Think of standing above a well at the edge of an apple orchard, the cool feel of the earth deepening the bosky scent of the ripening fruit. This wine may take you there, then leave you to contemplate its complexity: full-on limestone-derived power, juicy nectarine and apricot scents, candied lemon and lasting spice, all of it rounded into a supple shape and a subtle mist of a finish. A great vintage of DP, this will age with grace.

Tasted at Pazo in Baltimore then in London with consistent notes. “Crystalline.” That is the adjective that popped into my head as soon as I sipped the latest release of Dom Perignon. The nose is tensile and minerally, with hints of jasmine and then apricot blossom and Japanese yuzu. The palate is finely toned, very focused, powerful yet light on its feet with delicate traces of apricot and Seville orange complementing a sense of mineralite reminiscent of the 1996. A feminine, graceful, ethereal Dom Perignon whose beauty made a gang of Chateauneufs blush with unrequited ardour. The ’02 DP is difficult to resist now, but will surely age beautifully over 20-30 years. Drink now-2035. Tasted October 2010. (NM)

A rich and smoky Champagne in a graceful package, with a beautiful, fine-grained texture to it and layers of flavor: biscuit, candied lemon peel, coffee liqueur, chamomile, pine, crystallized honey and wood smoke. This is the haute couture of the Champagne world—all about elegance, texture and attention to detail. Drink now through 2027. (AN)