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TASTING NOTE
The 2018 Napanook is a wine with tension and compelling aromas of petrichor, iron, earth and dark tobacco punctuated with notes of marjoram and candied orange peel. The finish is firm, vibrant with finely grippy tannins.
VINTAGE SUMMARY
At Dominus Estate, the 2018 season started late and harvest from October 1-15 was 12 days later than our historical average. Seasonal rainfall was light (22” versus 31” annual average) and the beginning of summer remained consistently warm. In late summer, temperatures dropped below norms with morning fog in August and September. The fruit ripened slowly in the absence of heat spikes and harvest began with Cabernet Franc on October 1. A storm system which brought 1.2” of rain on October 2 and 3 interrupted picking. Hot and very dry weather returned on October 5 and harvest continued with Cabernet Sauvignon on October 9, followed by Petit Verdot. We picked 94% of our fruit between October 9-15. The grapes were full and ripe and the resulting wines are deep, complex and well-articulated.
*Blend: CS:90%, CF: 6%, PV:4%
*Harvest Start: October 1
*Harvest End: October 15
*Bottling Date: June 2020
*Percent New Barrels: 20%
*Cases Produced: 3300
*Release Date: June 2021
*Budbreak: April 2
*Bloom: May 23
*Veraison: August 3
Information by Dominus Estate
RP93+
Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Napanook leaps from the glass with vivacious scents of fresh blueberries, black cherries, crushed blackcurrants and redcurrant jelly with hints of pencil shavings, red roses and dusty soil plus a waft of bay leaves. Medium-bodied, the palate is very tightly wound, allowing glimpses at loads of mineral and savory nuances among the taut black and red fruit notes, supported by fine-grained tannins and bold freshness, finishing with a compelling herbal lift. (RobertParker. com)
In the late 1960s, while attending the university of California at Davis, Christian Moueix fell in love with the Napa Valley and its wines. Son of Jean-Pierre Moueix, the famed wine merchant and producer from Libourne, France(Ets Jean-Pierre Moueix), Moueix returned home in 1970 to manage the family vineyards, including Chateaux Petrus, La Fleur-Petrus, Trotanoy in Pomerol and Magdelaine in Saint-Emilion.
His love of Napa Valley lingered, and in 1981, he discovered the historic Napanook Vineyard, a 124-acre site west of Yountville that had been the source of fruit for some of the finest Napa Valley wines of the 1940s and 1950s. In 1982, Moueix entered into a partnership to develop the vineyard, and in 1995, became its sole owner. He chose the name ‘Dominus’ or’ Lord of the Estate’ in latin to underscore his longstanding commitment to stewardship of the land.
>>> Go to Ets Jean-Pierre Moueix
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