83/84/85: My favorite of the flight and a testament to the age worthiness of Dominus. The aromas leap from the glass -- tarry, herby, cedary mature plum fruit. The palate is still rich and plush. So fresh. Wow.
83/84/85: The least rich and fresh of the flight and more about the intense, attractive cedar. Tannins still have some grip. Good but not up to the 83 or 85.
83/84/85: The nose took some time to get going, but when it did the intensity and layering of mature fruit with cedar and spice was just terrific. Rich and round in the mouth with grippy tannin. Such a satisfying mouthfeel and texture.
86/87/88: Whoa, super attractive aromatics of tobacco, dark chocolate and plum. The palate has rich, chewy fruit with resolving fine tanning. Smooth, herb and cedar finish.
86/87/88: Fairly dense and non-delineated aromas of plum and cigar ash. The palate is so concentrated and rich. Wow - impressive. Tannins are still gritty. Impressive in how primary this still shows. Upside from here.
89/90/91: Nose has sweet fruit and subtle notes of tobacco. Plump, round plum fruit. Still lush, but not as interesting as most of the other vintages tonight.
89/90/91: One of my favorite vintages tonight given how complete and harmonious it showed. Effusive and complex nose of plu, cherry, cedar, ash, tobacco, and bell pepper. So rich and bright at once. The palate is just singing with the complex, bell-pepper infused fruit gliding across the palate. At peak drinking now.
89/90/91: Most peoples WOTN but I just didn't find it ready enough yet. A great vintage and epic wine in the making, no doubt. Dense and full aromas are still mostly fruit with tobacco and cedar starting to come about. The palate is similarly dense. So delicious and well balanced. Quite primary and chocolaty. Meaningful upside from here.
92/94/Ringer: Moderate nose of light plum with tobacco and cedar. The palate is harmonious with moderately concentrated fruit, fresh acids and refined structure. Good if just a touch light on the palate relative to the best wines tonight.
92/94/Ringer: Similar to the 1991, this is just so darn young (particularly in the context of the older vintages). Big nose of primary fruit, chocolate and minty herb notes. The palate is richly concentrated with firm structure. The complexity is there with tobacco and cedar lurking beneath. But overall still primary and seemingly super young. Hard to believe its a 25 year old wine! Upside from here.
Blind ringer in a Dominus vertical. Believe it or not, this came across almost like a barrel sample in the context of the 83-94 Dominus wines served tonight. More forward, ripe and less subtle than any of the Dominus bottles. Chewy tannins. Suffered in comparison.
1983 Dominus Estate 93 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
83/84/85: My favorite of the flight and a testament to the age worthiness of Dominus. The aromas leap from the glass -- tarry, herby, cedary mature plum fruit. The palate is still rich and plush. So fresh. Wow.
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1984 Dominus Estate 91 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
83/84/85: The least rich and fresh of the flight and more about the intense, attractive cedar. Tannins still have some grip. Good but not up to the 83 or 85.
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1985 Dominus Estate 93 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
83/84/85: The nose took some time to get going, but when it did the intensity and layering of mature fruit with cedar and spice was just terrific. Rich and round in the mouth with grippy tannin. Such a satisfying mouthfeel and texture.
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1986 Dominus Estate 93 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
86/87/88: Whoa, super attractive aromatics of tobacco, dark chocolate and plum. The palate has rich, chewy fruit with resolving fine tanning. Smooth, herb and cedar finish.
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1987 Dominus Estate 92 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
86/87/88: Fairly dense and non-delineated aromas of plum and cigar ash. The palate is so concentrated and rich. Wow - impressive. Tannins are still gritty. Impressive in how primary this still shows. Upside from here.
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1988 Dominus Estate Flawed
USA, California, Napa Valley
86/87/88: Seems off. High toned fruit and nail polish VA.
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1989 Dominus Estate 90 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
89/90/91: Nose has sweet fruit and subtle notes of tobacco. Plump, round plum fruit. Still lush, but not as interesting as most of the other vintages tonight.
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1990 Dominus Estate 94 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
89/90/91: One of my favorite vintages tonight given how complete and harmonious it showed. Effusive and complex nose of plu, cherry, cedar, ash, tobacco, and bell pepper. So rich and bright at once. The palate is just singing with the complex, bell-pepper infused fruit gliding across the palate. At peak drinking now.
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1991 Dominus Estate Napanook Vineyard 93 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
89/90/91: Most peoples WOTN but I just didn't find it ready enough yet. A great vintage and epic wine in the making, no doubt. Dense and full aromas are still mostly fruit with tobacco and cedar starting to come about. The palate is similarly dense. So delicious and well balanced. Quite primary and chocolaty. Meaningful upside from here.
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1992 Dominus Estate Napanook Vineyard 91 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
92/94/Ringer: Moderate nose of light plum with tobacco and cedar. The palate is harmonious with moderately concentrated fruit, fresh acids and refined structure. Good if just a touch light on the palate relative to the best wines tonight.
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1994 Dominus Estate Napanook Vineyard 93 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
92/94/Ringer: Similar to the 1991, this is just so darn young (particularly in the context of the older vintages). Big nose of primary fruit, chocolate and minty herb notes. The palate is richly concentrated with firm structure. The complexity is there with tobacco and cedar lurking beneath. But overall still primary and seemingly super young. Hard to believe its a 25 year old wine! Upside from here.
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1993 La Jota Cabernet Sauvignon Anniversary Release
USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain
Blind ringer in a Dominus vertical. Believe it or not, this came across almost like a barrel sample in the context of the 83-94 Dominus wines served tonight. More forward, ripe and less subtle than any of the Dominus bottles. Chewy tannins. Suffered in comparison.
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