I absolutely love Dominus and this bottle was another reaffirmation of that. Bold and regal with vibrant red and dark fruit, fresh spices, and graphite. Fully engaging.
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Tasted next to 2006 Ornellaia. Notes of cassis on the nose, mixed with ripe red fruit, tobacco, spices, hints of eucalyptus. Lovely structure, great acidity and really well balanced overall with good acidity and a vibrant, very persistent finish. Drinking well, but no rush at all. 94-96
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Opened for another Friendsgiving, but was sadly corked. This was the third of three from Bob P., and only the first flawed bottle of the purchase. Thanks Bob.
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Last of six, this was my contribution to the blind tasting dinner. Popped and pour, it was in the perfect window and in my biased opinion it carried the night. Fruit remains fresh and vibrant although there was some back and forth over whether it was new world or old world (I did my best to keep them guessing). Acidity medium plus, tannins grippy yet supple. Med+ finish.
My penultimate bottle, also reviewed here, had been decanted and I felt that diminished experience. After this pop and pour I definitely believe it’s the way to go for this vintage. Definitely not past its prime and I t’s in the perfect window. Paired with Wagyu strip loin. Enjoy!
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Feb 2023, decanted 1 hour; outstanding wine that is ready to enjoy; cherry,raspberry on the nose; full bodied and smooth; my wife mistook this for a Bordeaux; this is in its prime
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Dark bold fruit, some spice on the nose and palate. Good amount of structure, but balanced. This still needs time to integrate, but is quite enjoyable now if you prefer primary fruit and bigger structure.
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Tasted 06 & 07 in a Thanksgiving vertical. Both were decanted approx 1+ hour. The 07 showed greater fruit, acid, balance and finish than the 06. It has been reported here and elsewhere that the 06 is getting tired and I would concur. If I would do it again, I would not decant the 06 (it wasn’t my idea). I think there is plenty of life left in the 06 if handled properly, but clearly the 07 is more robust now. Drink up!
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Classic nose of dark cassis, mocha, graphite, and mint; dark and powerful, with great acidity, dark red fruit and chocolate, and delineation; long youthful finish. With a decant it’s in a drinking window with no rush on it
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My experience with mature Bordeaux is limited but I assume a Dominus would be in that same style and taste similar. I was surprised by how tight and fresh the tannins still remained. Only decanted 1/2 hour so probably more user error. Loved the forest floor and graphite with still some blackberry and cherry up front. Very nice wine.
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4th of 6. Opened after a bottle of the 2011 at 21212 in Edinburgh and a glass of the 2009 at Adams in Birmingham. The 2006 is the most mature of these three vintages. It is less fruit forward and showy than the 2009 and less muscular and beefy than the 2011. It’s delicious, of course, but the 2011 won this weekend. Very happy to have a couple more bottles of the 2006, but I will be serving them with poultry … and before the end of this year.
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One of the most pure and elegant red Bordeaux blends in California. The symmetry and balance in this wine are second to none. The tannin is silky smooth and it is drinking great after a two hour decant. This is not Christian Moueix of the past, but of the future. While I believe this will age gracefully for another 30 years, don’t assume it will taste like a Dominus from the ‘80s or even ‘91 or ‘94. These are much cleaner and purer wines and only time will tell what they will ultimately become. Sublime nonetheless!
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Drinking incredibly well and still young. Two hour decant but it could use more. Dark fruits, leather and savory herbs. I just love this wine but I have to stop drinking then and let them mature.
MMD Tour 2022 Tasting. St. Regis Hotel (St. Regis Hotel, San Francisco): Nose of leather, black berry, black currant, allspice, and earth, same on the palate, at peak, enjoy soon, very tasty, mouth filling fruit, elegance, richness, and Bordeaux like, long finish, lovely, tasted three times today and same results.
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Inky purple colour. Reticent nose of dark berries, plum, slate and toasty oak. A big wine, full-bodied with some racy acidity providing lift. While enjoyable, this came across as a bit disjointed and with drying tannins on the finish. Not sure where this is headed but possibly either in a closed phase or not a representative bottle.
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Nice wine. I decanted for one hour and started tasting. Needed more time after one hour so I have been drinking it slowly. A little bit better after hour two, but after hour three I didn’t notice much change and I finished the bottle. Has a wonderful nose with floral and cherry notes. Taste is a bit muted/flat. The fruit flavor and tannins have mellowed. I think the wine might be in a dead period. If you have any of these, I’d hold for a few more years to see if it comes out of it.
Robert Parker - 96 "There are 6,500 cases of the superb 2006 Dominus (91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot). Its dark plum/purple color is accompanied by aromas and flavors of truffles, forest floor, black cherries, black currants, and Asian spices. One of the finest wines of the vintage, it is complete, full-bodied, and seamlessly built with beautiful ripe tannins, low acidity, and a luscious, layered mouthfeel. The aromatics are even more evolved and complex than the 2005's. The 2006 should drink well for 20-25 years." - Robert M. Parker, Jr., Wine Advocate
Drank first out of the bottle, then double-decanted for 6 hours. The bottle condition was a bit worrying, but it ended up tasting great.
It was already drinking well out of the bottle, and the decant helped smooth out the flavors a little. The glass had a lot of classic cabernet qualities - juicy red fruit, leathery mocha and violet florals delivering a nice balance of powerful flavors. The finish was long and balanced, and there was enough acidity to form a solid structure.
Tasted in a vertical with the 2013 and 1992. This was drinking the best out of the three relative to their peaks. I'd drink these < 5 years, but I don't know how much the bottle condition affected the aging curve on this bottle.
This was versatile in drinking with steaks - paired great with the variety of steaks we had that night.
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This was an excellent wine, but compared to previous bottles (including last Christmas eve) I was disappointed. Or perhaps it was to context of the other more complex wines that were served. Decanted 2 hours and drank over 3 more. This was drinking younger and more primary that past bottles. Big and full of dark fruit, very smooth tannins, some graphite/mineral and a touch of savory. But mostly fruit. My remaining bottles will have a long rest.
Outstanding wine, still had plenty of fruit. decanted for 4 hours and drinking up to the fourth hour and this wine performed. My local store has about 5 bottles left @ $250 a bottle, I might buy the rest.
Decanted for about 30 mins. Notes of dark red fruit, cedar, leather, spice. Long finish. Excellent wine and paired perfectly with grilled skirt steak and sweet potato.
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Decanted 2 hours prior to a blind tasting and it took another 2.5 hours to get to it at dinner. Think it needed all that time to open up and got better over the next hour and a half. Think left bank bordeaux with this vintage but with less terrior. This is not austere in any way. Full bodied with wonderful dark fruit, oak and graphite. Don't think I opened too soon but will last at this level for another decade.
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Decanted for a good 20 minutes but really needs more and one needs to take care with fine sediment here. It’s been 7 years since we tried this last ( Papies 93) and definitely has evolved nicely albeit still not at its full stride. The oak is full assimilated , dark fruited, brooding , balanced and with smoky dark feel. Needs its time to develop more an earthy and leathery side but even now this is superb. An easy 93 for now but this will be in the high nineties .
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Enjoyed with good friends at Barbatella in Naples alongside a 2007 Philip Togni. Three hour decant and wines continued to improve all night. Both wines were spectacular and group was split regarding favorite. I enjoyed the Dominus slightly better. Bordeaux like nose, dark cherry, vanilla, and a bit of smoke. Beautiful mouth feel and in an idealic drinking window. Couldn’t believe how youthful the fruit was while exhibiting perfect harmony. Both wines have the backbone to age gracefully for many years to come but would absolutely recommend opening up either bottle today for an amazing experience. These are the types of wines that remind me why I collect!
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Have 3 of these in the cellar from an Auction purchase, so decided to check in on them.
While this is slightly behind the '07 I had last year, the '06 is holding its own and in a great place right now. While you'll have to search a bit for the darker fruit notes, this comes across as classic Left Bank Bordeaux, reminiscent of some of my faves from the region. Cigar box, leather, cedar with just enough fruit, this could be difficult to pick out if not for the fruit, which would probably be the give-away. Tannins are there and well integrated, this can easily go another 5+ years. Decanted 3 hours on day 1, and held up just as well on day 2. Enjoy!
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From a magnum, excellent and similar note to 12/24/2020. Rich and intense with tobacco, leather and spice. A touch better from my friends’s magnums vs my 750s This time we drank with no decant (against my rules!!) and it was still excellent
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Typical Dominus nose of blue fruit and cassis, spice, menthol and flint. Body is plush, forward and well balanced with chocolate and dark fruit; while still young, it is fairly muscular with a tightness that may need a few more years to fully mellow out. Long ass finish.
Almost as good as the 05 from last week and clearly ahead of the 04; still probably needs some time unless you like it on the primary side.
Decanted about an hour and a half. Dark ruby in the glass, with the slightest transparency at the edges. The nose 👃 on this is amazing — blue fruit, menthol, and leather in a heady mix. On the palate, an initial hit of suave fruit is balanced well with acidity. It is a powerful wine but feels lighter on its feet because it is so finely balanced. Fine but pert tannins come in to carry the long finish. At this point, it's singing more on the nose than the tongue for me, and I would say another 5 years in the cellar would bring out more complex layers in the mouth, but it is an excellent wine, and a great example of all elements being in harmony.
