The team from Dominus, located just up the street from us, shared a few 6-packs from their 2012 library — an offer we couldn’t resist, especially given the vintage. As you may remember, 2012 and 2013 were outstanding back-to-back years, and the 2012 is evolving beautifully. “The exuberance and drama in the stunning nose of the dense plum-colored 2012 Dominus offers up notes of Asian spice, ripe, black currants, kirsch, tobacco leaf and Christmas fruitcake. It is full-bodied and opulent, with no hard edges, a seamless integration of acidity, wood and tannin and a density and richness that are built to go on for 25-30 years.” Enjoy now with a proper decant.

About Dominus
Christian Moueix, a visionary with over 50 years of winemaking experience in Bordeaux’s Right Bank and 38 years in Napa Valley, has left an indelible mark on both the old and new worlds. Son of the legendary Jean-Pierre Moueix, Christian founded Dominus Estate in 1983, producing wines from the historic 134-acre Napanook vineyard in Yountville. The vineyard’s gravelly clay loam soils provide natural drainage, supporting Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot.

Dominus Estate is committed to environmental restoration and biodiversity, planting native species throughout the ranch and revitalizing Hopper Creek into a thriving ecosystem — a model of creek restoration in Napa Valley.