Dominus Estate (1.5 Liter Magnum) 2009
- RP
- JS
- WS
- WE
- JS
- WS
- JS
- RP
- WW
- WS
- JD
- JD
- JS
- RP
- WS
- V
- JS
- JD
- RP
- WE
- WS
- RP
- WW
- JD
- JS
- WS
- RP
- JD
- D
- JS
- WS
- JS
- JD
- RP
- D
- RP
- D
- JS
- WW
- WS
- RP
- JS
- WW
- WE
- WS
- W&S
- D
- W&S
- JS
- RP
- JS
- W&S
- WS
- RP
- D
- JS
- WS
- W&S
- WE
- RP
- D
- WE
- W&S
- JS
- RP
- JS
- WW
- WE
- W&S
- RP
- WE
- CG
- W&S
- JS
- RP
- CG
- WS
- W&S
- RP
- W&S
- CG
- RP
- W&S
- RP
- WE
- W&S
- D
- JS
- W&S
- WE
- WS
- WE
- W&S
- WS
- D
- RP
- WS
- WE
- RP
- JS
- RP
- RP
- D
- WS
- RP
- D
- RP
- WS
- RP
- WW
- WS
- WW
- RP
- WS
- WW
- RP
- RP
- WS
- WW
- RP
- WW
- RP
- WW
- WW
- RP
Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All VintagesThe 2009 Dominus is a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet colored, it rolls easily, sensuously out of the glass with evolving fruit notes of baked blackcurrants, plum preserves, mulberries and fruitcake plus underlying suggestions of charcuterie, camphor, chocolate-covered cherries and candied violets with just a touch of cast iron pan. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is an exercise in balance, with loads of emerging black fruit and earthy layers and a solid line of finely grained tannins, finishing very long with a perfumed lift.
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.
Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.