The short answer
Dom Perignon 2018 represents one of the most celebrated modern releases from Moet & Chandon, holding a critic average of 98.0 points from 1 published review in this site's dataset. Produced in a growing season marked by high summer temperatures and early harvesting across the Champagne region, a year Essi Avellan MW rates four stars out of five, the release stands out for its structural density and clear balance. Wine critics establish an optimal drinking window spanning 2026 to 2048, indicating that the prestige cuvee requires several years of post-release cellar maturation before reaching peak maturity. Readers can compare it with adjacent declarations such as the 2015, the 2012 and the benchmark 2008 on this site's vintage chart, where every critic average is dated to the same extract. Dom Perignon 2018 serves as an essential acquisition for fine wine collectors tracking top-tier Champagne and seeking cellar longevity.
Critical reception and scores for Dom Perignon 2018
Dom Perignon 2018 enters the market with a critic average of 98.0 points from 1 published review. The landmark 2008 vintage holds a critic average of 98.0. Decanter's vintage report describes the first 2018 Champagnes as dense yet fresh wines that should be long lasting, and rates Pinot Noir five out of five and Chardonnay four out of five.
Essi Avellan MW rates 2018 four stars out of five, calling the harvest truly unique for its earliness, volume, ripeness and health, though she finds the wines notably low in acidity. Decanter's 2018 vintage report records hot, sunny, dry days from early summer and an early harvest from 20 August, with Chardonnay struggling a little to hold its acidity in the heat. The resulting wine demonstrates how disciplined harvesting preserves structural balance in warm climatic cycles.
The 2018 growing season in Champagne
The 2018 viticultural cycle began with wet winter conditions that replenished water tables across the Marne valley and the Cote des Blancs. Spring brought consistent warmth, leading to early budbreak and rapid flowering under dry skies. Avellan records that the hot summer continued throughout July and August, and that the harvest officially began on 20 August, the earliest on record.
Decanter's report adds that occasional showers kept hydric stress at bay, allowing gradual ripening in ideal conditions. The 2018 harvest produced both high yields and ripe, healthy fruit, which Avellan says left wineries across the region full to the brim.
Drinking window and cellar longevity
Professional assessments establish a primary drinking window of 2026 to 2048 for Dom Perignon 2018. While open and expressive in its youth, the wine possesses the phenolic framework necessary for prolonged cellar evolution. Opening bottles early captures youthful fruit, whereas patient storage should bring out secondary brioche and roasted nut complexities.
Prior vintages carry their own windows. The 2015 vintage, with a critic average of 95.3, holds a window of 2024 to 2054, while the 2012 vintage, with 97.0, spans 2021 to 2052. The 2008 release spans 2018 to 2048. Collectors should maintain standard storage parameters of 10 to 12 degrees Celsius and 70 percent humidity to ensure uniform aging across the full window.
How 2018 compares to recent declarations
Contextualising the 2018 release against preceding vintages highlights its place in the Dom Perignon story. The 2017 vintage was held back by late-season rainfall in Pinot Noir vineyards, the 2015 offered rich solar fruit from another warm harvest, and the 2013 was shaped by late-season ripening and brisk acidity. The 2017 holds a critic average of 96.0, the 2015 95.3, the 2013 96.2 and the 2012 97.0.
Looking further back across the modern era, each declaration carries its own critic average on the vintage chart. The 2010 holds 95.1, the 2009 95.2 and the 2006 95.5. The 2004 vintage holds 96.0, the hot 2003 vintage 94.0, the 2002 96.6 and the 2008 98.0. Every figure is read from the same dated extract.
Cellar management and collecting guidance
Acquiring Dom Perignon 2018 gives collectors an anchor asset for long-term Champagne holdings. The balance of generous fruit and high structural integrity creates flexibility for both early opening and extended cellaring across the full drinking window.
Buyers should secure original six-bottle cases with intact producer packaging to protect provenance. Storing bottles in temperature-controlled professional facilities maximises value retention and prevents premature oxidation. Systematic storage remains paramount when holding high-scoring vintage Champagne across two or three decades.
Common questions
What is the critic score for Dom Perignon 2018?
Dom Perignon 2018 holds a critic average of 98.0 points from 1 published review in our dataset. The 2008 vintage holds 98.0.
What is the recommended drinking window for Dom Perignon 2018?
The projected drinking window for Dom Perignon 2018 is 2026 to 2048, with peak maturity expected after 2030.
How did critics rate the 2018 Champagne harvest?
Essi Avellan MW rates 2018 four stars out of five, a year of warm summer conditions, high yields and the earliest harvest on record. Decanter's vintage report rates its Pinot Noir five out of five and its Chardonnay four out of five.
How does Dom Perignon 2018 compare to the 2015 vintage?
Dom Perignon 2018 holds a critic average of 98.0 with a drinking window of 2026 to 2048. Dom Perignon 2015 holds 95.3 with a drinking window of 2024 to 2054.
Will Dom Perignon 2018 see a P2 release in the future?
Plenitude 2 is a later, longer-aged release of selected Dom Perignon vintages. Whether a P2 2018 will follow is for the house to decide.
Sources
- Essi Avellan MW, Champagne vintage guide, checked 2026-09-29
- Decanter Champagne 2018 vintage report, checked 2026-08-20
By WineExperts. First published , last updated . Figures from our tracked merchant prices and recorded sales; text prepared with AI assistance and checked against the sources listed above.