2023 Dominus - Cabernet Sauvignon Blend Napa (750ml)
Dominus Estate is the Napa Valley project of Christian Moueix, the storied Bordeaux producer behind Chateau Petrus, who discovered the historic Napanook Vineyard in 1981. Napanook had already supplied fruit for some of Napa's most celebrated wines through the 1940s and 1950s, and Moueix entered into a partnership to develop it in 1982 before becoming sole owner in 1995. He named the estate Dominus, Latin for lord of the estate, reflecting his long term commitment to stewarding the land, and under estate director Tod Mostero, Dominus remains one of Napa's most meticulously farmed properties.
The vineyard sits at the foothills of the Mayacamas Mountains in Yountville, where cool breezes off San Pablo Bay moderate the growing season. Dominus is dry farmed, relying on deep root systems rather than irrigation, and 2023's record rainfall replenished reserves ahead of a long, patient ripening period. In an unusual step for Napa, the estate rinses grapes shortly before harvest to remove dust, and picking is staged with surgical precision across each vine's sun exposed and shaded sides. The 2023 blend of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot was aged twenty months in a significant portion of new French oak, more wood influence than in most Dominus vintages.
The wine opens with blackcurrant jelly, ripe black plum, and fresh blueberry, joined by cedar, graphite, and crushed stone. The palate is structured yet polished, with ultra fine tannins and a long, mineral driven finish. It pairs beautifully with roasted venison, grilled ribeye, or aged Comté.