20 Years of Dominus - Part 5 - The Mid and Late 1990s

Tasted Sunday, December 6, 2009 by steffenpelz with 416 views

Introduction

This flight seemed like a stylistic throwback to the 1980s as it seemed closer aligned to those vintages than the vintages of 1989-1992. I particularly enjoyed the 1995 and 1996 and had bad luck (yet again) with the 1997, which should have been a mind-altering experience if I had gotten a pour from a non-flawed bottle.

Flight 1 (4 Notes)

  • 1995 Dominus Estate Napanook Vineyard

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    I rather liked this vintage. Red and black fruit, menthol, licorice, spice, pine cone aromas and some alluring funk and complexity. This was what I thought the 80s wines might have been like at a comparable spot in their evolution.

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  • 1996 Dominus Estate Napanook Vineyard

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Another winner. Clean and focused fruit. Some yeasty flavors. Ripe cherry and blackberry fruit and loads of spice, most notably cinnamon. This and the 1995 were the two top wines in the flight.

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  • 1997 Dominus Estate

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Unfortunately, this was very bretty, and, I believe corked. Best not to comment on what was in the glass for that reason. This was poured from 2 bottles and I did not have a chance to taste a good pour from the 1997, but I have no doubt that a regulation bottle would have been mind-blowingly good.

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  • 1998 Dominus Estate

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Honestly, this was just not exciting at all. weak on the palate, flat on the nose, lacks freshness, focus and poise. Would be a good sipper with simple food, but I'd rather buy any of the previous vintages before I go for the 1998. Dominus did the best it could in a very weak year in Napa in 1998.

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Closing

Part 6 will showcase the 2000-2003 vintages and will be the last post on this mega tasting. I hope you've enjoyed the posts thus far.

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