x
  • Country ranking ?

    302
  • Producer ranking ?

    27
  • Decanting time

    2h
  • When to drink

    2020-2035
  • Food Pairing

    Game

The Tb points given to this wine are the world’s most valid and most up-to-date evaluation of the quality of the wine. Tastingbook points are formed by the Tastingbook algorithm which takes into account the wine ratings of the world's best-known professional wine critics, wine ratings by thousands of tastingbook’s professionals and users, the generally recognised vintage quality and reputation of the vineyard and winery. Wine needs at least five professional ratings to get the Tb score. Tastingbook.com is the world's largest wine information service which is an unbiased, non-commercial and free for everyone.

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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)

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Wine Information

DOMINUS 1991

The 1991 Dominus is the most harmonious and elegant wine to be released by the Dominus winery in the first decade of its existence.

All Dominus wines to date, including the 1991, originate solely from the Bordeaux varieties grown at Napanook Vineyard. The 1991 is composed of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, complemented by 19% Cabernet Franc and a small amount of Petit Verdot.

The 1991 Dominus has a deep ruby color, and possesses extraordinary intensity and balance, as well as phenomenal richness and fruit. The wine exhibits silky tannins with a full-bodied palate and an elegant, long finish.

As with all Dominus wines, Christian Moueix recommends decanting this wine prior to serving, in order to allow it to develop to its full potential.

The new Dominus label, christened with the 1991 vintage, was created by a French designer.

 

Vintage Summary:

We received 26.5 inches of rain (normal 35.68). Initially the season was of concern due to the late bloom, veraison and harvest. As it turned out, the 1991 season was an example of where the added time on the vines was indeed positive. The 1991 growing season was one of the longest on record in the Napa Valley, producing a fruit of extraordinary quality.

BEGINNING DATE OF HARVEST: October 6

FINAL DATE OF HARVEST: October 18

PERCENTAGE OF NEW BARRELS: 40%

BOTTLING DATE: July 93

9-LITER CASES PRODUCED: 6500

RELEASE DATE: October 1995

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Tasting note

color

Medium, Ruby red and Bright

flavors

Blackcurrant, Earthy and Floral

nose

Unclean, Volatile and Mature

taste

Average in Acidity, Medium tannin, Unbalanced, Tired, Medium-bodied, Silky and Drying tannins

Written Notes

A 1991 Dominus interjected. I love Dominus; there are few California Cabs that I enjoy as much, and a recent 2006 had me licking my lips and someone else’s. But I didn’t love this 1991. It was green, round and soft. I just didn’t feel it (91).
  • 91p

Magnum. This was the single most enjoyable red wine of the day for me. One of Tim How's retirement gifts in recognition of the fact that Majestic had been acquired on Friday 13 Sep 1991, and acknowledged hugely successful vintage for Christian Moueix's venture in California. Lovely, complete and thoroughly successful. It may have looked a little skinny after a more typical blockbuster from Napa Valley but was wonderfully flattered by following the more austere charms of 1970 red Bordeaux. Really good and rich but not fat.

  • 96p

Healthy deep medium red. Musky plum, cherry jam, spices and chocolate on the nose, complicated by hints of leather, mocha and truffle. Utterly refined, sophisticated wine with the complex soil-driven animal and vegetable notes of a great mature Bordeaux. Distinctly wild but also wonderfully silky and seamless, this midweight wine is a clear standout from the early years of this winery. Evolving very slowly but à point right now. Finishes very subtle and long, with a firm dusting of tannins and surprising structure and grip. Classically dry, showing lovely life in the mouth and lift on the back end, but this is about as far from primary Napa Valley fruit as a Napa wine can be. (13.5% alcohol)

  • 94p
Good looking normal size bottle. Colour is ruby red, and looking bright, dark, evolved and medium. On the nose it is open, mature, unclean and volatile. The taste is silky, with medium tannin ., with drying tannins, and average in acidity, medium-bodied, with unbalanced structure and tired. On the palate it is layered and has blackcurrant, earthy and floral flavours.
- (Tasting note created by Tb's AI)
  • 92p
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Information

Origin

Yountville, Napa Valley
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