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Not quite as open as the magnum I had Christmas Eve. Strange as you would expect more development from the 750. But still absolutely delicious and almost my WOTN for our zoom tasting. Rich dark fruits, tobacco, fully integrated and delicious. A long life ahead.
WOTN to me at the Jen/Jimbo tasting......in a really nice spot right now. Classic aged Napa fruit that is still quite representative along with melted tannins, great mouthfeel and matching acidity. It may even get a point or two better as it has quite a few years left but in one of my personal sweet spots right now. Thanks, Jen!
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Shared by Jenmermaidia at a blind tasting. A very mature and complete example of quality Napa Cabernet. Smooth, well resolved and well balanced yet feels like it has some years left. Thank you Jen. 93 HMC
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From a magnum. The best Dominus I have had, such a treat. Rich dark fruits, tobacco, leather, so full in the mouth and a persistent finish. Everything perfectly integrated and drinking so well right now.
Annual Friendsgiving Gathering (TLV's): Courtesy of tlv. Currant, green tobacco, cassis and saddle leather notes. On the full side of medium-bodied. Tannins are fine-grained and still need some time to integrate fully but overall this is really beginning to show well. The palate follows the bouquet, adding spice and dried herb notes in the finish. Strong from the attack through the finish; impeccable balance. I know the style shifted a bit sometime in this mid-2000s era, but this vintage is definitely an "old school" Dominus and very much in my wheelhouse. 95+
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Medium dark purple color. Dark fruits plum, blackberry, and black cherry. Tannins are resolved so very smooth. I don’t see this improving with age. Drink now - 2022. 141% abv.
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This was worth the long wait. I had it with a steak and it was great but it had gotten so smooth that it would have been just as good on it's own. Dark fruit, long finish, nice tannins.
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I opened this assuming I would have to decant and decided to start drinking after tasting it. There was a hint of wine seepage around the cork. This bottle was massively different than my previous one. All savory mushrooms and herbs with a black currant base. Full bodied, long finish. Outstanding wine and hugely better than my previous bottle. I have two more left so will be very interested in the comparison. I assume that the seepage sped up the aging which means there is a long life ahead.
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Earthy, mocha, wet tobacco, coffee notes, with a distinct ripe sappiness; super silky and plush, well-balanced, Bordeaux-y, perfect with rib-eye. w/Brian and Lincoln
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Heavy blackberry nose. It literally crossed the room when opened. Still a decent amount of tannins, so could definitely age longer. Not disappointed with opening it now. Would likely be smoother in a few years but I think you might trade off a bit of fruit and vitality in the process.
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Dominus Dinner (Formento's - Chicago IL): Dense and powerful with lots of black fruit, maybe slightly lacking in complexity vs the best vintages tonight. Very good now, probably limited upside. My least favorite of the very good flight.
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Heidi's Redux Group (The Kenwood, Mpls, MN): Very dark red purple color. Same bottle as Chablis28 and his note says it all. . Everything is there, but it needs a lot of time. Really pretty interesting given where the '05 was at.
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Decanted for a good 3 hours before back into the btl & taking to the Kenwood. Removed cork and drank 2-1/2 hours later after an assortment of other killer wines. Served alongside the '05 tonight this was neither as balanced nor complex but still a nice example. What strikes me most is how this wine matures at such a glacial pace. This really needs another 5 yrs, minimum. My others btls from 05, 06 and 07 are offsite and will remain there until at least 2022. Dominus has never been cheap and its starting to get ridiculously expensive on release and in the secondary market both. Its a very nice wine but better value abounds. Tonight this showed layers of red toned fruit, cedar, tobacco leaf, expresso and chocolate on a focused palate. The 05 along side it was at another level of concentration but also drinking pretty young, for my palate. Both Dominus tonight, in their youthful state of maturity were licking the boots of a fully realized 1991 Mondavi Reserve that was sublime.
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6L bottle, not blind Too young, this time more Cali than Bordeaux style. Missed the depth and concentartion. Black currant, bramble and some Vanilla. Older ones are much more impressive. maybe the bottle size prevent some deveplopments. 92+
Drinking great right now. Pnp, a little tight initially, but really opened up. Just a well balanced wine, dark red fruit, cocoa and a little graphite. Not cheap, but I got my money’s worth
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Second Sunday Group: 2006 vs 2007 Napa Cabs/Blends (R&D's): Double blind. Deep purple/crimson color. Aromas fo violets, cassis and chocolate. The cassis and chocolate follow on the palate. Tannins are firm, but have a nice sweet edge. Long finish. It does open a bit during the course of the tasting though the profile remains the same. Excellent. 93+ pts.
My #4, Domino's #8 Group #8, 72 pts
I would hold this for a few years yet; suggest from 2022+.
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Double blind. Chocolate, cassis and black fruit notes. Here again, very well-balanced, with fine tannins and an abundance of dark fruit. Young but fine. 92+ pts.
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Nose is anise, cedar, dark fruits, and graphite. A little bit of heat that will settle I’m sure.
Great palate of Red raspberry, minerality, and nice structure with a great finish w length. Started getting some cocoa and coffee bean as wine has evolved. Still a bit of unresolved tannins (very small) and will do with 2-4 more years to hit perfection. Still expect to improve through the night.
Excited for more
Edit: at 4 hours this wine is ripping; dark chocolate, coffee extract and very lengthy finishes. Next bottle will go for much longer decant
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Decanted for 2 hours. Very open, inviting, lovely ripe cassis, blackcurrants, truffle, coffee bean, cedary, ashen, dusty, very well integrated oak (40% new), great structure, lovely acid. Extremely elegant and drinking great now, typical Dominus and still very much Napa in stead of Bordeaux.
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Somber brooding blackcurrant fruit interwoven with layers of graphite, wet slate, pencil shavings and licorice. Loads of extract and super concentrated but lacking the elegance and nuance of a top Napa. Tannins are dark and super thick, chewy. Open in 2022.
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Dark purple. Raspberry, rose, and cedar on the nose. Silky and sexy in texture until those grippy, drying tannins hit you. Finishes with flavors of cedar. The 2006 comes across a tad one-dimensional and needs time for the still-formidable tannins to resolve.
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Had the 2005 and 2006 back to back and the consistency was amazing. Well integrated currants, berries and plums. Finishes with with a bit of earth and cedar. The 2005 had a bit more acidity and the 2006 was a hint sweeter. Both great wines.
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Cal Cabs (Chez Bruce, London): A little more restrained on the nose. Fairly pure blackcurrant. Slightly sweeter, obviously riper fruit than a claret would be, but drier and more chiselled than the Caymus. Comes in to its own with food. ****
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Brilliant Bordeaux-like wine from Napa. Bitter herbs, pencil shavings, cassis, cedar wood, mouth-coating, gripping tannins... It's the best wine I've had in months.
Decanting: Yes, it's a must, but at this age it shouldn't be overdone. After a quick taste upon opening, I left it in a decanter for 2,5 hours (saving 1 glass in the bottle, see why below), at which point it was starting to open up. I drank it, slowly, over the next 3 hours, and it continued to develop for that time, peaking around 4,5 hours after being opened, but then it sort of was done from the 5,5 hour mark on.
The next day (today) I poured the remaining glass, which had now aerated for 24 hours. It is still delicious, but not as good as it was at its peak yesterday. (The reason for doing this experiment is that Parker reports that the winery decants this wine for 24 hours. Presumably this works well with the young wine, but not at this age, I would say).
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PNV week, great outdoor tasting hosted by Spottswoode. Nice to check in on this one again, no disappointment...in a great spot and front end of it's drinking window
From prior notes: "Medium purple/red color, no signs of aging. Nose is classic Dominus: dark fruits, blackberry, forest floor, spice/cloves, savory/meats...Palate is smooth, softened tannins. Showing blackberry, dark cherry, currant and spice. Long and layered finish..."
This is a wine that I prefer to linger with a bit, so a tasting venue is not the best experience for a wine of this quality....still great nonetheless..
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Popped and poured, and drank with a 2007 over a couple of hours. Just as dark and powerful as I remembered it being. Bordeaux-like elegance for a big Napa cab.
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This release is incredible - a huge powerful forward wine that explodes out of the glass - rich concentrated, complex, a massive wine. Dark garnet/ruby colored, full bodied, brooding chewy mouthfeel that coats the tongue, ripe forward black berry fruits punctuated by a layer of chocolate, coffee beans, truffles and cigar box, turning to big chewy firm tannins that are tamed by being well integrated. This is a huge wine that begs for cheese, chocolates, beef and more - not for the feint of heart. Incredible, indeed.
At the club, they opened the bottle and decanted it 6 hours before dinner. Fruit on the nose, the palate was blackberry, dark cherry, mushroom, tobacco and mocha. The finish was long and smooth. Really excellent bottle of wine probably in its prime drinking window. Drank alongside a 2011 Realm Farella.
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In NYC at Vic's Restaurant, great spot downtown and corkage friendly. This one brought by my friend Victor. Decanted at the restaurant for about hour+ before drinking. Had this with the main course (Porchetta)...the decant made a difference, the first splashes were a little tight.
Medium purple/red color, no signs of aging. Nose is classic Dominus: dark fruits, blackberry, forest floor, spice/cloves, savory/meats...Palate is smooth, softened tannins. Showing blackberry, dark cherry, currant and spice. Long and layered finish.
