Ok, didn’t know this was even released yet, but there’s a shop that shows availability. I’m a little surprised at no 2010, I know it wasn’t a great year though. Has anybody tried it? I just bought 2008 and figured I had some time to save my pennies for 2012.
Since bumped I Edited post title to reflect correct vintage (2010)
I haven’t tried it but I am also surprised that there isn’t a 2010. Although it was a hot year, Dom Ruinart and others will have a 2010 vintage.
Saving my money for '08 Comtes.
This is simply an erroneous listing, DP just confirmed to me that they will release 2010 next year.
Thanks William that makes much more sense.
Hot? To my understanding 2010 was mostly just warm in Champagne, but the problem wasn’t the temperatures, but the complete lack of rain on the first half of summer, changing to torrential rain on the latter half. 2009 was the hot year, 2010 just plain lousy (although not as horrible as 2011).
I thought 10 was worse than 11.
With some single producers it might be so, but on average 2011 was the lousiest recent vintage hands down. Although I prefer to taste Champagnes I buy before purchasing them, 2011 is a vintage I never buy blind. And almost always won’t buy even after getting to taste the wines. 
The problem in 2010 was a lot of mold/rot. Most folks did a great job sorting, but the end quality was a bit heavy and boring for most. Good wines were made from certain sites and in smaller volume, but getting a large quantity of top quality grapes was difficult.
In my opinion, the best 2011s are better than the best 2010s. The issue in 2011 was mis-timed picking by a large portion of growers/producers. This resulted in a bunch of under-ripe grapes. There was a big fear in 2011 of rain coming on which would dilute the grapes and bring on mold/rot; after seeing what happened in 2010 and with numbers that seemed to show decent ripeness, folks picked. If you waited, which few did, you ended up with some nice grapes. 2011 is by no means a great vintage. Like 2010, 2011 is not what I would call a vintage year. I agree that there are more problems with 2011 wines than 2010 wines, but this shouldn’t have been the case.
As far as recent vintages go, 2017 is another problematic vintage with a lot of mold/rot. The only thing that may save it from being seen as a very poor year is the high quality and quantity of 2018 which could be used to trade out for some rather bad wines from 2017. This will limit the impact of 2017 in many wines.
My understanding was that for top single vineyard plots like chetillons that 11 > 10?
Impossible to generalize like that, but there certainly are some very nice 2011s, especially from conscientious growers in the Côte de Blancs. I have loved Larmandier-Bernier’s 2011s, and Olivier Collin’s 2011-base wines are terrific. And defying the generalization I already made myself, Francis Egly has some very nice 2011-based blends and 2011 wines in his cellar. But I would agree with the “try before you buy” comment earlier in the thread. The theme here is that these are all growers who pick mature grapes, and I agree with Brad’s analysis.
Just tasted the 2012 Dom Pérignon with Vincent Chaperon and, having assumed it would be more in the stylistic vein of 2002 (rich, dramatic, with some border-line overripe characteristics), I was mistaken. It is a very taut, chiseled wine, with good concentration and structure, as well as being less overwhelmingly reductive out of the gates that some of the 2000s vintages. It is also less demonstrative at this stage than the very youthfully charming 2008 (even if it was clear that the 2008 was holding plenty in reserve for the patient). I will be reviewing it formally in my next Champagne report, and tasting it a bit more in the interim, but I was impressed. After the very open-knit, giving and rather facile 2010, the 2012 is certainly in a different category.
A very good point. Having '10 and '11 back-to-back was really unfortunate. I remember going to a big Champagne tasting in 2013 or 2014 and it was not pretty.
Had the 12 PR SWC on Tuesday evening with some trepidation. Delighted to report that it was absolutely splendid. Way more enjoyable than the 08 dp, for example, which I’ve found pretty much undrinkable. Deep, spicy (in a puligny/meursault way) and with a looong finish. Very impressed.
Apples and oranges.
In what way do you find it undrinkable?
Hard to explain but I really don’t like dp young (ie less than 20 years old) as a general rule. For the 08, specifically, every bottle I’ve had has had a richness to it that was both extremely compact and bitter. Not sure if that makes sense but it’s the best way I can describe it! I’m not saying it won’t be great in a decade or so and I’m happy to own (lots of!) it. The swc 12 I mentioned above, had a similar richness but with a much more open knit mid palate and finish and without the bitterness.
I had the 08 Dom last night and it was delicious. Excellent concentration, focus, depth and length.
Wish I’d gone deep on 08. Had some earlier this year and it was damn good.
Good news re the 2012. Looking forward to it.
I shall temporarily remain loyal to the 2010 as more than just another DP as the last bottle I had of 3 was stupendous. The first 2 were written off as being tight and not ready, but the 3rd one 6 months later gave and gave much of what I am fond of with vintage DPs especially from years like 1990, 1996 and 2008, bright acidity, a wondrous fresh citrus profile with underlying spicy accents and a touch of brioche. I must be one of only a few who has had even a decent bottle from all of the dissing it’s received. I’ll open another soon and if it’s weak and frail, then I’ll call it a blessing to have had one good bottle and move on all the while remembering how wonderful that one was.