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Tasting notes
I'd put the 2020 Dominus up with the best in the vintage, and Tod commented that he actually liked the 2020 more than the 2019. I wouldn't go that far, but there's no denying this is a beautiful wine loaded with darker currants, cassis, graphite, and chalky minerality. It's medium to full-bodied, has a dense, inward, concentrated style, fine-grained tannins, and a solid mid-palate of both power and finesse. It should benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age and have two decades of overall longevity.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
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.
An excellent wine, even if not a great Dominus, the 2020 Dominus delivers waves of dark fruit—think predominantly cassis. A blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc, it's full-bodied and richly textured, perhaps a bit warm and open-knit because of the summer's heat, but with a long, velvety finish attractively tinged with mocha and dark chocolate.
Aromas of blackcurrants, black cherries, hints of graphite, wet earth, and lavender. Sandalwood. Full-bodied with an impressive and refined structure that runs deep and vertical in the wine. Chewy. Hints of chocolate and hazelnut at the end. Needs five or six years to soften.
About the producer
Dominus Estate – the Napa property owned by Christian Moueix of Pétrus and La Fleur-Pétrus – has rapidly earned cult status.
Product details
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot
Red
Dry