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.
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Wine Information
DOMINUS 2004
In 2004, we had the shortest growing season in recent history. We saw an early budbreak followed by a warm spring and summer, and an early harvest.
The 2004 vintage is deep red in color, with an intense nose of vanilla, black currants and cedar. The elegant integration of the tannins and fruit is noticed immediately. Flavors of warm mulled spices on the mid-palate complement the balanced and complex structure. The long, aromatic finish exhibits notes of leather and cardamom.
The 2004 blend is comprised of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 7% Petit Verdot. No Merlot was used in the blend this year.
The wine is charming and fragrant, and will age gracefully. 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:
The winter was normal with moderate rainfall. The vineyard received over 11 inches of rain during 26 days in December, and 8 ½ inches of rain in February. Little rain fell during the spring. A heat wave in March prompted an early budbreak – we saw 11 days over 80° F. April was also warmer than average. All of this warm weather resulted in a short growing season and an early harvest – the earliest on record for Dominus. September was a hot month, with 13 days over 90°F and 3 days over 100°F. We maintained the integrity of the canopy to protect the grapes from the heat during their final stage of maturation.
BEGINNING DATE OF HARVEST: August 31
FINAL DATE OF HARVEST: September 26
PERCENTAGE OF NEW BARRELS: 40%
BOTTLING DATE: August 2006
9-LITER CASES PRODUCED: 5600
RELEASE DATE: June 2007
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