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Wine Description
The Story
Dominus is created by French winemaker Christian Moueix, who crafted the wines of Chateau Petrus (a bottle of which recently sold at auction as one of the most expensive wines ever sold). The Dominus estate owns the historic Napanook Vineyard that was the base of so many of the historic Inglenook Cabernet Sauvignons of the 1950s and 1960s. It is considered one of the finest reds of Napa Valley.
Christian Moueix’s approach to creating wines of stature and longevity in Napa’s fertile and warm climate wasn’t always as popular as it is today. It started with his search for the perfect piece of land where he could realize his dream of creating a Napa Valley Cabernet to rival the First Growths of Bordeaux. This didn’t happen overnight, in fact the entire vineyard that feeds Dominus was reorganized and replanted over the last three decades to take better advantage of the varieties, expositions and spacing that would best express this esteemed terroir. The introduction of Tod Mostero as vineyard manager and winemaker was another big step in the right direction.
Dominus Estate, Yountville, California, was established in 1983 by Christian Moueix. Situated on the famed Napanook vineyard, it was, in the 1940’s and 1950’s, the source of fruit for some of the finest Napa Valley wines. In fact, the vineyard’s history can be traced back to Napa Valley’s beginnings, when in 1838 George Yount, for whom the town of Yountville was named, first planted grapevines there. Today, this historic vineyard produces three wines: Dominus, its flagship, Napanook, and Othello.
Christian Moueix chose the name ‘Dominus’ (‘lord of the estate’ in Latin) to underscore his longstanding commitment to the land. Rooted in values of quality, stewardship, tradition and innovation, the Dominus Estate team shares a vision of producing distinctive wines that are expressive of this singular terroir.
The vineyard is entirely dry-farmed, allowing the vines to draw deeply on the land’s unique geology. The viticulture and winemaking are undertaken meticulously, with the objective of producing wines that are pure, balanced and complex. Minimal intervention and restraint throughout the process of grape berry selection, fermentation and aging preserve the character of the fruit. The resulting wines, with a tremendous potential for aging, convey the very personality of this historic vineyard.
Known for its complexity and balance, Dominus demonstrates the potential of a wine produced on exceptional terroir. Structured, seamless and perfectly integrated, Dominus is an elegant wine that improves with age.
In 1997, a winery designed by the Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron was completed. Due to strict enforcement of Napa county regulations, it is closed to the public.
To celebrate the 30th vintage of Dominus Estate, the 2013 label dons a special portrait of Christian Moueix by South African artist William Kentridge. The 2013 Dominus recalls the ‘portrait series’ of the earliest vintages (1983-1990), when noted artists depicted Christian Moueix on the labels.
In 2021, Dominus Estate received its CCOF ("California Certified Organic Farmers") certification for organic farming practices.
VIneyards: 42 hectares (103 acres)
Soil: Gravelly and clay loam
Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot
Winemaking:
- Certified organic farming practices
- Dry-farming (no irrigation)
- Soil tillage (French plow)
- Vine growth management adapted to the climatic conditions
- Manual harvest ; sunny side of the vines picked a few days before the shady side.
- Manual and optical sorting
- Gentle pump-overs and extraction
- 18 months in French oak barrels (40% new)
Wine Information
DOMINUS 1990
August and September were neither too hot, nor too cool, and this allowed the fruit to ripen slowly and fully, with well-balanced acid and mature tannins. Although the latter part of the season is normally thought of as the most crucial to the vintage, it is the rain of late May that remains the most significant event in the vineyard for the 1990 season.
The relatively low yields, coupled with the moderate temperatures of late summer, translated into concentrated, yet elegant wines. For the first time in the history of Dominus, all four varietal components – Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot – were included in the final blend.
The 1990 Dominus has a deep ruby color. In the nose, aromas of roasted coffee beans and vanilla overlay the ripe blackberry fruit. These aromas are echoed in the mouth, and sweet, round tannins are apparent in the wine’s lingering finish.
Please decant this wine before serving, to allow it to reach its full potential.
Vintage Summary:
The 1990 growing season at Napanook Vineyard appeared to be headed toward drought as the month of May began. We had seen the first rainless December in this century and only 18 inches of rain had fallen since the previous July. This was not enough to sustain even the low crops of this renowned dry-farmed vineyard. Typically in the Napa Valley, if the rain has not come by mid-April, it will not come at all. However, in 1990, between the dates of May 20th and 30th, close to 4 inches of rain fell. At the time there was widespread concern about the effect that the rainfall would have on the vines that were in bloom and the potential for mildew, but in fact this spring storm saved the vintage. It provided the moisture that the vineyard needed to sustain it through the long growing season, and had the added benefit of naturally thinning the crop and thus increasing intensity.
BEGINNING DATE OF HARVEST: September 11
FINAL DATE OF HARVEST: September 29
PERCENTAGE OF NEW BARRELS: 30%
9-LITER CASES PRODUCED: 6200
RELEASE DATE: October 1994
