Dominus Estate

Dominus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend

9.33167 ratings
9.3698 pro ratings
Napa Valley, California, USA
Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot
Onion, Shallot, Garlic, Pasta, Venison, Tomato-Based, Potato, Pork, Chocolate & Caramel, White Rice, Mushrooms, Beef, Lamb, Chili & Hot Spicy, Exotic Spices, Baking Spices, Hard Cheese, Blue Cheese, Pungent Cheese, Herbs, Salami & Prosciutto, Soft Cheese, Chicken, Turkey, Duck, Onion, Beans & Peas
Top Notes For
"Odedi"

#AgedWineTuesday

This is a fabulous Cabernet Sauvignon blend from Napa Valley.

Dark ruby in color with a brick rim.

Full bodied and smooth.

Dry and fruity on the palate with medium acidity.

Showing blackberries, black currants, plums, cooked cherries, cedar, leather, vanilla, licorice, spices, chocolates, tobacco, herbs, earth, light vegetables, coffee and black pepper.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This 23 year old is elegant and powerful. Rich and extracted, with a nice mouthfeel.

Good by itself as a sipping wine. Well balanced with great complexity. I just love these Napa Bordeaux blends.

Robert Parker 98 points. Wine Enthusiasts 94 points.

A great quality wine that will continue to age nicely in the next 10 to 15 years.

A blend of of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot.

14.1% alcohol by volume.

96 points.

$400.

#AgedWineTuesday

This is a fabulous Cabernet Sauvignon blend from Napa Valley.

Dark ruby in color with a brick rim.

Full bodied and smooth.

Dry and fruity on the palate with medium acidity.

Showing blackberries, black currants, plums, cooked cherries, cedar, leather, vanilla, licorice, spices, chocolates, tobacco, herbs, earth, light vegetables, coffee and black pepper.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This 23 year old is elegant and powerful. Rich and extracted, with a nice mouthfeel.

Good by itself as a sipping wine. Well balanced with great complexity. I just love these Napa Bordeaux blends.

Robert Parker 98 points. Wine Enthusiasts 94 points.

A great quality wine that will continue to age nicely in the next 10 to 15 years.

A blend of of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot.

14.1% alcohol by volume.

96 points.

$400.

Mar 12th, 2024
Jay Kline

Flight #2 of our 1997 Retrospective and these were the thoroughbreds. Presented single-blind; no formal notes. Wine #1 had great color, was developing, and probably the earthiest of the group but still had a lovely fruit profile. A really nice balance of fruit and non-fruits. Robust structure. Notably, this was the only bottle in the flight that had Brettanomyces…and while I found it to quite charming, this is what ultimately got me hung up on whether I thought this was the Dominus or the Monte Bello. Ultimately I called the later. I really dig this and wish I could afford more Dominus in my life. Drink now and through 2035.

Flight #2 of our 1997 Retrospective and these were the thoroughbreds. Presented single-blind; no formal notes. Wine #1 had great color, was developing, and probably the earthiest of the group but still had a lovely fruit profile. A really nice balance of fruit and non-fruits. Robust structure. Notably, this was the only bottle in the flight that had Brettanomyces…and while I found it to quite charming, this is what ultimately got me hung up on whether I thought this was the Dominus or the Monte Bello. Ultimately I called the later. I really dig this and wish I could afford more Dominus in my life. Drink now and through 2035.

Feb 4th, 2024
Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.3

Started out funky but then got better but was still lactic and had a bit too much opulence for me. Well made but not for me

Started out funky but then got better but was still lactic and had a bit too much opulence for me. Well made but not for me

Jan 24th, 2024
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9.3

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)

Dec 27th, 2023
Severn Goodwin

Capitol Region Wine Collectors Club (WCC), CA Cabernet Pre-2000; 20 April 2023 at Fort Orange Club, Albany, NY

Capitol Region Wine Collectors Club (WCC), CA Cabernet Pre-2000; 20 April 2023 at Fort Orange Club, Albany, NY

Apr 21st, 2023
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9.8

The 2001 Dominus is one of the most backward wines of the vintage. Readers who own it will have to be patient, as the 2001 needs a few years to still be at its best! Time in the glass brings out huge dark fruit along with hints of iron, gravel, spice and leather that add to its brooding, imposing personality. The 2001 is approachable with a few hours of air, but is very much a powerhouse. Boris Champy was the winemaker, while Jean-Claude Berrouet was the consulting winemaker. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, April 2023)

The 2001 Dominus is one of the most backward wines of the vintage. Readers who own it will have to be patient, as the 2001 needs a few years to still be at its best! Time in the glass brings out huge dark fruit along with hints of iron, gravel, spice and leather that add to its brooding, imposing personality. The 2001 is approachable with a few hours of air, but is very much a powerhouse. Boris Champy was the winemaker, while Jean-Claude Berrouet was the consulting winemaker. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, April 2023)

Apr 13th, 2023
Josh Morgenthau

Still lively and bright despite the ripeness. Very pure black currant and black cherry, quite gentle tannins. Truly a delight.

Still lively and bright despite the ripeness. Very pure black currant and black cherry, quite gentle tannins. Truly a delight.

Jun 4th, 2022
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9.4

The 2011 Dominus is a bold, powerful wine. It opens with a huge bouquet redolent of dried herbs, licorice, spice, tobacco and espresso. Relative to most vintages of Dominus, the 2011 is a bit light, but compared to most wines of the year, it is pretty big! The cool, savory notes that are typical of the year are present, but not dominant, while the 2011 is marked by a distinctly red fruit profile. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, May 2022)

The 2011 Dominus is a bold, powerful wine. It opens with a huge bouquet redolent of dried herbs, licorice, spice, tobacco and espresso. Relative to most vintages of Dominus, the 2011 is a bit light, but compared to most wines of the year, it is pretty big! The cool, savory notes that are typical of the year are present, but not dominant, while the 2011 is marked by a distinctly red fruit profile. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, May 2022)

May 20th, 2022
Alberto Cdm

Buonissimo. Nulla da aggiungere

Buonissimo. Nulla da aggiungere

Feb 19th, 2022
Chris McClellan

Graceful yet powerful…black and blueberry, menthol, vanilla spice, lead pencil, slight jalapeño, mocha, brick color, acid diminished, tannins super smooth and finishes like cali cab…fruit forward and lush…cork fell apart but wine fortunately did not…

Graceful yet powerful…black and blueberry, menthol, vanilla spice, lead pencil, slight jalapeño, mocha, brick color, acid diminished, tannins super smooth and finishes like cali cab…fruit forward and lush…cork fell apart but wine fortunately did not…

Nov 28th, 2021