Nice to check in on it at 10 years, seems to be just entering its drinking window. It should hold at this level and continue to improve for some time. This is the elegant wine I have come to expect and appreciate from Dominus - California fruit with the grace of Bordeaux. This paired beautifully with the main course...but would be great on its own. A wine to linger over...
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Dark dark color. The nose is enticing: cassis, mocha, cherry. One sip and you will realize that this wine is hitting its stride. Layers of cassis, mocha, cherry with complements of light earth, tobacco, red fruit. Tannins are still firm with a nice acidic structure. A long finish with no bitterness at all. Gorgeous.
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Drank at a restaurant. Delicious after a 45 minute decant and continued to improve. An elegant wine with blueberries, cherries, meat juices, and mocha. 45-minute finish. Great after two hours!
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Half bottles age quicker than full ones...so I popped this 2006. Excellent now, could have even went another year or so. The wine looks ruby colored. The legs are slow. There is light sediment in the bottle. It smells like black currant (cassis) and blackberry. The body is full. The wine has smooth texture. The wine finishes long. The wine has medium acidity.
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[Magnum] Black as night in the glass. No nose to speak of other than Tabasco and soy sauce sneaking past the glycerine and new oak. Maybe super underripe black cherry. Can't get much off of the palate other than alcohol. Seems thin and dry. Huge grippy tannin with a metallic aftertaste. Not ready to drink, not by 10 - 15 years. Someone else opened this... Really tough at this stage, even for a Napa wine.
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one taste and my impression was that of disappointment. rather flat. good fruit but needs better acidity. flabby. i think they screwed up in the vinification.
Deep blackish reddish color with rich dark fruity profile with a touch of phenol, and cook meat. The palate is smooth but restrain primarily due to its relative infancy. The flavor components includes black cherries, blueberry, and cassis all nicely integrate oak. Tight on the first day even after a four hour decant, but finally opened up after two days in the ref. Should have waited a at least 5 more years, would have been much better.
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A Matter of Taste tasting (London, Saatchi Gallery): Tasted a leftover from a bottle which was open for about 4 hours and it was beautiful. The bouquet is beautifully classical with dark forest fruits and a beautiful dose of oak. Same on the palate with good acidity and soft tannin. The wine is in its early maturity stage now and will probably show even a bit more of its finesse and complexity after a few more years of ageing.
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A Matter of Taste: London Edition (Saatchi Gallery, Chelsea): A warm, straightforward nose showing its youth; in fact, sort of in a dumb phase (aromatics will develop with time, one suspects); the purity and concentration show but it comes off as one-dimensional, for the moment only I think.
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Dominus Master Class - A matter of taste (Singapore): Dark purple. Expressive nose of dark fruit, eucalyptus, earthy and forresty notes. On the palate this is deep and structured with lots of layers. The tannins need more time but they are very creamy. This was like the 02, with more backbone than the sweeter vintages. I like this style much better. Wait till 2016.
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Dominus Master Class - A matter of taste (Singapore): A bit closed and in a slightly awkward place. More oak than the 01/02 but not showing more fruit. Currently lacks a bit expression and very different to the still rather primary 08. According to EM this is 91% CS, 6% CF and 3% PV. Would hold. 92+
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Steph, Perla. The Harvest Vine , Seattle, varieties of tapas. This wine was absolutely delicious, smooth, right balance of fruit and savory, tannin, low acidity and alcohol. medium finish. Benefited from venturi 1 - 2 hours before drinking. Structured to last a number more years.
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Wine & Spirits Top 100 Tasting (City Walk @ Metreon, San Francisco, CA): Old school nose with eucalyptus, slight vegetal, but great fruit; palate is full bodied, dense blackberry and blackcurrant fruit, still young but excellent. Long finish. This is everything I look for in a california cabernet. 97-98
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Young but full of elegance and charm. Rich yet balanced, the oak is in assimilation mode but the wine owns the oak her and it has a lot of depth and a solid core fruit to carry it many summers more. Just be patient here and the master will deliver. Needs 5yrs more.
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Old world style. Tasted blind, this would easily be confused with a classic Bordeaux. Graphite, lead, dark fruits and a mid-length finish. This has a long long life ahead of it but it is drinking so well now.
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Filling in w/the Friday Brown Bag Group (Mike & Judi's): Dark color. Cassis, vanilla, currant and violet notes. Flavors of dark fruit and vanilla, a little light through the midpalate with plenty of red fruit driving the finish. The alcohol shows just a bit, also some oak and floral notes. Flavors of black currants, chocolate and cassis liqueur. Finishes with red fruit and chocolate notes. Guessed 2007 Cab.
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Drinking very nicely. Classic old world in style - close to a good left bank Bordeaux with a little extra vanilla and strawberry. Don't misunderstand - not at all sweet - very subtle. Nice smooth tannins. Good balance.
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Billecart-Salmon Champagne, Burgundies, Rhones, Bordeaux etc with Sebastien, Brandon and Maciej (Museum Hotel, Wellington): Colour primary red purple. On bouquet, very primary nose of Cabernet Sauvignon aromas: crème de cassis, graphite, spice and liquorice. Also, toasty, vanilla oak. On palate, rich, sweet entry and dense mid palate. Serious structure and velvety, sweet tannins. Flavours of dark berries, liquorice and a touch of dark chocolate. Appropriate levels of acidity, with back palate intensity and good length, finishing with some minerality. Oak present on palate but not, for me, overdone. 93. Everyone but Brandon picks this as Old World (Bordeaux, Spain, Madiran etc), who has it as US and does a victory dance on the reveal!
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3rd time trying. Always great, but this was the best showing. Beautiful bouquet of black fruits and green pepper notes. Great structure and ready to go for a bit longer. Currants, tobacco, Bordeaux style. Excellent transition into the finish. Almost up there with the 07' but not quite. Still, I love it. 95pts
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Had tonight at Capital Grille with Porterhouse... 1.5 hours in the decanter she opened up and did not disappoint. Worth EVERY penny! This wine was fantastic! Bold, concentrated full of fruit block buster. The Cabernet is silky and strong, great legs showing on the glass, finish was superb. Very different than the Opus, but in a good way. Looking forward to consuming my Dominus wines over the years to come.
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Decanted for 30 minutes before drinking. Inky blackish purple in color. Black and other dark fruit on the nose. Smooth mouthfeel and finish that got smoother and smoother as time went on. Sweet, dark fruit flavors - delicious! Great taste nice I've come to expect from this wine.
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Amazing Cali Cab, not much more needs to be said, this was outstanding - Dark, full bodied with a nose of black fruit, plum, cigar box, spice and vanilla, amazing balance and structure, sweet, smooth, on the palate with extraordinary length, amazing! (94 Points).
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A bit overoaked for me, but probably the WOTN for others at this dinner. Very vanilla on the nose with coffee and chocolate notes. Warm and friendly; a welcoming wine that you want to enjoy, but not challenging. Good acid structure, soft tannins. Drink up!
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We were forced in to drinking this early, as we were stuck without any other options at the family's beach rental. A Target store was within reach to at least give us a quick trip to decent glassware. I tried to give it as much of a decant as possible into our glasses and left open in bottle for 5 hours and tasted over the next seven. Restrained on the nose, but typical elegant Dominus bouquet with cassis and violet. Nice in the mouth with a lovely licorice finish following cherry with hints of chocolate and spice. A bit short and the tannins are on the gritty side, further convincing me that drinking most vintages before the age of 10 is just too soon.
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Zachy's auction w/ some CTers (Marea - 240 Central Park South): This is soft and supple and there's that cinnamon that I seem to get in a lot of the best cabs. It's low in fruit and high in grandma's spice cabinet. Still some forest floor - pine cones and a bit of leaves and sticks. Another great wine.
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Tonight this wine was ripe and fruit forward. It had wonderful mouth feel. There were notes of chocolate, coffee, and some dark berries. It is still relatively young, but the tannins were well integrated. As with all great wines, the last taste was the best, and had me longing for more.
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Drank on my 55th birthday along with an '86. Shows the power and finesse one expects from this bottling... Still needs plenty of time to begin to reach full potential.
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Excellent Cali Bordeaux. Decanted 5 hours and was pleased. After another two this was stellar. Great nose, smooth round tannins, and a wonderful lingering finish.
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Decanted for 2 hours, and served with Grass Fed Filet Mignon, Asparagus and Sweet Potato. Blue Cheese Butter on the steaks combined with this wine were incredible. The subtle complexity of the wine was not lost on us, and each new bite of steak brought out a slightly different depth of the wine. It's my 2nd purchase of a $100+ wine, and it was well worth it.
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This is an excellent vintage for Dominus; not a blockbuster but rather refined and very drinkable with lovely black and blue fruits and ripe, dusty tannins. Finishes complex with nice mineral notes. A tame and pretty Cali Cab that actually goes well with food!
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This is one of the few times when I'll give James Suckling credit: he nailed this wine. This wine was full of iodine/salty essence that reminded me a bit of the scent of the ocean crashing against a jetty. There was a chalkiness and minerality not commonly found in red wine. Very intriguing. Would I pay >$100 to have it again? No. But I'm glad I did for the first try. A great thought-provoking wine - definitely NOT a typical california cab, as it had lean fruit, good grip, etc.
