Dominus Estate 2016, Napa Valley

100 Point - Robert Parker

97 Point - Vinous: "The 2015 Dominus is fabulous. Explosive and alluring on the palate, the 2015 possesses stunning texture and intensity. Blueberry jam, cloves, menthol, licorice and graphite are some of the many nuances that develop over time. In 2015 Dominus artfully balances the richness of the year with the classic structural elements that are such a signature of this wine."

Bottled in July 2017 and composed of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc, the Dominus 2015 Proprietary Red Wine leaps from the glass with notes of fresh wild blueberries, crushed blackberries and black currant juice with touches of wild thyme, underbrush, iron ore and aniseed with wafts of lavender and pencil lead. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has incredible energy and vivacity, with the firm, pixelated tannins and lively backbone skillfully framing the muscular fruit, finishing with wonderful length and depth.

Christian Moueix began our tasting of the 2015 vintage with a big smile. “We loved the vintage from the beginning,” he commented simply. Dominus winemaker Tod Mostero explained why 2015 was special: “We had a lot of winter rain—15 inches in December 2014. But then we had a very dry spring—just two inches in March and April. This equated to less vegetative growth, because when you have very little rain in spring, the vegetative growth tends to be limited. This means you need less water in the summer, since the vines prepare themselves for a dry growing season. Because we dry farm, the roots grow deeper and access water that normally wouldn’t be available. We had a similar profile in 2013. The 2015 temperatures were higher than normal but not excessive. Yields were about the same as 2013—smaller than average. The grapes were small. We experienced an early budburst, flowering and harvest, with harvest starting on September 2nd and finished by September 30th."

Med udgangspunkt i den berømte enkeltmark Napanook, som er beliggende på den vestlige side af Highway 29 i Yountville, har Christian Moueix igennem snart 30 år arbejdet Dominus helt frem i den absolutte top af californiske vine. Marken er oprindeligt etableret helt tilbage i 1866 og har igennem mange årtier været kendt som en af Californiens bedste ”kilder” for Cabernet Sauvignon. Dominus præsenteres kun sjældent i Europa, idet den først og fremmest sælges på det amerikanske  hjemmemarked.

I 1982 indgik Christian Moueix direktør for Ets. Jean-Pierre Moueix i Libourne, Dominus Estate i et joint venture med Robin Lail and Marcia Smith De er begge døtre efter John Daniel, manden bag de eftertragtede Inglenook Estate vine.

Kan leveres i original trækasse ved 6 flasker.