Dominus red wine is a cherished distinctive Napa Valley Cabernet treasure respected around the world. It wasn’t always so. Your scribe remembers spending 1977 vintage harvest days in Pomerol with Christian Moueix and Jean-Claude Berrouet. Learned so much from tasting the ripe grapes on the older vines at Trotanoy, tasting maturing Petrus, and our insightful conversations. They both were a fountain of wine knowledge and Christian reminisced about his studies at UC Davis and showed a keen interest in Napa Valley. This was the time of the 1976 Judgment of Paris for winning 1973 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon and other exciting wines from Napa including among others Heitz, Mayacamas, and Robert Mondavi Reserve 1974. So it was not surprising to me when in the early eighties they ventured into this emerging top quality wine region with the old Napanook Vineyard (back to the 1880s on the western hills near Yountville) which had proven itself by providing premium grapes from Bordeaux vine cuttings for Inglenook including their legendary 1941. However, Inglenook was Cabernet Sauvignon and Moueix merchants were Right Bank Merlot experts. In fact the first harvest 1982 was not released though backward tannic vintage 1983 (20% Merlot) was at around $40+ but after the more forwardly 1984 (25% Merlot) followed by the more successful elegant 1985. Somewhat controversial in the early days where The New Connoisseurs Handbook of California Wines (2nd Edition) reviewed the first 5 vintages of 1983-1987 stating: “Immense wines that are bold in curranty fruit, high in rich and creamy oak, and very tannic, they are among the leaders for intensity and drama. But in the early vintages, they also have been bothered by background earthy notes that raise troubling questions about how well they will hold up in the long run.” Such fond memories visiting with Christian at Dominus during this period where they were cutting the outside layer of the vine stems to reveal diseased budwood. Asked what they were doing and he replied “stopping GLD (Grapevine Leafroll Disease) that was limiting nutrients & water to the grapevine – and adding $5 labour costs to each bottle.” Showed the dedicated pursuit of high standards demonstrated here again and resulted in unqualified success for Dominus during the early nineties – especially 1991 and 1994.
We have been studying Dominus since the beginning here in Vancouver thanks mainly to the wine collecting skills and generous sharing by Ian Mottershead. He organized at his home on February 3, 2010 an 8 vintage double blind vertical of Dominus from 1992 to 2002 with 1997 & 1999 shining brightest but all seeming more like a St Estephe Cos d’ Estournel. Fifteen years later on February 3, 2026 Ian organized another 8 vintages vertical (not blind) of Dominus for the Group of Eight #139 at Blue Water Cafe from 2017 back to 2001. Interestingly the two youngest wines last time of 2001 & 2002 were the oldest pair this time. The evening started off beautifully with an exquisite Langostino Lobster course paired with 2008 DOM PÉRIGNON CHAMPAGNE Chef de Cave Legacy Edition Brut “celebrating the continuum from Richard Geoffrey, DP Chef de Cave for 28 years to his successor Vincent Chaperon. A shared vision of an exceptional vintage – long been restrained, but now finally appears, and is completely coherent. Its slender, minimalist, and athletic character now also expresses itself with warmth. The fruit is pronounced and clear. Its aromatic persistence is remarkably intense.” We found it had explosive tiny bubbles, fresh & vibrant though still young with lots of balancing acidity admired now but with a very bright aging future. We finished with 1968 KROHN PORTO COLHEITA Bottled in 2006 combining 36 years in wood as a tawny style plus 20 years in bottle like a vintage. Much fresher than expected with stylish dried fruits and charming hazelnut cardamom toffee.
The main event of Dominus with brief comments:
2017 DOMINUS: 88% Cab Sauv/7 Cab Franc/5 Petit Verdot harvest commenced September 21 for small crop of 2800 cases at 15 abv. Hot year with 112F on September 1. Rich concentration with structured power but more refined softer minty plummy Cabs than expected. Nose & flavour not as “Bordeaux” as Dominus showed in the earlier vertical that had more cassis, younger vines and less alcohol. Nick Wright commented on the “great eucalyptus nose”.
2010 DOMINUS: 95 CS & 5 PV (burnt CF not good enough to use) harvested later October 4-23 for 300 cases at 14.5 abv. First year of the optical scanner that helped use only top grape selection and starting in 2009 had more quality control converting from a vertical press to a horizontal one. Cooler wetter year though 107F at the end of August. Aromas are more open with sweet plums & cherries in a big high Cab Sauv statement with polished tannins. Jonathan Fenton felt “top Left Bank Bordeaux blends of high Cab Sauv are more elegant” but this shows quite lovely easy elegance compared to many really big powerful Napa Cabernets out there.
2008 DOMINUS: 83 CS/13CF/4PV harvested September 19 to October 3 for 4500 cases at 14.1 abv. In fact the last six vintages of this vertical are all at 14.1 so they didn’t have to pay more tax on the wine at higher alcohol. Similarly all the wines using about 40% new oak. Even ripening and high Cab Franc resulted in some lighter red fruits minerality with forward smooth softer tannins development in a rather Bordeaux styling. Fred Withers found it “more disappointing than other vintages”.
2006 DOMINUS: 91CS/6CF/3PV harvested October 2-26 with longer hang time for 6000 cases. Late vintage gave excellent phenolic ripeness with more depth than 2008. Like the supple round juicy black plums here with even a touch of the Petrus iron notes. Admire the savoury minty flavours delivered well balanced with a firm grip. Well done. Group fav with the 2010 and 2005 also with support. Matched with the new style duck pate 2006 was divine dining.
2005 DOMINUS: 92CS/5CF/3PV harvested September 29 to October 20 for higher 7000 cases. Cooler weather showed only one day over 100F on July 23 and just 23 days over 90F. Most Pauillac/St.Julien like of these especially the aromas and integrated acidity. Ian remarked “good bouquet!”. Yes lovely dried mint fullness reminiscent of a good vintage of Lynch Bages. Ian & your scribe were delighted with this vintage as a treasure.
2003 DOMINUS: 88CS/7CF/5PV harvested October 3 to November 2 (longest hang time) for 5600 cases. 7 days over 100F but a great weather October ripening month. Special note on the bottle celebrating their 20th year. Probably the most open fragrant vintage tried tonight. Beautiful raspberry black tea fruit with violets are impressive. On a delicious plateau paired with Wagyu beef accompaniment.
2002 DOMINUS: 85CS/8CF/4PV/3Merlot – last vintage that Merlot was used in the blend! Crop picked September 9 to October 16 with no excessive temperatures for 5000 cases. Spicy with cinnamon but quite delicate. Much more together and attractive than 15 years ago when it seemed young and lighter. Now more together, balanced and in harmony. Delicious.
2001 DOMINUS: 81CS/10CF/5PV/4Merlot harvested September 15 to October 13 for 7000 cases (tie with 2005). Hot year but with less rain and a cooler September influenced the style. Jon Ellison liked “the aged development of this 2001”. More development over 15 years was good thing for 2001 too. Lovely full silky textures show wonderful softer maturity with a touch of medicinal notes plus cloves. Rather exotic flavours on the palate. Dominus at 25 years is not quite developing with the complexity of say 2000 vintage in Bordeaux where top Left Bank Chateaux now have distinctive classy bouquets. Nonetheless the full balanced flavours of Dominus are outstanding indeed. Probably need to taste now legendary vintages of 1991 or 1994 to get that bouquet complexity – or admire the still evolving younger ones and wait for them to age further with 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018 and later ones all are continuing beauties. Congrats to Christian, his son Edouard and the whole talented Dominus team. Many thanks for producing such unique quality wine treasures. Appreciated.
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