Le Dome 2011
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Product Details
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Blend: 80% Cabernet Franc and 20% Merlot
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
I’m not sure you can still call this the flagship wine of proprietor Jonathan Maltus given the other top wines he’s producing. Le Dome, which is dominated by an incredibly high percentage of Cabernet Franc (80%) and the balance Merlot (20%), is a special effort that must be tasted to be believed. The 2011 boasts gorgeously juicy blue, red and black fruits intermixed with floral and spice aromas. This supple, velvety-textured, opulent, medium to full-bodied, ethereal St.-Emilion is another stunning effort. It is amazing how well Maltus does whether the vintage provides great raw materials, or if he is confronted with more difficult challenges as he was in 2011.
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Wine Enthusiast
This elegant and expressive wine shows perfumed Cabernet Franc flavors that come from the black fruits and concentrated tannins. It is full of ripe fruit, although the stylish nature of the wine dominates. Drink from 2018.
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James Suckling
Wow. This is really well done for the vintage, with blackberry, dark-chocolate and mineral character. It’s full-bodied, with very integrated tannins and a long, long finish. It shows wonderful length. Try it in 2019.
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Wine Spectator
A fruit-driven version, with lots of boysenberry, plum skin and crushed blackberry notes pumping along. Loads of charcoal and tar course underneath, holding sway through the finish. This offers a ripe structure and substantial fruit.
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One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Marked by its historic fortified village—perhaps the prettiest in all of Bordeaux, the St-Émilion appellation, along with its neighboring village of Pomerol, are leaders in quality on the Right Bank of Bordeaux. These Merlot-dominant red wines (complemented by various amounts of Cabernet Franc and/or Cabernet Sauvignon) remain some of the most admired and collected wines of the world.
St-Émilion has the longest history in wine production in Bordeaux—longer than the Left Bank—dating back to an 8th century monk named Saint Émilion who became a hermit in one of the many limestone caves scattered throughout the area.
Today St-Émilion is made up of hundreds of independent farmers dedicated to the same thing: growing Merlot and Cabernet Franc (and tiny amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon). While always roughly the same blend, the wines of St-Émilion vary considerably depending on the soil upon which they are grown—and the soils do vary considerably throughout the region.
The chateaux with the highest classification (Premier Grand Cru Classés) are on gravel-rich soils or steep, clay-limestone hillsides. There are only four given the highest rank, called Premier Grand Cru Classés A (Chateau Cheval Blanc, Ausone, Angélus, Pavie) and 14 are Premier Grand Cru Classés B. Much of the rest of the vineyards in the appellation are on flatter land where the soils are a mix of gravel, sand and alluvial matter.
Great wines from St-Émilion will be deep in color, and might have characteristics of blackberry liqueur, black raspberry, licorice, chocolate, grilled meat, earth or truffles. They will be bold, layered and lush.