Thanks to Johnny for sharing this enchanting cuvee

and nice photos

Champagne Dom Perignon Rose 1998

Grape proportions: 60% PN, 40% CH

Tasted in Jan. 2010

Meeting a bottle of fine wine at its open and charming moment is one of the luckiest things indeed. So do our experiences of Dom Perignon Rose show: A bottle of DPR 92 tasted in Oct. 2008 was rich and mature, but lacking a bit finesse and liveliness; DPR 96 tasted in Sep. 2009 was tremendously austere and bound, crying for extensive cellaring…therefore, catching DPR 98 at its sweet spot this time brings us immense pleasure!

What a mysterious, seductive robe of pink sweetbrier petals that blazes with fiery ardour…and such passionate, impetuous effervescence! Just the visual impact alone will enchant you!

Yet it is the constantly evolving aromatic complexity on the nose that really makes me fall head over heels: initial hints of black currants, followed by pleasing notes of raspberries, then appear seductive aromas of blood orange, honey and milk cream, finally blossom out the splendour of nut-toffee…you get everything you've dreamed of on the nose here: power, depth, complexity and, development!

But very much unlike the depth and power as exhibited on the nose, this is a relatively light-bodied rose on the palate, where the hallmark is clearly elegance and finesse, rather than power or richness. Exquisite red fruits mingled with perfect proportion of minerality as well as exotic spices, finishing with DPR’s trademark fine bitterness -- truly aristocratic! Around half an hour after uncorking, the palate hits the sweet spot: harmonious sour-sweetness and creamy mellowness. An hour after uncorking, the palate evolves into the next stage of toffee finesse, indicating the direction of future evolution.

Encountering  this dazzling, romantic rose is like running a love fever, or watching the 3D Avatar: just indulge yourself to be carried away…

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Another tasting of Dom Perignon Rose 98: passionate and versatile

                                                                                                              Thanks Johnny for the nice photos
Tasted in March, 2010

First pour upon uncorking. Beautiful copper red robe turning orange. Fine bubbles, impetuous effervescence.

Initially, very deep and serious dark fruit and smoke on the nose, soon overwhelmed by heady note of naturally sweet raspberry in alcohol.

The palate reconfirms the nose with loads of sweet, ripe red fruits, radiating the warmth of sunshine! Long sweet finish of raspberry…My only ‘complaint’ is there is still some naked alcohol exploding with the impetuous bubbles, really heady!

Half an hour after uncorking, this pink bubbly enters the second stage. The impetuous red fruit and alcoholic feel has quieted down, while chalky mineral finesse takes over the helm on both the nose and the palate, finishing with Dom Perignon’s classic fine bitterness.

An hour after uncorking, it finally hits the true ‘sweet spot’! The nose broadens: rich and sophisticated, with notes of red fruits(raspberry and blood orange), sweet pastries and cream charmingly interwoven. With further airing in the glass, there appears enchanting red floral scents!

On the palate, exquisite fruit of blood orange has now attained perfect harmony with chalky minerality, finishing with the merest hint of toffee.

Passionate and versatile. This is very enjoyable now. But its less evloved nose and supremely focused taste do promise a greater height of complexity with another 3 to 5 years’ cellaring.