simply striking and sits along side 2008 and the one of the most impressive releases in recent years. It begins to captivate the senses with its striking aromas of pear, lemon, wild flowers, dried herbs and chalky minerals that all come together and burst out of the glass. On the palate this is laser focused with outstanding purity, gorgeous precision, and a stunning crystalline texture that is chisled and beaming with energy. It further impresses as it shows a remarkable combination of concentration and brightness before ending with a beautifully defined finish. This is a simply magical wine that is already drinking exceptionally well today. Drink: 2023-2040. (Aug 2022)"

98 points Bettane & Desseauve Guide (2023).

96-98 points Essi Avellan, MW: "The 2012 was a vintage of both freshness and density. At Dom Pérignon they really played the density card, effortlessly compacting together so much delicious, crunchy, perfectly ripe fruit. The nose is welcoming, harmonious and deeply fruity with Dom Pérignon’s hallmark fragrant smoky layeres. But the elements of surprise catch up with you on the palate. At first the wine feels deceptively light but then comes the fruity power and sheer volume. The wine’s most unique feature is the scintillating or tingling sensation that takes over and energises the rich, round and compact palate. It is almost as electrically charged as this nervousness and vibrancy bring such an exciting dynamism on the long, deliciously succulent palate. (Sep 2021)"

97 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The 2012 Dom Pérignon is a dense, powerful wine. I am almost shocked by its vinous intensity and raw, unbridled power. The 2012 reminds me of the 2003, but with more finesse and not quite as pushed. Mildew, rain and frost were challenges and resulted in low yields, something that was further compounded by warm, dry weather that concentrated the fruit even more. Those qualities result in a dense Dom Pérignon endowed with real phenolic intensity. It is one of the most reticent young Doms I can remember tasting, I wouldn’t even think of opening a bottle for at least a few years. Drink: 2022-2052. (Nov 2021)"

97 points James Suckling: "Wonderful elegance and balance to this Dom Pérignon with cooked apple, lemon and hints of white pepper and salt. It’s medium-bodied with really fine bubbles and balance. Spicy at the end. So wonderfully fresh, linear and long. Racy and elegant. A DP that invites to drink right now. All about finesse. Tension, too, with precise phenolics and bright acidity on the back palate. Subtle energy. Drinkable now, but will develop beautifully in the bottle. (1/5/22)"

96+ points William Kelley (Wine Advocate): "The 2012 Dom Pérignon has turned out very well indeed, unwinding in the glass with notes of Anjou pear, smoke, toasted nuts, freshly baked bread and crisp stone fruit. Medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, it's still tightly wound, its incipiently fleshy core of fruit framed by racy acids and chalky grip, complemented by a classy pinpoint mousse. A touch drier and a touch less reductive than the 2008 out of the gates, these two vintages are clearly destined to be compared for some time to come; but at this early stage, my instinct is that the 2012 will have the edge in the long term. Drink: 2023-2050. (Sep 2021)"

96 points Tom Hewson (TimAtkin.com): "51% Pinot Noir, 49% Chardonnay. 2012's intense, concentrated energy suits Dom Pérignon to a tee, the trademark grilled-citrus reductive energy truly alive in the aromatic profile at this stage, with the golden tones of mature Pinot Noir feeling rather fine and delicate for the year. The plushness of mocha and toasted sourdough is just coming on, and the mousse has settled into a gliding, silky joy. On the one hand this is bright and approachable, but on the other hand there is a long-term prospect borne as much of compressed structure as mineral tension. A super Dom Pérignon. (Dec 2022)"

96 points Wine Spectator: "This eloquent Champagne has an enticing waft of Mandarin orange on the nose that continues on the palate, which is layered with flavors of crushed blackberry and cassis, toast, chopped almond, graphite and oyster shell. A bright, finely-knit and harmonious version, with a lovely, raw silk-like mousse, and a lasting, expressive finish. Drink now through 2037. (11/15/21)"

96 points Anne Krebiehl (Falstaff): "A powerful nose opens with grilled nuts, richness, hazelnut praline, and a smoky richness. There is something inherently generous, savoury, bold and rich. It expresses itself in the salty body with its smouldering hints. The bright streak of zesty lemon only serves to accentuate the richness. The finish is wonderfully long, salty, savoury and generous. (11/12/21)"

96 points Jasper Morris, MW (Inside Burgundy): "2012 is turning out to be a sensation vintage. The wines possess such aromatic density (concentration from low yields), often very pretty in their youth, with exquisite fragrance and dazzling acidity. An easy-to-love Dom Perignon, struck-match, gentle floral tones on the nose accent the succulent fruit that is the hallmark of this vintage. A palate that is ripe yet vibrant and a long finish of sublime intensity. Both forceful and firm at the same time, this will be an excellent Dom Perignon in ten years; it is perfectly serviceable now. Excellent! Drink from 2025-2038. Tasted: January 2023."