As we’ve come to expect from DP over the last 10 years or so, this is yet another curve ball. Not that this was immediately obvious when first released. One of the lighter coloured DP rosés, the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir appeared to be in perfect harmony just 18 months ago, but gradually the Chardonnay has revealed its ripeness while the Pinot Noir has developed a distinctly wild character. Not a greenness as such, but definitely veering more towards Sauvignon Blanc than Pinot, making the 2000 unique and distinctive, supported and softened by a delicate mousse, and bursting with a myriad of orchard and berry fruits. Typical of its creator, Richard Geoffroy, this pink Champagne offers endless possibilities to play with at the table.

This great bottle of rosé was the debut wine for my birthday celebrations on Sunday night at Shanghai Lo restaurant in Hong Kong. I've always been a huge fan of DP rosé. It's rich and intense but never heavy and cloying like so many rose Champagnes. I was surprised how fresh and balanced the 2000 DP rosé still is considering the warm and sunny weather during the growing season. Hot and sunny years are seldom great years for Champagne. Yet this bottle is superb with creamy-textured sliced peaches, cranberries, petals and apples on the nose and palate. It was full-bodied with a enrapturing texture and an intense, flavorful finish.

The 2000 Dom Perignon Rose is a flashy ripe Champagne that screams Pinot to a degree I have never encountered in another vintage of this wine. A dark intense color leads to a Chambolle-like nose followed by endless red berries flowers and spices all backed up with plenty of muscle richness and density. The wine continues to blossom on the palate with utterly beguiling detail clarity and polish all qualities that resonate on the rich expansive finish. The 2000 Dom Perignon Rose is 45% Chardonnay and 55% Pinot Noir of which 25% is still Pinot.

I haven’t always been knocked out by this cuvée but such is not the case with the 2000 as there is fine complexity to the beautifully well-layered nose that speaks of various red berry fruit elements along with floral, yeast and discreet lemon zest nuances. One of the aspects that I very much like is how full-flavored this is while retaining a lovely sense of refinement that is substantially aided by the notably fine effervescence, all wrapped in an utterly delicious and impressively persistent finish. Sometimes rosé champagnes struggle with the balancing act of delivering first-rate flavor authority while maintaining a refined mouth feel. When they miss they are either too tannic and thus err on the side of rusticity to they’re too light and thus don’t provide the depth one searches for at this level. However the 2000 Dom Rosé gets the balance exactly right because as noted there is both excellent depth and superb refinement. For my taste this has arrived at its peak but note that it will certainly hold for years to come. now+

Austere at first, this blossoms into the comfortable, lush textures of the vintage, opening like a rose toward the power of a red wine with grip and touches of tannin. Its formidable structure gives a sense of pale limestone glazed with sunny red fruit. The finish is refreshing, substantial enough to decant for roast squab.