Le Dome, St Emilion Grand Cru, 2022

Name: Le Dome, St Emilion Grand Cru
Brand: Le Dôme
Price: 1086 GBP

Available Vintages

all 1998 2003 2012 2014 2015 2022

justerini & brooks tasting note

Jonathan Maltus' flagship, Le Dome is perhaps the most Cabernet Franc dominant blend in Bordeaux (80% Cabernet Franc, 20% Merlot). Head winemaker, Neil Whyte is assisted by superstar consultant oenologist, Thomas Duclos. The person responsible for the fiche technique is still living in the past with a final harvest date of the 28th of October! A typo we are assured, they actually finished on the 28th of September. Whilst not the first in St Emilion, they are significantly earlier than they used to be, capturing ripe, fresh fruit characteristics. Now including the fruit from Les Astrieres, this leads with gentle notes of cedar, blackcurrants, violets and a hint of cocoa. There's an impressive core of dense, chewy fruit, with notes of cassis and liquorice. The tannins are much more refined here. They're still big and blocky, but they're ripe and loaded with dark berries and minerals.

critic reviews

95/100Chris Kissack,The Wine Independent

The flagship wine from Jonathan Maltus which in 2022 is 80% Cabernet Franc and 20% Merlot, and the élevage was in 80% new oak with 20% second-fill oak. Dark, brooding and seductive, with pomegranate molasses, with crushed chalk, mint and peony on the nose. A beautifully textured start to the palate, with black fruits to the fore, with blackcurrant, olive, tar and liquorice-coated berries, supported by a rich vein of tannins which gives it a huge grip, and a fresh vein of acidity. A massive, palate-filling, imposing example of Le Dôme, filled with notes of road tar, while the tannins grip the palate into the finish with no reprieve. A confident example of this cuvée which will need a decade or two to come around for my palate;I hope I can revisit this ten years from to see how it turns out. The alcohol on analysis is 15.2%, with 15.5% on the label.

DRINKING WINDOW 2030 - 2065

date of review 06/2025

94/100Jane Anson,Inside Bordeaux

This is a big wine in a vintage that needed no extra pushing (a full 2% higher alcohol than the 2021). Pretty much the most intense colour and texture of the vertical, with a nose you can chew through. Cloves, cinnamon, tar, grilled sandalwood. The billow of violet flowers from fully ripe Cabernet Franc is extremely welcome, and there is juiciness on the finish, alongside this muscular swagger. Great stuff, but as I said during En Primeur, I can't help but wonder how good this would be if they scaled things back a little? Fruit from the former site of Les Asteries included in here. Harvest September 14 to 28. 80% new oak for ageing, Thomas Duclos consultant, Neil Whyte winemaker. Second year in the new Norman Foster winery.

DRINKING WINDOW 2028 - 2044

date of review 03/2025

93/100Neal Martin,Vinous

The 2022 Le Dôme, matured in 80% new oak, has an expressive bouquet with graphite-tinged black fruit, a hint of espresso and blueberry aromas that emerge with time, though it is not as strong on the nose as it was in barrel. The well-integrated oak becomes more elegant as it opens in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins and pastille-like black fruit accompanied by a touch of allspice. It has a gentle but insistent grip on the finish and will need just two or three years in bottle. This is a classy Le Dôme from Jonathan Malthus.

DRINKING WINDOW 2029 - 2060

date of review 02/2025