95 points Wine Spectator

Has oodles of Champagne complexity in a creamy, smooth package. Rich, toasty, creamy and elegant, with delicious nutty flavors that linger on the finish. Enormously concentrated; shows the full benefit of long-term aging on the yeast. Wine Spectator, January 2001

94 points Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

The 1983 Dom Pérignon continues to stand as an excellent example of a tricky, rain-affected harvest that turned out beautifully. Exhibiting a golden core with a fine bead of carbonation, it opens up with mature, tertiary notes of pralines, candied orange zest, mushroom, and toasted hazelnut. The palate is compact, deeply textured, and remarkably well-balanced, finishing with lingering traces of dry fruit and elegant, mature refinement. Robert Parker, October 1994

Cult Wines International Notes:

Moët & Chandon’s prestige cuvée, Dom Pérignon, stands as an unrivaled, globally revered icon of luxury winemaking, named in honor of the legendary 17th-century Benedictine monk who pioneered defining viticultural standards in the Abbey of Hautvillers. Operating under an uncompromising philosophy, Dom Pérignon is exclusively produced as a vintage Champagne, choosing to skip less-than-perfect growing seasons entirely to preserve its elite pedigree. The house’s signature style is a masterclass in tension and symmetry, crafting a near-flawless balance of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay sourced entirely from pristine Grand Cru plots and the historic Premier Cru of Hautvillers. Engineered for slow, decades-long autolytic transformation, Dom Pérignon is celebrated for its creamy texture, intense phenolic depth, and iconic, reductive smoky finish.

The 1983 growing season across Champagne was a classic, high-stakes victory snatched from the jaws of a difficult spring, ultimately resulting in a massive, high-quality crop. The year started with a highly volatile, damp spring and a freezing winter that severely delayed budburst and flowering across the region. However, nature completely corrected itself with a scorching hot, bone-dry summer in July and August that allowed the fruit to push sugar ripeness to optimal levels. While torrential rains threatened the crop just days before the harvest on September 26th, the thick skins of the berries held beautifully, completely resisting rot. Chef de cave Dominique Foulon executed a flawless manual selection, capturing a large harvest that successfully balanced superb phenolic weight with a pristine, bracing spine of high-strung natural acidity.

At over forty years of maturity, the 1983 Dom Pérignon has transformed into a spectacular, highly sophisticated library classic. The youthful, high-pitched citrus elements have entirely settled, paving the way for a rich, golden-hued tapestry of tertiary decadence. The nose is wonderfully complex, offering deep aromas of toasted hazelnuts, honeyed brioche, dried apricots, and Dom Pérignon’s trademark hint of matchstick smoke. On the palate, the effervescence has softened into an ultra-creamy, velvety mousse, carrying a full-bodied, vinous core of praline, blonde tobacco, and dried field mushrooms held effortlessly upright by a long, chalky, and dry mineral finish. This rare vintage is an absolute must-have acquisition for serious collectors of historic Champagne royalty.