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Blending 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, this delicious wine opens with an enticing perfume packed with chocolate, coffee bean, blackberries and truffle. On the palate, the wine is soft, silky, plush and structured to age. With so much ripe, juicy fruit, you can drink this now, or give it another 5 years. The wine was aged in 40% new, French oak for 16 months.
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Muted in the first place as it was poped and poured, but showed up quite well after an hour plus in the glass. Has a pronounced alcohol nose with spices, liquorice, black cherry, dark chocolates, dried herbs, green olives notes, impressive as it does gives a very structure and steady feeling despite its pungent nature. Very silky on the palate that possess of fine, sweet tannins, wood spice, and various dark fruits. Good balance, weight and complexity and the hidden, high acidity provides the vital freshness to this heavy wine. Long finish that has some oaky vanilla and seductive black fruits/cocoa flavours.
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- Brick color with medium forming legs. It's in total harmony with a full body. Round texture with a long finish - Drank at Chopping Block cooking class
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I had this bottle in a blind heads up against a '03 Pichon Lalande. When first out of bottle, the nose was almost muted. But as the night progress it continued to evolve in the glass and it just got better and better. After two hours of decanting the wine opened up completely, and it showed bright pure Napa fruit while having the balance of Bordeaux at the same time. Truly an amazing wine. Loved it!
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An impressive bottle, early maturity. Deep ruby. Nose dominated by cassis and leather, coffee, licorice. Powerful, ripe, perhaps a bit aggressively tannic. Long finish builds slowly, with layers of fruit and minerals.
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Opened the bottle the night before and let it sit rather than decant it. Also had the '04 Hosanna. This was clearly more fruit forward than I am used to when drinking Dominus and definitely a very powerful wine. Some alcoholic heat on the finish.
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Blind 05-07 Napa Cab tasting. Open about 3-4 hours. Young and balanced. Needs some time, but I always fear aging off vintage wines no matter how good their pedigree.
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Wow. Wonderful from the word jump. Gorgeous nose of black cherry, wet asphalt, and black licorice to start. Med - full bodied on the plate with some serious grip. As it opens it becomes more expressive, with fresh cut hay and leather joining the party along with a distinct note of dusty coco powder to it. Restrained and wonderful on the palate. Though it will age for years to come, this is very enjoyable with a healthy decant.
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Dominus Seminar with Christian Moueix (Binny's Lincoln Park): Fragrant raspberry pancake syrup again. Lighter than the '08 by quite a bit in fact. Some nice red fruit, cotton candy and a touch of tutti frutti and bubble gum. Not as much minerals as the '08. Palate is a bit austere and spicy. finishes a little short. Lots of power but not the balance of the '08. Harder tannins and acid is elevated as well. Peppery and spicy baking spice. Not my favorite style of Dominus. Stemmy and a little austere for my palate.
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Dominus: An Evening With Christian Moueix (Binnys Lincoln Park): Beautiful wine that is not as flawless as the 2008, but perhaps more interesting. It is brooding and moody at this youthful stage. Nose reveals red and black currant fruit, a very floral deep blossom note, forest floor, dusted notes and chocolate and plenty of earthiness. Slightly closed, opaque and definitely brooding here. I will call it vampiric! Tannins natually soft, but a little more noticeable than the 2008. Not as seamless, but just as complex and concentrated. Very long finish. Not ready to drink and not as deceivingly ready as the 08, but again it is a very interesting wine. Not perfect, but perhaps more attractive because of it.
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A bit more evolved since my last bottle 2 years ago. Very, very nice - but still not great. I should have waited until 10 years vintage age.... It will probably be fantastic then. My own darn fault for not waiting.
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After breathing downstaris the whole day, which was absolutely necessary, this wine finally came around. Very much an elegant Bordeaux-style with some nice black fruit. Ultimately IMO a good, perhaps "quite good" wine but not great.
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Perhaps I should have opened this sooner. There was little flavor left in the bottle and was tasting of vinegar. Otherwise nothing offensive, just boring.
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Intense aromas of black cherry, with more focused black cherry on the palate. Nicely balanced, fresh and young, finishes with dry chalky tannins. This wine borders between fruit bomb and restrainment. Ultimately it comes off as a more elegant but still forward style of Napa Meritage. Vanilla oak is kept in check. Really nice wine, but it does not have that "Wow" factor.
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Distinct long finish, complex yet perfectly balanced. Opened with rich character and expressive flavours of dark berry fruits and smooth tannins. Smooth yet full body with a touch of spice to match with a bold meal of lamb or dark meat.
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California vs. Europe (Bordeaux blends) BLIND TASTING: The nose was initially really fresh with lots of sour cherries but it did show some prominent cabernet franc component (leafy) which made me think this was Kopar. Really good palate but extremely tannic, good finish. On the retaste ~1hour later this actually started tasting like an artificial fruit bomb. 90-91 (started like 91, but then it decreased to < 90). Guessed Kopar (second guess Dominus).
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The nose is full of brooding dark cherries, cranberry and black tea. I appreciate a slight astringency that could come from a cool temperature. But overall, wow. The fruit/wood balance is perfect and the finish goes on forever.
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Very fragrant nose of flowers and jam, on the palate the attack was surprising smooth followed by muscular tannins. This is a showy red that will benefit from a few more years of cellaring.
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Popped & poured, consumed over the course of dinner, alongside the 2007 Carpe Diem for comparison's sake. Inky garnet color. Aromas of blackberry, cassis, herbs and green tobacco. Full-bodied, with fine-grained tannins and flavors of cassis, dark fruit and plums. Long finish, picking up soft spice and earth qualities. Will be a gorgeous wine at full maturity.
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A very nice showing, this is pure, relatively fresh, and expressive with loads of crushed plum, currant paste, black cherry and oak aromas. Nearly full bodied, and fleshy on the palate with good sweetness to the black fruit and espresso flavors. Drinking well young.
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I've collected a bunch of these, based on their scores, sight unseen, and untasted... till now. Have 2005, 2006 and 2007 bottles in cellar.
I hope the 05 and 07 are much better. This 06 is just too full of oak and charcoal, completely drowns out the fruit. Sorry, not for me. Also, lots of bitter, like green or stems. Unfortunate for this bottle that I drank it with a 2006 Buoncristiani OPC, which had much nicer fruit and a lot less burnt muck.
I just cannot find anything attractive, nor artistic, about this level of over-oak, particularly just HUGE charcoal like this Dominus. To me there was some green fruit as well, which perhaps the oak can hide, but I just don't like this.
Some might say it's just too young, however I'm not one of them. I had an '05 Flinders Run and that was well young, yet delicious like veal. This Dominus was not in the same category. And I'd still feel that way at half the price. Damn... looks like I'll be giving away some as pres'ies..
Color me disappointed, but never fear, I'll leave the other bottles for a LONG time and hope it gets better. Sorry to be harsh... like this bottle.
NOTE: After 5 hours, it developed quite an attractive nose, which got my hopes up a bit, however, upon tasting the burnt forest slapped me back to reality. Whatever fruit I could smell was not able to come through on the palate... at all.
Really enjoyed this wine. Very Bordeaux like. But feel like I drank too early. Will be lovely in another few years. The nose was earthly and even hints of leather after a few more swirls the vanilla, cherries and currants were coming through. Had great complexities and balance. Definitely still a lot of tannins. Will age very nicely. Will put away my other bottles for a few years.
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Decanted. Medium dark hue. Complex nose with mocha, cocoa and toast and dark berries lurking in the background. Red berries in the mouth give it a bright note to go with its pleasing acidity. The mineral finish helps give it an elegant style. Not a heavy wine.
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Decanted for about 45 minutes but wine was still slightly "hot". After about 90 minutes, wine began to open up and got better from there. At 2 hours decanting, wine was enjoyable with more complex flavors. I would have given it a higher score but it is still too young. Hold or decant for at least 2 hours. Enjoyed over a dinner of Tri-tip.
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Let the bottle decant for two hours and it really benefited from the additional air. The wine really opened up over the night and is a really great Dominus. It is full bodied with well integrated tannins and a long, full finish.
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I was expecting much more... first time trying this wine. Very chalky, grainy texture... tannins were drying. I have 1 more bottle and I will give it at least 3 more years, if not more.
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Good but still medicinal nose. I was not very impressed by this wine, but there is definitly a lot in there. Annoying finish. Hopefully this will get better with time. C
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Big Red! (Sportsman's): Dark purple color. Sweet cherry nose. Tastes of blackberry, violet and mint. Tannic and chewy. Good balance. Charred oak finish with some green bell pepper. Why can't I embrace this wine? Ridiculously over priced for the quality.
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Bordeaux Night (Binny's Grand Ave.): nose: real pungent and expressive nose of cedar, red currants, black currants, dark red cherries and some sour berries with a touch of cranberries. Great depth and showing off the skeleton of the wine right now
taste: tasty medium/full feel with big tannins and deep tones of cedar, anise, red currants, dark red cherries, and cranberries. Has a real polish to the tones underneath the tannins
overall: a real good young dominus. Very young, but the outline is there for something really good, but patience will be required. Has really good depth on both the nose and palate with a real sense of class to it
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Quite Bordeaux in character. Deep color. Leather and spice on the nose. This is still young and rather lean right now. Rather aggressive in the mouth, but in a good way. Lots of grip. Excellent length. I like this quite a lot. An excellent red meat wine. Probably best to wait a couple years before drinking more. This wine should last for many, many years.
