2017 Le Dome
Buying options
Tasting notes
I am on record as enjoying the limestone-driven St Emilion 2017s, and this is another success for me. It feels like a more sculpted version of Le Dôme, bringing us closer to the fragrant, gunsmoke, peony and roses signature aromatics of Cabernet Franc, juicy while still delivering the cocoa bean, espresso and damson power that is typical to this wine. As it opens, the grilled sandalwood and incense character heightens. Totally charming - it could be drunk now, and over the next decade. Neil Whyte winemaker, Jonathan Maltus owner. 80% new oak for ageing, malolactic in new oak.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
The 2017 Le Dôme melds together the aromatic intensity of Franc with the plushness of Merlot. Raspberry jam, mocha, espresso, mint and spice all develop nicely in the glass. The saline, energetic and vibrant Le Dôme is one wine in this range that needs time in bottle to be at its best, as it is very tight today. Even so, there is quite a bit of potential.
The 2017 Le Dôme is slightly more opulent than the Vieux Château Mazeret with scents of Dorset plum, blackcurrant jam, bilberry and pressed violet petals. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannins, plenty of dusty black fruit laced with white pepper and sage. There is a little sinew towards the finish that will soften with time, otherwise this is a very assured and attractive Le Dôme that should age with style.
The single vineyard 2017 Le Dome checks in as a normal blend of 80% Cabernet Franc and 20% Merlot brought up in 80% new French oak, with the balance in once-used oak. This deeply colored 2017 has a spicy, complex style as well as medium to full body, lots of red, black, and blue fruits, building tannins, nicely integrated acidity, and a great finish. It shows more floral and incense notes with time in the glass, has plenty of structure, and is a beautifully classy, layered 2017 that's going to benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for two decades.
About the producer
The man behind highly regarded Saint-Émilion wine Le Dôme is a Nigerian-born Brit who sold his engineering firm in 1992 to move to Cahors and restore a pile of ruins. After meeting a local vineyard owner at a dinner party, he ended up selling his production to Oddbins and was caught by the wine bug.