1994 Dominus

Mid ruby with a lightly animal note that threw us blind tasters off the scent completely. We hovered and havered between the southern Rhône and right bank bordeaux (which, in a way, a long way, it sort of is). Very sweet and transparent, a bit like a mature Châteauneuf!  We should have ignored the fact that our host's cellar is 90% French... It didn't seem to have that much more life in it but was an attractive notably ripe drink. (JR)

Some colour development, and a bright, more francophone nose: green bean elements, a hint of brett that I could do without. Beautiful texture, the longest and most complete, with a real sense of pattern and detail. Tannins are deliberately present yet perfectly al dente. But brettier in the mouth than the nose, and that detracts from the interest significantly. Next to two plainer wines, this is a genuine beauty – with a scar. (AH)

Christian Moueix and his talented winemaking team continue to rewrite the definition of a Napa Valley reference point wine. I have had a difficult time keeping the corks in my bottles of 1994 Dominus. Eight-thousand cases were produced from a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot. In this vintage, 174 days passed between bud break and the harvest, a remarkable period of time for any wine region in the world. The 1994 is a strikingly thick, compellingly rich wine with the texture of a great Pomerol, despite being made primarily from Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine exhibits a dense purple color, and an incredibly fragrant nose of jammy black fruits, spice, smoke, and loamy, truffle-like scents. In the mouth, it is full-bodied, with thrilling levels of extract and richness, but no sense of heaviness or harshness. This seamless Dominus possesses no hard edges, as its acidity, tannin, and alcohol are beautifully meshed with copious quantities of ripe fruit. This wine offers early drinking, yet has the potential to last for 30+ years. On what I suppose is a distressing note, I have noticed huge demand for Dominus in recent auction activity. At a Sotheby's auction on October 25, Dominus fetched prices of $23,150 for one imperial of 1991, and $10,450 for two 1991 double magnums. Although none of this is the fault of anybody at Dominus (blame Christian Moueix and his team for producing profound wine) if this trend continues, I wonder how any true amateurs will be able to afford the wine. Tel. (707) 944-8954; Fax (707) 944-0547