Critic Notes
This is a magnificently perfumed, smoky wine. Rich and concentrated, it is hugely dense while keeping a sense of elegance. Black plums, black berries and damsons show a fruitier side. It is a superb wine, concentrated and solidly structured, made for the long haul. Apr 2017, Roger Voss, www.wineenthusiast.com
Score: 97-99/100Wine Enthusiast
Plenty of fruit density and richness with plum and blueberry character. Medium to full body, juicy finish. Very attractive already. Layered and so fine. Beautiful polish. Love it already. Very long finish. Apr 17, www.jamessuckling.com
Score: 95-96/100James Suckling
The 2016 Le Dôme is simply magnificent. Silky, lifted and nuanced in the glass, it possesses superb aromatic freshness and textural finesse. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2016 will need at least a few years to fully come together, but it has all the right elements to develop into a superb wine.
Score: 94-97/100Antonio Galloni
The 2016 Le Dome is a blend of 80% Cabernet Franc and 20% Merlot picked on 17 and 10 October, respectively, at 30 hectoliters per hectare and matured in 80% new oak. There is 15% alcohol this year. It has a very ripe and decadent bouquet with small black cherries, crushed violet and Indian ink, very open and intense. The palate is rounded on the entry with a lot of wood tannin on the entry that just dry out the second half. It is a voluminous Le Dome, quite muscular, although I just found a touch of bitterness coming through on the finish. Apr 2017, www.robertparker.com
Score: 93-95/100Neal Martin
The flagship wine for Maltus, made up of 80% Cabernet Franc and 20% Merlot, with a fairly high for the vintage pH of 3.81. This majors on muscular, powerful and slightly austere tannins, with fleshy cassis and strong liquorice flavours. This is a little old-school in its interpretation of the vintage, but there is no doubting the quality. Apr 2017, www.decanter.com, Drink: 2027-2045
Score: 94-/100DecanterDrinking Window: 2027-2045
Interesting, with a mix of menthol and savory leading the way, followed by gently mulled cherry and plum flavors, all backed by hints of loam, tea and incense on the finish. A touch old-school in feel. Apr 2017, James Molesworth, www.winespectator.com
Score: 90-93/100Wine Spectator
