Dominus, Napa Valley, 2003
Dominus 2003 offers a fully harmonised nose of coffee and herbs, blackcurrants and plums. Intensely aromatic, full-bodied and complex, this is a seductive and brilliantly made wine that will win over both hearts and minds! A blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot, aged in 40% new French oak for 16 months. Hand-harvested between October 3rd and November 2nd 2003, with a cuvaison of 17 days.
critic reviews
Good ruby-red. Rich, smoky, expressive aromas of plum, currant, licorice, tobacco, game and leather. Suave and lush in the mouth, with explosive flavors of currant and graphite. Quite suave and pliant, offering excellent balance and full, broad, well-buffered tannins. This is just over 14% alcohol. The non-decanted version showed aromas of plum, redcurrant, mocha and nutty oak, and hints of tobacco leaf and licorice in the mouth. Though it was tighter and more firmly tannic, it also showed considerable early complexity. This distinctly claret-like vintage may well merit an even higher score with six to eight years of bottle aging.