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An odd showing for this wine: very earthy with an Old World feel to the brett-influenced must, animal, dried herb, dried cherry and leather flavors. Medium bodied with an unusual amount of acidity.
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Dark purple and unctuous. Extremely expressive, gorgeous BDX nose: dark cherries, cassis, oregano, chocolate, toffee, graham cracker. In the mouth, a toasty start with peanut (?) character gives way to overwhelming chocolate and a bit of Syrah-like spice and bacon. The nose promised so much, but things fell apart and became one-dimensional in the mouth. This finishes hot and short. But I'm still thinking: What a nose!
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87% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest small amounts of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot) is made in a riper, more California style than usual, displaying more exuberant, up-front notes of kirsch, black currants, and plums. Deep and full-bodied with low acidity, sweet tannin, and a fleshy, succulent personality, it tastes like a classic Napa Cabernet
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4/14/2024 - Satoshi Nakamoto Likes this wine: 95 Points
I absolutely love Dominus and this bottle was another reaffirmation of that. Bold and regal with vibrant red and dark fruit, fresh spices, and graphite. Fully engaging.
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1/23/2024 - rossi.wine wrote: 95 Points
Tasted next to 2006 Ornellaia. Notes of cassis on the nose, mixed with ripe red fruit, tobacco, spices, hints of eucalyptus. Lovely structure, great acidity and really well balanced overall with good acidity and a vibrant, very persistent finish. Drinking well, but no rush at all. 94-96
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11/24/2023 - thelostverse wrote: flawed
Opened for another Friendsgiving, but was sadly corked. This was the third of three from Bob P., and only the first flawed bottle of the purchase. Thanks Bob.
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5/15/2023 - SonnyChiba wrote: 95 Points
95-96pts range. This is so fantastic. Sad to say it is my last bottle, Absolutely love it.
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4/8/2023 - gtonn Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for 2 hours. Nose of black currant, tobacco and a bit of forest floor.
Very good and drinking well. Tannins are still pretty tight and chewy.
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3/3/2023 - El_Dougo Likes this wine: 94 Points
Last of six, this was my contribution to the blind tasting dinner. Popped and pour, it was in the perfect window and in my biased opinion it carried the night. Fruit remains fresh and vibrant although there was some back and forth over whether it was new world or old world (I did my best to keep them guessing). Acidity medium plus, tannins grippy yet supple. Med+ finish.
My penultimate bottle, also reviewed here, had been decanted and I felt that diminished experience. After this pop and pour I definitely believe it’s the way to go for this vintage. Definitely not past its prime and I t’s in the perfect window.
Paired with Wagyu strip loin. Enjoy!
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2/14/2023 - Jmonies wrote: 98 Points
Feb 2023, decanted 1 hour; outstanding wine that is ready to enjoy; cherry,raspberry on the nose; full bodied and smooth; my wife mistook this for a Bordeaux; this is in its prime
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2/3/2023 - bbq_grandcru Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark bold fruit, some spice on the nose and palate. Good amount of structure, but balanced. This still needs time to integrate, but is quite enjoyable now if you prefer primary fruit and bigger structure.
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11/26/2022 - El_Dougo Likes this wine:
Tasted 06 & 07 in a Thanksgiving vertical. Both were decanted approx 1+ hour. The 07 showed greater fruit, acid, balance and finish than the 06. It has been reported here and elsewhere that the 06 is getting tired and I would concur. If I would do it again, I would not decant the 06 (it wasn’t my idea). I think there is plenty of life left in the 06 if handled properly, but clearly the 07 is more robust now. Drink up!
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10/22/2022 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
NY Wine Experience 2022; 10/20/2022-10/23/2022 (Marriott Marquis): Fresh. Lots of tannins (mouth coating) but it fades with time. Fruit. Interesting wine. Still young.
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10/20/2022 - mchern02 wrote: 94 Points
2 hour decant
Classic nose of dark cassis, mocha, graphite, and mint; dark and powerful, with great acidity, dark red fruit and chocolate, and delineation; long youthful finish. With a decant it’s in a drinking window with no rush on it
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9/24/2022 - stuartwh wrote:
Dinner PC
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9/24/2022 - ruppdavey@yahoo.com Likes this wine: 92 Points
My experience with mature Bordeaux is limited but I assume a Dominus would be in that same style and taste similar. I was surprised by how tight and fresh the tannins still remained. Only decanted 1/2 hour so probably more user error. Loved the forest floor and graphite with still some blackberry and cherry up front. Very nice wine.
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8/14/2022 - Leroy de Hove Likes this wine: 93 Points
4th of 6. Opened after a bottle of the 2011 at 21212 in Edinburgh and a glass of the 2009 at Adams in Birmingham. The 2006 is the most mature of these three vintages. It is less fruit forward and showy than the 2009 and less muscular and beefy than the 2011. It’s delicious, of course, but the 2011 won this weekend. Very happy to have a couple more bottles of the 2006, but I will be serving them with poultry … and before the end of this year.
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7/27/2022 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 95 Points
One of the most pure and elegant red Bordeaux blends in California. The symmetry and balance in this wine are second to none. The tannin is silky smooth and it is drinking great after a two hour decant. This is not Christian Moueix of the past, but of the future. While I believe this will age gracefully for another 30 years, don’t assume it will taste like a Dominus from the ‘80s or even ‘91 or ‘94. These are much cleaner and purer wines and only time will tell what they will ultimately become. Sublime nonetheless!
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5/13/2022 - Decanting Queen Likes this wine:
Drinking incredibly well and still young. Two hour decant but it could use more. Dark fruits, leather and savory herbs. I just love this wine but I have to stop drinking then and let them mature.
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5/9/2022 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 98 Points
MMD Tour 2022 Tasting. St. Regis Hotel (St. Regis Hotel, San Francisco): Nose of leather, black berry, black currant, allspice, and earth, same on the palate, at peak, enjoy soon, very tasty, mouth filling fruit, elegance, richness, and Bordeaux like, long finish, lovely, tasted three times today and same results.
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5/2/2022 - hkbob wrote: 91 Points
Inky purple colour. Reticent nose of dark berries, plum, slate and toasty oak. A big wine, full-bodied with some racy acidity providing lift. While enjoyable, this came across as a bit disjointed and with drying tannins on the finish. Not sure where this is headed but possibly either in a closed phase or not a representative bottle.
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4/8/2022 - Mdb1982 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice wine. I decanted for one hour and started tasting. Needed more time after one hour so I have been drinking it slowly. A little bit better after hour two, but after hour three I didn’t notice much change and I finished the bottle. Has a wonderful nose with floral and cherry notes. Taste is a bit muted/flat. The fruit flavor and tannins have mellowed. I think the wine might be in a dead period. If you have any of these, I’d hold for a few more years to see if it comes out of it.
Robert Parker - 96
"There are 6,500 cases of the superb 2006 Dominus (91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot). Its dark plum/purple color is accompanied by aromas and flavors of truffles, forest floor, black cherries, black currants, and Asian spices. One of the finest wines of the vintage, it is complete, full-bodied, and seamlessly built with beautiful ripe tannins, low acidity, and a luscious, layered mouthfeel. The aromatics are even more evolved and complex than the 2005's. The 2006 should drink well for 20-25 years." - Robert M. Parker, Jr., Wine Advocate
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3/19/2022 - SH Wu wrote: 94 Points
Drank first out of the bottle, then double-decanted for 6 hours. The bottle condition was a bit worrying, but it ended up tasting great.
It was already drinking well out of the bottle, and the decant helped smooth out the flavors a little. The glass had a lot of classic cabernet qualities - juicy red fruit, leathery mocha and violet florals delivering a nice balance of powerful flavors. The finish was long and balanced, and there was enough acidity to form a solid structure.
Tasted in a vertical with the 2013 and 1992. This was drinking the best out of the three relative to their peaks. I'd drink these < 5 years, but I don't know how much the bottle condition affected the aging curve on this bottle.
This was versatile in drinking with steaks - paired great with the variety of steaks we had that night.
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12/24/2021 - Decanting Queen Likes this wine:
This was an excellent wine, but compared to previous bottles (including last Christmas eve) I was disappointed. Or perhaps it was to context of the other more complex wines that were served.
Decanted 2 hours and drank over 3 more.
This was drinking younger and more primary that past bottles. Big and full of dark fruit, very smooth tannins, some graphite/mineral and a touch of savory. But mostly fruit. My remaining bottles will have a long rest.
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12/9/2021 - Agunner23 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Outstanding wine, still had plenty of fruit. decanted for 4 hours and drinking up to the fourth hour and this wine performed. My local store has about 5 bottles left @ $250 a bottle, I might buy the rest.
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11/21/2021 - AFM87 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for about 30 mins. Notes of dark red fruit, cedar, leather, spice. Long finish. Excellent wine and paired perfectly with grilled skirt steak and sweet potato.
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8/26/2021 - BordeauxBoy wrote: 95 Points
Decanted 2 hours prior to a blind tasting and it took another 2.5 hours to get to it at dinner. Think it needed all that time to open up and got better over the next hour and a half. Think left bank bordeaux with this vintage but with less terrior. This is not austere in any way. Full bodied with wonderful dark fruit, oak and graphite. Don't think I opened too soon but will last at this level for another decade.
