Departing chef de cave Richard Geoffroy says that 2008 is his best DP vintage since 1990. The first half of the growing season was dull and sunless, but good weather returned in mid-September and led to one of the longest harvests, running into October. The summer provided ideal conditions for a classic, cool, maritime vintage of exceptional, subtle aromas with minerality and freshness. This has a vibrant but controlled acidity, and is above all a memorable symbiosis of mature fruit and salinity derived from top terroirs. The poised mouthfeel makes this a perfect gastronomic wine, strong enough for spicy Asian cuisine from the Pacific rim, but still compatible with classics such as roast turbot and lobster. Michael Edwards (Decanter.com)

The best Dom since 2002. A vintage with very restrained, powerful style that has been released non-sequentially after the 2009. This has a lighter stamp of highly curated, autolytic, toasty aromas than many recent releases. Instead, this delivers super fresh and intense aromas of lemons, grapefruit and blood-orange peel. Incredible freshness here. The palate has a very smoothly delivered, berry-pastry thread with light, sweet spices, stone fruit and fine citrus fruit. This really delivers. Drink now or hold.

The 2008 Dom Pérignon is a huge, powerful Champagne and also clearly one of the wines of the vintage. This is one of the most reticent bottles I have tasted. So much so that I am thinking about holding off opening any more bottles! The 2008 has always offered a striking interplay of fruit and structure. Today, the richness of the fruit is especially evident. Readers who own the 2008 should be thrilled, but patience is a must.

The 2008 Dom Pérignon is the first time the estate has released a wine out of order (the 2009 was released before the 2008) but the estate loved the wine so much they felt it warranted additional aging. This is a rich, powerful wine that still shows incredible purity and elegance, with a stacked, concentrated feel on the palate. It’s rare to find such a mix of ripe, pure, concentrated fruit paired with this level of purity, focus, and precision. This is a legendary Dom that surpasses all the great vintages of Dom I have experience with, including the 1990, 1996, and 2002.

See score and full tasting note at champagneclub.com.

The 2008 Dom Pérignon Rosé is impossibly youthful. Pinot Noir, notably from Hautvillers (lieu-dit Chants de Linottes) and Aÿ (Vauzelles) bring vibrant red berry and pomegranate fruit overlaid with hints of smoke and spice from the 12 years the wine spent on the lees. The wine makes a powerful impact on the palate, with its abundant, very fine mousse and lively fresh acidity balancing out the wine-like vinous texture and depth of flavour. The ’08 DP Rosé has impressive power and yet never loses sight of its elegance and delicacy; it should start to open in a few years’ time and will continue to improve for another 50 years.

Unquestionably the finest Dom Pérignon of the decade, the 2008 Dom Pérignon is drinking brilliantly today, wafting from the glass with notes of citrus oil, ripe orchard fruit, peach, buttered toast, pastry cream, iodine and smoky reduction. Full-bodied, rich and fleshy, it's vinous and layered, with a deep core of sweet fruit, racy acids and a long, saline finish. The 2008 is aging very gracefully.

Superbly showing toasty nose with fragrant smokiness, mint, licorice and heaps of freshly ground coffee. Tightness and restraint still on the nose. Tightly-wound palate with mineral crispness and salty tones. Still surprisingly creamy-textured and mellow with plenty of vivacity energising the back palate. Long and pure finish. December 2019.

Incredibly good from the start. Crystal clear, clean, vibrating fresh without any disturbing acidity. Pure harmony from day one. Deep wide bouquet reminiscent of ancient days of concentration. Aromas that are intertwined to the most beautiful symphony. Warm generous breadiness, duck liver with brioche, butter-fried cep and a composite exquisite fruit ranging from yellow-green to orange. The texture is heavenly with a dense layer of silkiness over the ferociously fresh acidity and critical minerality. So, just in time for Richard Geoffroy's retirement, he releases the best wine of his life. What a grand finale and what a great farewell. April 2023.

First 'Plénitude' released after more than nine years on lees. Rich, complex nose with a certain almost-sweet lemon-cream sensation before great texture of freshness and zip. Very complete with so much going on and an extraordinarily long aftertaste. A really lovely champagne. Another great 2008, along with the Cristal Rosé 2008 . (JR)

Easily the best Champagne I had all year, first tasted at a château lunch. I couldn't stop thinking about it, and eventually bought a bottle for my husband's 50th. Just so much power and precision, while still having the delicacy, easy glamour and the most moreish delivery of fresh acidities and fleshy citrus. At it opens, toasted brioche, liqourice root and oyster shall curl out of the glass. Richard Geoffroy cellar master.