97 points Vinous

The 1982 Dom Pérignon is just a little more focused and vibrant in style. Here it is the wine’s salivating minerality that really sings. It, too, is quite youthful and vibrant for its age. What a flight. (AG)  (1/2014)

96 points James Suckling

I am a big fan of this vintage of DP, like 1996 and 2002. It was served at the end of the tasting. It’s still very fresh. I love the apple pie, cream, and lightly toasted almond aromas and flavors. It’s full, round and all-encompassing. Lovely soft, caressing texture.  (3/2012)

96 points Wine Advocate

No tasting note given.  (12/1994)

95 points John Gilman

I have liked the style of the 1982 Dom Pérignon since it was first released and used to drink it with some regularity back in its early days in the market, as there was plenty around and it was quite generously styled out of the blocks compared to many young vintages of this cuvée. However, I had not crossed paths with a bottle of the 1982 in a long, long time, so was absolutely delighted to be reacquainted with this wine at age 39! The wine has aged very gracefully and is now fully into its tertiary, mature stage of development, offering up a complex aromatic constellation of baked apples, yellow plum, brioche, a fine base of soil tones, orange peel, hazelnuts and plenty of upper register smokiness. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and, to my palate, at its absolute zenith, with a lovely core, superb focus and grip, still excellent mousse and a long, poised and beautifully balanced finish. A lovely vintage of Dom Pérignon.  (9/2021)

93 points Wine Spectator

Seductive and wonderfully balanced, crisp yet it caresses the palate. Has a very complex toasted bread and buttery croissant character along with some nutmeg, spice, chocolate and vanilla notes. (PM)  (10/1995)

Cult Wines International Notes:

The 1982 Dom Pérignon Brut stands as a landmark vintage, celebrated for its rare combination of historic yields and exceptional structural quality. The heritage of the house is rooted in the Abbey of Hautvillers, where the 17th-century Benedictine monk Dom Pierre Pérignon revolutionized viticulture through his mastery of blending and the introduction of superior bottling techniques. As the prestige cuvée of Moët & Chandon, Dom Pérignon maintains a strict vintage-only philosophy, meaning a bottling is only produced in years where the fruit meets the cellar master’s rigorous standards for longevity and complexity. The 1982 release remains one of the most significant examples of this dedication, emerging from a growing season often described by winemakers as “miraculous.”

The 1982 growing season began with a cold winter followed by a stable, cool spring that protected the vines from late frosts. Near-perfect conditions during the June flowering led to an incredibly high fruit set, signaling a massive harvest early on. Throughout July and August, consistent warmth and sunshine allowed for a steady, gradual ripening process without the extreme heat spikes that can strip grapes of their necessary acidity. Harvesting began in mid-September, and despite some light rain that further plumped the fruit, the grapes arrived at the press with a remarkable balance of sugar and concentration. This resulted in a record-breaking harvest of roughly 16,000 kg/ha, with the Chardonnay in particular showing a steely elegance that has allowed the 1982 vintage to remain vibrant and highly sought after by collectors decades later.