"One of the real stars of St-Emilion..."- Jane Anson,Inside Bordeaux
These elegant and age worthy 95 plus pt. Right Bank blends from under the radar estate La Dominique offer lush, concentrated fruit with supple tannins on a persistent, lingering finish, continuing the estate's "upward trajectory" according to Neal Martin of Vinous and priced for far less than its high profile neighbors to enjoy over the next decade and beyond.
Chateau La Dominique is located in northern St-Emilion on the western edge of the appellation adjacent to Pomerol and neighboring Chateau Cheval Blanc, the two vineyards running side by side for nearly a kilometer. Planted mostly to Merlot with Cabernet Franc and a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon, the 29 hectare vineyard boasts a mix of soils from deep gravel over clay mixed with sand near the Pomerol plateau to patches of deep blue clay to the south, the Grand Vin aged in La Dominique's modern, mirror-clad state of the art winery for 14 months in 50% new French oak and 10% amphoras under the direction of famed enologist Michel Rolland. Described as already "impossible to resist" by Jeb Dunnuck, the 96 pt. 2018 La Dominique is a blend of 85% Merlot, 12% Cab Franc and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon boasting fresh ripe spiced fruit with polished acidity and impressive depth and "backed by a subtle savory edge on the lively finish" according to the Wine Spectator's James Molesworth. Crafted as a blend of 85% Merlot with 13% Cab Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon by former Haut-Bailly winemaker Yann Monties, the 96 pt. 2019 La Dominique marked the estate's 50th anniversary under the Fayat family, described as "a terrific effort" by the Wine Advocate's William Kelley that's "velvety and seamless, with juicy acids, supple tannins and an elegantly gourmand profile." Declared "a great wine in the vintage" by Inside Bordeaux's Jane Anson, the 96 pt. 2020 La Dominique is a blend of mostly Merlot that's "racy and wonderfully sleek right out of the gate" according to Vinous critic Antonio Galloni, with abundant structure to mature gracefully for more than a decade according to the Wine Enthusiast's Roger Voss.
Described as an "estate that's got its mojo back" by Neal Martin of Vinous, these top vintages of La Dominique boast rare universal acclaim from critics across the board, reflecting the estate's status as St-Emilion's rising star and delivering outstanding value for Bordeaux fans and collectors who stock the cellar.
An estate readers need to have on their radar, the 2019 Château La Dominique is a beautiful Saint-Emilion coming from the northern sector of the region, not far from the Pomerol Bordeaux, which might explain why I always find a Pomerol-like elegance in this wine. Redcurrants, black raspberries, sappy flowers, sandalwood, tobacco, and hints of damp earth all define the nose, and the wine is medium to full-bodied, with a pure, layered, seamless mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It's going to benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age and keep for two decades.
95 points, Jeb Dunnuck (Apr 2022)
The 2019 La Dominique is plump, juicy and super-expressive, all while avoiding the excesses of years past. Succulent dark cherry, plum, leather, licorice, menthol and tobacco are front and center. This is an especially voluptuous, racy style that works so well. Soft, creamy tannins wrap around the gorgeous, persistent finish.
95 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous (Feb 2022)
This is very perfumed, with dried flowers, chocolate and hints of nuts to the dark fruit, following through to a full body with layers of fruit and a ripe, rich finish. Plush and ripe, yet still formed and pointed. Needs time to open and come together. Try after 2024.
95 points, James Suckling (Feb 2022)
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2019 La Dominique reveals wonderfully pure notes of crushed black plums, mulberries, and black raspberries plus hints of pencil shavings and spice box. Full-bodied, concentrated, and with a firm, grainy texture, it offers tons of juicy black fruit in the mouth and a lively lift on the finish.
93+ points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Independent (Apr 2022)
The third vintage produced by the new team that is trying to take this irregular estate adjacent to Cheval Blanc to new heights is the 2019 La Dominique. Offering up aromas of sweet berries, cherries, mocha and spices, it's medium to full-bodied, velvety and seamless, with juicy acids, supple tannins and an elegantly gourmand profile. This is a terrific effort that shows that this estate's fine performance in vintages such as 1998, 1990 and 1989 is not a thing of the past.
93 points, William Kelley, Wine Advocate (Apr 2022)
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