“2004 perfectly incarnates Dom Perignon” - Richard Geoffroy

We've already tasted vintage and some super-premium wines from 2004, and Richard Geoffroy could barely contain his excitement during last year's launch of the 2003, so it's no surprise that Dom Pérignon is headed for top dog in this pretty but structured and mineral year. What is more, the wine is gradually putting on weight since disgorgement and will clearly, as ever with Dom Pérignon, repay considerable ageing.

Richard says that the 2003 took Dom Pérignon to a new level, and key to this was intense work in the vineyards - not an aspect you often hear discussed in Champagne, but one which he stressed by presenting the wine with a huge backdrop of vines. 2004 also required a lot of work in the vineyards, in this case to curb energy-laden vines.

The product of a team on a high from their recent performances, this is a Bentley of a wine, impressively solidly screwed together from only the finest components, immensely stylish and more than a little racy. 'Vintage 2004 perfectly incarnates Dom Pérignon,' says Richard. /CW