93+
2022 - 2036
Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Napanook leaps from the glass with vivacious scents of fresh blueberries, black cherries, crushed blackcurrants and redcurrant jelly with hints of pencil shavings, red roses and dusty soil plus a waft of bay leaves. Medium-bodied, the palate is very tightly wound, allowing glimpses at loads of mineral and savory nuances among the taut black and red fruit notes, supported by fine-grained tannins and bold freshness, finishing with a compelling herbal lift.
"This is an example of a cool ripening vintage," Dominus's technical director, Tod Mostero, said. "It was a late season—everything was late from budbreak onward. We started harvesting on October 1st, then we got about an inch of rain, so we stopped, then we started again on the 9th and continued to the 15th." Proprietor Christian Moueix added, "We thought the elements of the 2018 vintage were very refined, and we wanted to play on that in the wine. It was the wines with a lot of delicacy and precision that went into the Dominus blend this year." The grace, purity and precision of this 2018 Dominus is absolutely captivating right now. And yet, poised on the brink of perfection, its promise of something more with time in bottle is at the heart of its allure. Embrace this wine for the very fact that it doesn't give you everything up front and all at once.