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8/7/2021 - Papies wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for a good 20 minutes but really needs more and one needs to take care with fine sediment here.
It’s been 7 years since we tried this last ( Papies 93) and definitely has evolved nicely albeit still not at its full stride. The oak is full assimilated , dark fruited, brooding , balanced and with smoky dark feel. Needs its time to develop more an earthy and leathery side but even now this is superb. An easy 93 for now but this will be in the high nineties .
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6/26/2021 - Alfaro wrote: 97 Points
Incredibly beautiful bottle of wine!
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6/18/2021 - jst914 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Enjoyed with good friends at Barbatella in Naples alongside a 2007 Philip Togni. Three hour decant and wines continued to improve all night. Both wines were spectacular and group was split regarding favorite. I enjoyed the Dominus slightly better. Bordeaux like nose, dark cherry, vanilla, and a bit of smoke. Beautiful mouth feel and in an idealic drinking window. Couldn’t believe how youthful the fruit was while exhibiting perfect harmony. Both wines have the backbone to age gracefully for many years to come but would absolutely recommend opening up either bottle today for an amazing experience. These are the types of wines that remind me why I collect!
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6/13/2021 - dpolzien Likes this wine: 92 Points
Have 3 of these in the cellar from an Auction purchase, so decided to check in on them.
While this is slightly behind the '07 I had last year, the '06 is holding its own and in a great place right now. While you'll have to search a bit for the darker fruit notes, this comes across as classic Left Bank Bordeaux, reminiscent of some of my faves from the region. Cigar box, leather, cedar with just enough fruit, this could be difficult to pick out if not for the fruit, which would probably be the give-away. Tannins are there and well integrated, this can easily go another 5+ years. Decanted 3 hours on day 1, and held up just as well on day 2. Enjoy!
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5/29/2021 - dmccann3 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Perfectly aged. Had this for our 15th anniversary. Wish I had another bottle
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5/22/2021 - mlawren1 wrote: 94 Points
Dark cherries and currants with a hint of plum. Underneath eucalyptus and earth.
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5/7/2021 - Methmann Likes this wine: 94 Points
Fantastisk vin
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4/18/2021 - Decanting Queen Likes this wine: 95 Points
From a magnum, excellent and similar note to 12/24/2020. Rich and intense with tobacco, leather and spice. A touch better from my friends’s magnums vs my 750s
This time we drank with no decant (against my rules!!) and it was still excellent
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2/21/2021 - mchern02 wrote: 93 Points
Had about 4 hours in the decanter
Typical Dominus nose of blue fruit and cassis, spice, menthol and flint. Body is plush, forward and well balanced with chocolate and dark fruit; while still young, it is fairly muscular with a tightness that may need a few more years to fully mellow out. Long ass finish.
Almost as good as the 05 from last week and clearly ahead of the 04; still probably needs some time unless you like it on the primary side.
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1/29/2021 - Pey2001 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted about an hour and a half. Dark ruby in the glass, with the slightest transparency at the edges. The nose 👃 on this is amazing — blue fruit, menthol, and leather in a heady mix. On the palate, an initial hit of suave fruit is balanced well with acidity. It is a powerful wine but feels lighter on its feet because it is so finely balanced. Fine but pert tannins come in to carry the long finish. At this point, it's singing more on the nose than the tongue for me, and I would say another 5 years in the cellar would bring out more complex layers in the mouth, but it is an excellent wine, and a great example of all elements being in harmony.
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1/14/2021 - Decanting Queen Likes this wine: 94 Points
Not quite as open as the magnum I had Christmas Eve. Strange as you would expect more development from the 750. But still absolutely delicious and almost my WOTN for our zoom tasting. Rich dark fruits, tobacco, fully integrated and delicious. A long life ahead.
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1/14/2021 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 95 Points
WOTN to me at the Jen/Jimbo tasting......in a really nice spot right now. Classic aged Napa fruit that is still quite representative along with melted tannins, great mouthfeel and matching acidity. It may even get a point or two better as it has quite a few years left but in one of my personal sweet spots right now. Thanks, Jen!
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1/14/2021 - HowellMountainCru Likes this wine: 93 Points
Shared by Jenmermaidia at a blind tasting. A very mature and complete example of quality Napa Cabernet. Smooth, well resolved and well balanced yet feels like it has some years left. Thank you Jen. 93 HMC
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12/24/2020 - gteran76 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened for 2 hours then decanted for one. Medium body, complex good acidity and finish. Half of it was finished 3 hours after and was very consisted.
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12/24/2020 - Decanting Queen Likes this wine: 95 Points
From a magnum. The best Dominus I have had, such a treat. Rich dark fruits, tobacco, leather, so full in the mouth and a persistent finish. Everything perfectly integrated and drinking so well right now.
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11/27/2020 - AllRed wrote: 95 Points
Annual Friendsgiving Gathering (TLV's): Courtesy of tlv. Currant, green tobacco, cassis and saddle leather notes. On the full side of medium-bodied. Tannins are fine-grained and still need some time to integrate fully but overall this is really beginning to show well. The palate follows the bouquet, adding spice and dried herb notes in the finish. Strong from the attack through the finish; impeccable balance. I know the style shifted a bit sometime in this mid-2000s era, but this vintage is definitely an "old school" Dominus and very much in my wheelhouse. 95+
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11/27/2020 - Vino Me wrote: 93 Points
Opened by Lostverse. No formal notes. 93-94 points.
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11/2/2020 - StainedGlass wrote: 93 Points
Medium dark purple color. Dark fruits plum, blackberry, and black cherry. Tannins are resolved so very smooth. I don’t see this improving with age. Drink now - 2022. 141% abv.
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10/8/2020 - MD.Gibson Likes this wine: 96 Points
This was worth the long wait. I had it with a steak and it was great but it had gotten so smooth that it would have been just as good on it's own. Dark fruit, long finish, nice tannins.
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9/28/2020 - HOS Likes this wine: 97 Points
I opened this assuming I would have to decant and decided to start drinking after tasting it. There was a hint of wine seepage around the cork. This bottle was massively different than my previous one. All savory mushrooms and herbs with a black currant base. Full bodied, long finish. Outstanding wine and hugely better than my previous bottle. I have two more left so will be very interested in the comparison. I assume that the seepage sped up the aging which means there is a long life ahead.
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6/6/2020 - peternelson Likes this wine: 93 Points
Earthy, mocha, wet tobacco, coffee notes, with a distinct ripe sappiness; super silky and plush, well-balanced, Bordeaux-y, perfect with rib-eye. w/Brian and Lincoln
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3/22/2020 - SteveN100 wrote: 93 Points
Heavy blackberry nose. It literally crossed the room when opened. Still a decent amount of tannins, so could definitely age longer. Not disappointed with opening it now. Would likely be smoother in a few years but I think you might trade off a bit of fruit and vitality in the process.
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1/9/2020 - KenK wrote: 92 Points
Good, but a bit simple. A mass of black fruits with good balance, yet missing some zing and complexity of better vintages.
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1/9/2020 - Burgundy Al wrote: 92 Points
Dominus Dinner (Formento's - Chicago IL): Dense and powerful with lots of black fruit, maybe slightly lacking in complexity vs the best vintages tonight. Very good now, probably limited upside. My least favorite of the very good flight.
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1/2/2020 - HOS Likes this wine: 93 Points
Seemed past its window.
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12/24/2019 - mlawren1 wrote: 95 Points
Wow, still young. Layers of currants, berries and plums. Amazing with Christmas roast. Has years to go before it peaks.
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11/2/2019 - fjv Likes this wine: 95 Points
Beast no doubt. Still needs 5+ years at least. Pair with a nice marrow or heavier beef and shroom dish . Delish
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9/10/2019 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
Heidi's Redux Group (The Kenwood, Mpls, MN): Very dark red purple color. Same bottle as Chablis28 and his note says it all. . Everything is there, but it needs a lot of time. Really pretty interesting given where the '05 was at.
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9/10/2019 - chablis28 wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for a good 3 hours before back into the btl & taking to the Kenwood. Removed cork and drank 2-1/2 hours later after an assortment of other killer wines. Served alongside the '05 tonight this was neither as balanced nor complex but still a nice example. What strikes me most is how this wine matures at such a glacial pace. This really needs another 5 yrs, minimum. My others btls from 05, 06 and 07 are offsite and will remain there until at least 2022. Dominus has never been cheap and its starting to get ridiculously expensive on release and in the secondary market both. Its a very nice wine but better value abounds. Tonight this showed layers of red toned fruit, cedar, tobacco leaf, expresso and chocolate on a focused palate. The 05 along side it was at another level of concentration but also drinking pretty young, for my palate. Both Dominus tonight, in their youthful state of maturity were licking the boots of a fully realized 1991 Mondavi Reserve that was sublime.
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7/21/2019 - Nekodab wrote: 96 Points
Tannin bomb for the first 30 minutes after the decanting and air rating smooth as can be
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6/27/2019 - Remitrom Likes this wine: 97 Points
J likes
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4/29/2019 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 92 Points
6L bottle, not blind
Too young, this time more Cali than Bordeaux style. Missed the depth and concentartion. Black currant, bramble and some Vanilla. Older ones are much more impressive. maybe the bottle size prevent some deveplopments. 92+
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1/21/2019 - Litt12 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Still a beast! Will take some years for this to tame. Beautiful and powerful, long finish
Dinner @ Alinea
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12/28/2018 - wine4lux Likes this wine: 92 Points
Violet/ crimson in color, dark fruit, chocolate and tobacco notes with soft tannins in support.
