Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 1988 Dominus Estate offers Old World elements. TASTING NOTES: This excellent wine shines with vibrant aromas and flavors of blackberries, tea, and earth. Enjoy it with a well-seasoned, oven-baked Porchetta. (Tasted: September 4, 1991, Yountville, CA)
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 1988 has to be among the top two or three Cabernets of the vintage. Other than 1983, the 3,300 cases produced in 1988 is the smallest production of Dominus to date, as over half the crop was deemed unsatisfactory. Twenty-five percent new oak was used. The dense, opaque ruby/purple color exhibits great saturation and intensity, and the nose is beginning to offer up smoked herb and ripe cassis aromas. In the mouth, the wine is deep, medium to full-bodied, with excellent concentration, and one of the longest, richest finishes I have found in a Cabernet Sauvignon from 1988. The tannins are noticeable, but softer than in the 1989 or 1987. Of all the current Dominus offerings, I suspect the 1988 and 1984 are the most flattering to drink at present. Nevertheless, this wine should easily evolve for another 10-15 or more years.
In the late 1960s, while attending the University of California at Davis, Christian Moueix fell in love with the Napa Valley and its wines. Son of Jean-Pierre Moueix, the famed wine merchant and producer from Libourne, France, Moueix returned home in 1970 to manage the family vineyards, including Chateaux Petrus, La Fleur-Petrus, Trotanoy in Pomerol and Magdelaine in Saint Emilion.
His love of Napa Valley lingered and in 1981, he discovered the historic Napanook vineyard, a 124-acre site west of Yountville that had been the source of fruit for some of the finest Napa Valley wines of the 1940s and 1950s. In 1982, Moueix entered into a partnership to develop the vineyard and, in 1995, became its sole owner. He chose the name 'Dominus' or 'Lord of the Estate' in Latin to underscore his longstanding commitment to stewardship of the land.
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.
One of Napa Valley's most historic sub-appellations, Yountville spreads through some of the valley's ideal cooler sites and enjoys success with a handful of different and significant grape varieties.
Syrah competes strongly with Cabernet Sauvignon here for optimal vineyard real estate followed by Pinot noir, Pinot blanc and Sauvignon blanc.
This sub-AVA of Napa Valley is rich in the history that makes Napa Valley what it is today, and not just for red wines. Moët & Chandon entered the California winemaking business via Yountville in 1973 with the establishment Domaine Chandon. Their goal has always been to produce top quality méthode champenoise sparkling wines.
Christian Moueix, originally responsible for managing Chateau Petrus and La Fleur-Petrus in Pomerol, arrived in Yountville in the early 1980s. He formed a partnership with Rohin Lail and Marcia Smith, inheritors of Napanook vineyard from their father John Daniel of Inglenook in Rutherford. In 1995 Moueix became sole owner of Napanook and chose the name Dominus, which today produces some of Napa’s highest scoring, age-worthy Bordeaux Blends.