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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 1987
The 1987 Dominus Estate is the fifth vintage produced by the John Daniel Society made solely from grapes grown at their Napanook Vineyard in Yountville, California.
The blend of the 1987 Dominus Estate is 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Merlot. Winter rainfall for the 1987 season was 50% of average. The very warm early summer and moderate late summer resulted in fruit with fully developed varietal character and excellent acid balance.
Note: with almost the identical blend as 1986, we have a completely different wine–proof that classical winemaking, i.e., single vineyard, non intervening winemaking, and no acidification allows the vintage to express itself through the wine.
The 1987 Dominus Estate has a deep ruby color and a rich nose reminiscent of cassis and vanilla, with a silky texture, excellent balance and a long elegant finish. Christian Moueix recommends decanting this wine before serving to allow it to develop its full potential.
The label portrait for the 1987 vintage was done by the Israeli artist Avigdor Arikha.
Vintage Summary:
Seasonal rainfall was quite low at 18.85 inches (normal 35.68 inches); 10 inches in February and March, which is almost identical to the rainfall pattern of 1985. A very warm early summer was followed by a moderate late summer. There were 16 days over 100 degrees and 26 days over 95 degrees.
BEGINNING DATE OF HARVEST: September 4
FINAL DATE OF HARVEST: September 17
PERCENTAGE OF NEW BARRELS: 25%
BOTTLING DATE: July 1989
9-LITER CASES PRODUCED: 6500
RELEASE DATE: October 1999