x
  • Country ranking ?

    223
  • Producer ranking ?

    15
  • Decanting time

    4h
  • 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 2001

2001 was characterized by an early bloom and long growing season that yielded grapes of exceptional maturity. The low rainfall brought stress to the vines, contributing to the intensity and complexity of the fruit.

The 2001 vintage has a dark ruby color with a luxuriant nose of licorice, exotic spices, Bing cherries and an essence of roses. This wine has the unique ability to be rich and complex while possessing a smooth and silky texture. The evolution of flavor develops like a crescendo into an intense finish of cloves and aromatic cassis.

The 2001 blend includes 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 4% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot.

This elegant wine is truly a classic, and will benefit from years of aging. We recommend decanting the wine prior to serving, to allow it to develop its full potential. This is especially important when serving young Dominus wines.

 

Vintage Summary:

Well below-average rainfall characterized the winter, with the last precipitation on April 20, 2001. April got underway with a freeze on the 3rd, requiring diligent use of frost protection equipment. The remainder of the spring was warm and saw rapid growth and development of the vines. Bloom started in early May, well ahead of schedule. All indications pointed to a very good vintage. Moderately warm summer months provided conditions for slow maturation and even ripening. The cool month of September allowed the fruit to continue to mature slowly, which gave us the time to pay attention to even the smallest detail in each vineyard block.

BEGINNING DATE OF HARVEST: September 15

FINAL DATE OF HARVEST: October 13

PERCENTAGE OF NEW BARRELS: 40%

BOTTLING DATE: August 2003

9-LITER CASES PRODUCED: 7000

RELEASE DATE: September 2004

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Latest Pro-tasting notes

<10 tasting notes

Tasting note

color

Deep and Brick red

ending

Long

flavors

Blackcurrant, Herbs, Blackberry, Cherry, Leather and Mineral

nose

Open and Rich

recommend

Yes

taste

Average in Acidity, High alcohol content, Balanced, Well-structured, Complex, Full-bodied and Rich

Verdict

Impressive and Excellent

Written Notes

This is very precise and focused with red fruits with polished and round tannins. One note to it. But beautiful and delicious. Drink now.

  • 91p
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Information

Origin

Yountville, Napa Valley
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