Dominus Estate
Dominus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend
Napa Valley, California, USA
Dark ruby/ inky in color with a short purple rim.
Red and black fruits on the nose with cedar, chocolates, spices, tobacco, coffee and black pepper.
Full-bodied and elegant with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry on the palate with sweet raspberries, cherries, black currants, black plums, cedar, licorice, chocolates, herbs, coffee, light earth, spices, tobacco leaf and light pencil lead.
Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.
This young Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux blend from Napa Valley is starting to drink beautifully now. Rich and easy drinking.
Fruit forward and complex, soft and smooth. Spicy and entertaining, powerful yet refined. Showing good balance albeit a little hot at the back of the throat, at this point.
Will continue to age nicely in the next 15 to 20 years and shows good potential to become a 94+ point wine.
A great sipping wine that will also pair nicely with food.
A blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot.
15% alcohol by volume.
92 points.
$250.
Dark ruby/ inky in color with a short purple rim.
Red and black fruits on the nose with cedar, chocolates, spices, tobacco, coffee and black pepper.
Full-bodied and elegant with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry on the palate with sweet raspberries, cherries, black currants, black plums, cedar, licorice, chocolates, herbs, coffee, light earth, spices, tobacco leaf and light pencil lead.
Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.
This young Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux blend from Napa Valley is starting to drink beautifully now. Rich and easy drinking.
Fruit forward and complex, soft and smooth. Spicy and entertaining, powerful yet refined. Showing good balance albeit a little hot at the back of the throat, at this point.
Will continue to age nicely in the next 15 to 20 years and shows good potential to become a 94+ point wine.
A great sipping wine that will also pair nicely with food.
A blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot.
15% alcohol by volume.
92 points.
$250.
Showing amazingly, in a perfect place. Open one tonight if you have it!
Showing amazingly, in a perfect place. Open one tonight if you have it!
Feb 6th, 2026New release but showing so much promise. Getting a lot of red fruit, minerals, and well integrated oak. Beauty!
New release but showing so much promise. Getting a lot of red fruit, minerals, and well integrated oak. Beauty!
Feb 6th, 2026
Fruit is brighter, more brilliant than many other 21’s I’ve had. Texturally & fruit-wise senses more like the 23’s I’ve had. It’s gorgeous. Again, needs a decade or more in the cellar.
Round, lush, creamy blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, both plums, poached strawberries, dry, crushed rocks, limestone powder, nice balling spices, caramel, mocha, dry herbs, dry tobacco, lead pencil, dry river stone, leather, melted, dark chocolate, dark spice, fresh & withering dark flowers, red roses, nice round acidity, well balanced, bigger tension & structure, excellent round, excellent finish that last minutes and lands on spice, wet clay and Christmas cake.
Fruit is brighter, more brilliant than many other 21’s I’ve had. Texturally & fruit-wise senses more like the 23’s I’ve had. It’s gorgeous. Again, needs a decade or more in the cellar.
Round, lush, creamy blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, both plums, poached strawberries, dry, crushed rocks, limestone powder, nice balling spices, caramel, mocha, dry herbs, dry tobacco, lead pencil, dry river stone, leather, melted, dark chocolate, dark spice, fresh & withering dark flowers, red roses, nice round acidity, well balanced, bigger tension & structure, excellent round, excellent finish that last minutes and lands on spice, wet clay and Christmas cake.
Was handed a glass of this and without even knowing anything was incredibly impressed. Thought it to be a French wine too, had no inkling it was Napa Cab. Beautiful purple colors that showcases a robust and complex bouquet of blackberries, dark cherry, tobacco, and chocolate. Has some spices too but they are pinned back by the fruit. Medium tannins with medium+ acids, super smooth and well balanced. Vanilla cola, cedar, black currants and more tobacco and chocolate give it a robust and lively blend. Great finish!