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11/26/2018 - Maphill01 Likes this wine:
Drinking great right now. Pnp, a little tight initially, but really opened up. Just a well balanced wine, dark red fruit, cocoa and a little graphite. Not cheap, but I got my money’s worth
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10/14/2018 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
Second Sunday Group: 2006 vs 2007 Napa Cabs/Blends (R&D's): Double blind. Deep purple/crimson color. Aromas fo violets, cassis and chocolate. The cassis and chocolate follow on the palate. Tannins are firm, but have a nice sweet edge. Long finish. It does open a bit during the course of the tasting though the profile remains the same. Excellent. 93+ pts.
My #4, Domino's #8
Group #8, 72 pts
I would hold this for a few years yet; suggest from 2022+.
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9/16/2018 - annerk wrote:
tannins beginning to integrate. Drink now or hold for up to 10 years.
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5/26/2018 - AllRed wrote: 92 Points
Double blind. Chocolate, cassis and black fruit notes. Here again, very well-balanced, with fine tannins and an abundance of dark fruit. Young but fine. 92+ pts.
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3/17/2018 - mchern02 wrote: 93 Points
Drank next to 96 Ducru. 2.5 hour decant on both.
Nose is anise, cedar, dark fruits, and graphite. A little bit of heat that will settle I’m sure.
Great palate of Red raspberry, minerality, and nice structure with a great finish w length. Started getting some cocoa and coffee bean as wine has evolved. Still a bit of unresolved tannins (very small) and will do with 2-4 more years to hit perfection. Still expect to improve through the night.
Excited for more
Edit: at 4 hours this wine is ripping; dark chocolate, coffee extract and very lengthy finishes. Next bottle will go for much longer decant
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2/19/2018 - JWdeSommelier wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for 2 hours. Very open, inviting, lovely ripe cassis, blackcurrants, truffle, coffee bean, cedary, ashen, dusty, very well integrated oak (40% new), great structure, lovely acid. Extremely elegant and drinking great now, typical Dominus and still very much Napa in stead of Bordeaux.
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2/5/2018 - IvanLi Likes this wine: 94 Points
Somber brooding blackcurrant fruit interwoven with layers of graphite, wet slate, pencil shavings and licorice.
Loads of extract and super concentrated but lacking the elegance and nuance of a top Napa.
Tannins are dark and super thick, chewy.
Open in 2022.
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12/4/2017 - rc@ughey wrote: 91 Points
Deep, dense, and well-balanced with dark fruits and earth, this is a nice Dominus that should blossom into something nice. A touch ripe but tasty.
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8/3/2017 - rlove wrote: 92 Points
Dark purple. Raspberry, rose, and cedar on the nose. Silky and sexy in texture until those grippy, drying tannins hit you. Finishes with flavors of cedar. The 2006 comes across a tad one-dimensional and needs time for the still-formidable tannins to resolve.
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6/11/2017 - mlawren1 wrote: 93 Points
Had the 2005 and 2006 back to back and the consistency was amazing. Well integrated currants, berries and plums. Finishes with with a bit of earth and cedar. The 2005 had a bit more acidity and the 2006 was a hint sweeter. Both great wines.
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5/9/2017 - SimonG wrote: 93 Points
Cal Cabs (Chez Bruce, London): A little more restrained on the nose. Fairly pure blackcurrant. Slightly sweeter, obviously riper fruit than a claret would be, but drier and more chiselled than the Caymus. Comes in to its own with food. ****
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5/9/2017 - Rupert wrote: 91 Points
California Cabernets (Chez Bruce, Wandsworth, London): Smooth, shy, grippy. Plenty there, but not expressing itself fully.
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3/5/2017 - Asger2 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Brilliant Bordeaux-like wine from Napa. Bitter herbs, pencil shavings, cassis, cedar wood, mouth-coating, gripping tannins... It's the best wine I've had in months.
Decanting: Yes, it's a must, but at this age it shouldn't be overdone. After a quick taste upon opening, I left it in a decanter for 2,5 hours (saving 1 glass in the bottle, see why below), at which point it was starting to open up. I drank it, slowly, over the next 3 hours, and it continued to develop for that time, peaking around 4,5 hours after being opened, but then it sort of was done from the 5,5 hour mark on.
The next day (today) I poured the remaining glass, which had now aerated for 24 hours. It is still delicious, but not as good as it was at its peak yesterday. (The reason for doing this experiment is that Parker reports that the winery decants this wine for 24 hours. Presumably this works well with the young wine, but not at this age, I would say).
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2/24/2017 - walkerjfw wrote:
PNV week, great outdoor tasting hosted by Spottswoode. Nice to check in on this one again, no disappointment...in a great spot and front end of it's drinking window
From prior notes: "Medium purple/red color, no signs of aging. Nose is classic Dominus: dark fruits, blackberry, forest floor, spice/cloves, savory/meats...Palate is smooth, softened tannins. Showing blackberry, dark cherry, currant and spice. Long and layered finish..."
This is a wine that I prefer to linger with a bit, so a tasting venue is not the best experience for a wine of this quality....still great nonetheless..
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1/15/2017 - beau11 wrote: 90 Points
Much less enjoyable than an 06 i had 2 years ago. Wine is closed down. Was tight over 5 hours. Hopefully an awkward phase
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1/2/2017 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Popped and poured, and drank with a 2007 over a couple of hours. Just as dark and powerful as I remembered it being. Bordeaux-like elegance for a big Napa cab.
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11/24/2016 - Winiac wrote: 93 Points
Did not have any course sediment. Spicy but clean flavors with full body. Long length and pleasant finish. Can leave another 10 year.
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11/19/2016 - rmcnees Likes this wine: 96 Points
This release is incredible - a huge powerful forward wine that explodes out of the glass - rich concentrated, complex, a massive wine. Dark garnet/ruby colored, full bodied, brooding chewy mouthfeel that coats the tongue, ripe forward black berry fruits punctuated by a layer of chocolate, coffee beans, truffles and cigar box, turning to big chewy firm tannins that are tamed by being well integrated. This is a huge wine that begs for cheese, chocolates, beef and more - not for the feint of heart. Incredible, indeed.
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2016/11/mouton-dominus-insignia-highlight-big_17.html
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10/1/2016 - markcic Likes this wine: 94 Points
At the club, they opened the bottle and decanted it 6 hours before dinner. Fruit on the nose, the palate was blackberry, dark cherry, mushroom, tobacco and mocha. The finish was long and smooth. Really excellent bottle of wine probably in its prime drinking window. Drank alongside a 2011 Realm Farella.
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8/13/2016 - MatLot Likes this wine: 93 Points
Grand vin un peu chers par compte, super, puissant, excellent.
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8/10/2016 - walkerjfw wrote: 95 Points
In NYC at Vic's Restaurant, great spot downtown and corkage friendly. This one brought by my friend Victor. Decanted at the restaurant for about hour+ before drinking. Had this with the main course (Porchetta)...the decant made a difference, the first splashes were a little tight.
Medium purple/red color, no signs of aging. Nose is classic Dominus: dark fruits, blackberry, forest floor, spice/cloves, savory/meats...Palate is smooth, softened tannins. Showing blackberry, dark cherry, currant and spice. Long and layered finish.
Nice to check in on it at 10 years, seems to be just entering its drinking window. It should hold at this level and continue to improve for some time. This is the elegant wine I have come to expect and appreciate from Dominus - California fruit with the grace of Bordeaux. This paired beautifully with the main course...but would be great on its own. A wine to linger over...
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7/29/2016 - DonWinspear Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark dark color. The nose is enticing: cassis, mocha, cherry. One sip and you will realize that this wine is hitting its stride. Layers of cassis, mocha, cherry with complements of light earth, tobacco, red fruit. Tannins are still firm with a nice acidic structure. A long finish with no bitterness at all. Gorgeous.
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7/2/2016 - nm10 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drank at a restaurant. Delicious after a 45 minute decant and continued to improve. An elegant wine with blueberries, cherries, meat juices, and mocha. 45-minute finish. Great after two hours!
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6/15/2016 - acristiani Likes this wine: 93 Points
Black fruit, elegant, not too assertive but complex.
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5/8/2016 - sreisgolf wrote: 92 Points
Good balance. Nice fruit. Still some tannin for those that prefer to wait.
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5/1/2016 - bboomer Likes this wine: 94 Points
Half bottles age quicker than full ones...so I popped this 2006. Excellent now, could have even went another year or so.
The wine looks ruby colored. The legs are slow. There is light sediment in the bottle.
It smells like black currant (cassis) and blackberry. The body is full. The wine has smooth texture. The wine finishes long. The wine has medium acidity.
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1/1/2016 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 88 Points
[Magnum] Black as night in the glass. No nose to speak of other than Tabasco and soy sauce sneaking past the glycerine and new oak. Maybe super underripe black cherry. Can't get much off of the palate other than alcohol. Seems thin and dry. Huge grippy tannin with a metallic aftertaste. Not ready to drink, not by 10 - 15 years. Someone else opened this... Really tough at this stage, even for a Napa wine.
