Christian Moueix
Dominus Estate from the famous wine-maker and CEO Christian Moueix (Pétrus, Trotanoy etc.) is part of the Historical Landmark Napanook and believed to be one of the first vineyards planted (in 1836) in Napa Valley, California.
Acquired in 1946 by the legendary wine-maker and visionair John Daniels, it was passed on to his daughters in 1970. In 1982 they partnered with Christian Moueix to create Dominus Estate. In 1995 he bought all the shares and is now the sole proprietor. The first release of Dominus was in 1983, but due to the influence of Mr. Moueix, the wine immediately gained international attention.
The wines, especially the ones from the last 25 years, taste like a serious Grand Cru from Bordeaux, but also possess the ripe fruit characteristics from Napa Valley. To be more specific: A Napa terroir, but with a Bordeaux spirit!
There is also a second wine produced at Dominus Estate: Napanook, released for the first time in 1996 and an entry level wine named “Othello”. 44 Ha (in 14 blocks) are planted with vines, most notably Cabernet Sauvignon (87%), but there is also some Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. The Merlot grape has not been used since 2002 for the “Grand Vin” but can be found occasionally in the Napanook wines.
The winery, which was constructed in 1996, was made from rocks encased in metal wire and represents the vineyard’s terroir. It is in full harmony with the landscape and protects against the heat of the day and the cold at night. Dominus received some perfect scores in recent vintages such as: 2013 and 2010. Other great recent vintages are: 2012, 2009, 2008 and 2007, all these vintages are capable to last for 30 or more years.
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