Was handed a glass of this and without even knowing anything was incredibly impressed. Thought it to be a French wine too, had no inkling it was Napa Cab. Beautiful purple colors that showcases a robust and complex bouquet of blackberries, dark cherry, tobacco, and chocolate. Has some spices too but they are pinned back by the fruit. Medium tannins with medium+ acids, super smooth and well balanced. Vanilla cola, cedar, black currants and more tobacco and chocolate give it a robust and lively blend. Great finish!
Dec 30th, 2024#AgedWineTuesday
Dark ruby in color with a short reddish rim.
Strong nose of black fruits, cedar, spices, chocolates, coffee, licorice, light vanilla and black pepper.
Full bodied and elegant with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry on the palate with black currants, cooked cherries, tobacco leaf, dark coffee, cedar, earth, dark chocolates, licorice, cola, spices, vegetables, herbs and black pepper.
Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.
This 17 year old Napa Cabernet Sauvignon feels more like a Left Bank Bordeaux. Fruit forward with nice complexity and a soft mouthfeel.
Showing great complexity and delicious, but I expected more from this great 2007 vintage. I had the 2001 not too long ago, and it was so much better.
Nicely balanced and good by itself or with food. A good food wine too.
A blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot.
14.1% alcohol by volume.
93 points.
$350.
#AgedWineTuesday
Dark ruby in color with a short reddish rim.
Strong nose of black fruits, cedar, spices, chocolates, coffee, licorice, light vanilla and black pepper.
Full bodied and elegant with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry on the palate with black currants, cooked cherries, tobacco leaf, dark coffee, cedar, earth, dark chocolates, licorice, cola, spices, vegetables, herbs and black pepper.
Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.
This 17 year old Napa Cabernet Sauvignon feels more like a Left Bank Bordeaux. Fruit forward with nice complexity and a soft mouthfeel.
Showing great complexity and delicious, but I expected more from this great 2007 vintage. I had the 2001 not too long ago, and it was so much better.
Nicely balanced and good by itself or with food. A good food wine too.
A blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot.
14.1% alcohol by volume.
93 points.
$350.
Served alongside beef short rib, xo sauce, pickled mustard seed, cumin stir-fried asparagus. Yes, the 2003 Dominus is big. However, it is also balanced and showing classic Napa typicity with beautifully ripe and some slightly wizened black and red fruit, tobacco, cocoa, some purple flowers and baking spices. I found this to be quite balanced after all the air it saw. Wonderful structure for continued aging as well. Drink now through 2043.
Served alongside beef short rib, xo sauce, pickled mustard seed, cumin stir-fried asparagus. Yes, the 2003 Dominus is big. However, it is also balanced and showing classic Napa typicity with beautifully ripe and some slightly wizened black and red fruit, tobacco, cocoa, some purple flowers and baking spices. I found this to be quite balanced after all the air it saw. Wonderful structure for continued aging as well. Drink now through 2043.
Nov 2nd, 2024
I had this a week ago but didn’t take any notes at all at a friends tasting last Sunday afternoon. Have always been a huge fan of Dominus and this was from an exceptional vintage. I recall an excellent left bank Cabernet dominant style but presented as a Napa style - rich and plush but not overly so. Thoroughly enjoyable.
I had this a week ago but didn’t take any notes at all at a friends tasting last Sunday afternoon. Have always been a huge fan of Dominus and this was from an exceptional vintage. I recall an excellent left bank Cabernet dominant style but presented as a Napa style - rich and plush but not overly so. Thoroughly enjoyable.
Oct 13th, 2024
The 2020 Dominus is one of the wines of the vintage in this crazy year marked by drought and fires. There's plenty of upfront richness and fruit, but the mid-palate and finish taper off faster than they would in a higher-quality vintage. Here, too, the balance is notable, even if there is no escaping the reality that the 2020 is a relatively small-scaled Dominus. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, December 2023)
The 2020 Dominus is one of the wines of the vintage in this crazy year marked by drought and fires. There's plenty of upfront richness and fruit, but the mid-palate and finish taper off faster than they would in a higher-quality vintage. Here, too, the balance is notable, even if there is no escaping the reality that the 2020 is a relatively small-scaled Dominus. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, December 2023)