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12/1/2015 - floridawinedrkr Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very much like a Bordeaux. Old and dusty, musty, wet wood notes, chocolate , and cherries. Medium bodied. Over all pretty good.
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11/11/2015 - soyhead Does not like this wine:
one taste and my impression was that of disappointment. rather flat. good fruit but needs better acidity. flabby. i think they screwed up in the vinification.
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9/27/2015 - Praxis wrote: 92 Points
Deep blackish reddish color with rich dark fruity profile with a touch of phenol, and cook meat. The palate is smooth but restrain primarily due to its relative infancy. The flavor components includes black cherries, blueberry, and cassis all nicely integrate oak. Tight on the first day even after a four hour decant, but finally opened up after two days in the ref. Should have waited a at least 5 more years, would have been much better.
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9/3/2015 - Marcyrillo Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great wine but still young. Improved after 2 hours.
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9/3/2015 - LFCHALA Likes this wine: 94 Points
Young. Superb. Very good
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7/11/2015 - Meneley wrote:
Beautiful ruby colour - complex nose (red fruits, earthy). Stunning finish. Needs to be aged longer. LO
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2/28/2015 - RayOB wrote: 88 Points
A Matter of Taste: London Edition (Saatchi Gallery, Chelsea): Is it in it's "dumb phase" or just not very good? - At the moment it is in the not very good phase, maybe other people are right and this will get better with time.
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2/28/2015 - Zweder wrote: 94 Points
A Matter of Taste tasting (London, Saatchi Gallery): Tasted a leftover from a bottle which was open for about 4 hours and it was beautiful. The bouquet is beautifully classical with dark forest fruits and a beautiful dose of oak. Same on the palate with good acidity and soft tannin. The wine is in its early maturity stage now and will probably show even a bit more of its finesse and complexity after a few more years of ageing.
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2/28/2015 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 94 Points
A Matter of Taste: London Edition (Saatchi Gallery, Chelsea): A warm, straightforward nose showing its youth; in fact, sort of in a dumb phase (aromatics will develop with time, one suspects); the purity and concentration show but it comes off as one-dimensional, for the moment only I think.
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12/25/2014 - tgkswine wrote: 89 Points
This wine just seems a bit green and closed off still. If we had decanted and held off on it we could have let it open up to see what it has.
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12/18/2014 - ctjared wrote:
easy drinking, but not terribly complex. short to medium finish.
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11/22/2014 - Collector1855 wrote: 96 Points
Dominus Master Class - A matter of taste (Singapore): Dark purple. Expressive nose of dark fruit, eucalyptus, earthy and forresty notes. On the palate this is deep and structured with lots of layers. The tannins need more time but they are very creamy. This was like the 02, with more backbone than the sweeter vintages. I like this style much better. Wait till 2016.
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11/22/2014 - etyc Likes this wine:
"Matter of Taste" - Dominus Masterclass (Singapore Art Museum Glass House): Not much of a nose, just a slight whiff of flowers. Dark-fruited. Less intensity and concentration than the '02 but it seemed to "fan out" more on the palate. Also very fresh and bright. Powdery tannins. Quite long.
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11/22/2014 - pavel_p Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dominus Master Class - A matter of taste (Singapore): A bit closed and in a slightly awkward place. More oak than the 01/02 but not showing more fruit. Currently lacks a bit expression and very different to the still rather primary 08. According to EM this is 91% CS, 6% CF and 3% PV. Would hold. 92+
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11/22/2014 - Nicholas81 wrote: 91 Points
Dominus Masterclass (Robert Parker's Matter of Taste, Singapore) (Singapore Art Museum): Very tannic, still somewhat closed and reticent. Structure and fruit all present. Tannins large, mouth coating and very viscous. Finish moderately long. Slightly bitter. Large gobs of bright red and dark fruits.
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11/16/2014 - rpenn77 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Good fruit but tannins were still a little prominent
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11/2/2014 - perlasteve Likes this wine: 96 Points
Steph, Perla. The Harvest Vine , Seattle, varieties of tapas. This wine was absolutely delicious, smooth, right balance of fruit and savory, tannin, low acidity and alcohol. medium finish. Benefited from venturi 1 - 2 hours before drinking. Structured to last a number more years.
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10/21/2014 - aagrawal wrote: 97 Points
Wine & Spirits Top 100 Tasting (City Walk @ Metreon, San Francisco, CA): Old school nose with eucalyptus, slight vegetal, but great fruit; palate is full bodied, dense blackberry and blackcurrant fruit, still young but excellent. Long finish. This is everything I look for in a california cabernet. 97-98
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10/5/2014 - LFCHALA Likes this wine: 94 Points
Powerful. Fruit at the right point. Structure for aging.
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9/28/2014 - Papies wrote: 93 Points
Young but full of elegance and charm. Rich yet balanced, the oak is in assimilation mode but the wine owns the oak her and it has a lot of depth and a solid core fruit to carry it many summers more. Just be patient here and the master will deliver. Needs 5yrs more.
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9/19/2014 - sandwich Likes this wine: 94 Points
Old world style. Tasted blind, this would easily be confused with a classic Bordeaux. Graphite, lead, dark fruits and a mid-length finish. This has a long long life ahead of it but it is drinking so well now.
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7/11/2014 - AllRed wrote: 92 Points
Filling in w/the Friday Brown Bag Group (Mike & Judi's): Dark color. Cassis, vanilla, currant and violet notes. Flavors of dark fruit and vanilla, a little light through the midpalate with plenty of red fruit driving the finish. The alcohol shows just a bit, also some oak and floral notes. Flavors of black currants, chocolate and cassis liqueur. Finishes with red fruit and chocolate notes. Guessed 2007 Cab.
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5/30/2014 - soyhead wrote:
very pleasing bottle, nice fruit with some mature characteristisc, earthy & complex. drinks well now
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5/4/2014 - Janstan Likes this wine: 92 Points
Sweet creme de cassis, high alc. noticeable at first, vanilla. Had with grilled NY strip steaks
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5/4/2014 - Productman wrote: 95 Points
Drinking very nicely. Classic old world in style - close to a good left bank Bordeaux with a little extra vanilla and strawberry. Don't misunderstand - not at all sweet - very subtle. Nice smooth tannins. Good balance.
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4/17/2014 - HowardNZ Likes this wine: 93 Points
Billecart-Salmon Champagne, Burgundies, Rhones, Bordeaux etc with Sebastien, Brandon and Maciej (Museum Hotel, Wellington): Colour primary red purple. On bouquet, very primary nose of Cabernet Sauvignon aromas: crème de cassis, graphite, spice and liquorice. Also, toasty, vanilla oak. On palate, rich, sweet entry and dense mid palate. Serious structure and velvety, sweet tannins. Flavours of dark berries, liquorice and a touch of dark chocolate. Appropriate levels of acidity, with back palate intensity and good length, finishing with some minerality. Oak present on palate but not, for me, overdone. 93. Everyone but Brandon picks this as Old World (Bordeaux, Spain, Madiran etc), who has it as US and does a victory dance on the reveal!
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4/5/2014 - SonnyChiba wrote: 95 Points
3rd time trying. Always great, but this was the best showing. Beautiful bouquet of black fruits and green pepper notes. Great structure and ready to go for a bit longer. Currants, tobacco, Bordeaux style. Excellent transition into the finish. Almost up there with the 07' but not quite. Still, I love it. 95pts
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4/5/2014 - Marquis du Vin wrote: 94 Points
Had tonight at Capital Grille with Porterhouse... 1.5 hours in the decanter she opened up and did not disappoint. Worth EVERY penny! This wine was fantastic! Bold, concentrated full of fruit block buster. The Cabernet is silky and strong, great legs showing on the glass, finish was superb. Very different than the Opus, but in a good way. Looking forward to consuming my Dominus wines over the years to come.
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4/4/2014 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted for 30 minutes before drinking. Inky blackish purple in color. Black and other dark fruit on the nose. Smooth mouthfeel and finish that got smoother and smoother as time went on. Sweet, dark fruit flavors - delicious! Great taste nice I've come to expect from this wine.
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2/15/2014 - Tarrant wrote: 94 Points
Amazing Cali Cab, not much more needs to be said, this was outstanding - Dark, full bodied with a nose of black fruit, plum, cigar box, spice and vanilla, amazing balance and structure, sweet, smooth, on the palate with extraordinary length, amazing! (94 Points).
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2/2/2014 - KPB wrote: 90 Points
A bit overoaked for me, but probably the WOTN for others at this dinner. Very vanilla on the nose with coffee and chocolate notes. Warm and friendly; a welcoming wine that you want to enjoy, but not challenging. Good acid structure, soft tannins. Drink up!
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12/31/2013 - DaddyNeedsPow Likes this wine: 91 Points
We were forced in to drinking this early, as we were stuck without any other options at the family's beach rental. A Target store was within reach to at least give us a quick trip to decent glassware. I tried to give it as much of a decant as possible into our glasses and left open in bottle for 5 hours and tasted over the next seven. Restrained on the nose, but typical elegant Dominus bouquet with cassis and violet. Nice in the mouth with a lovely licorice finish following cherry with hints of chocolate and spice. A bit short and the tannins are on the gritty side, further convincing me that drinking most vintages before the age of 10 is just too soon.
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12/27/2013 - JMLoree wrote: 94 Points
This Dominus has come into its optimum drinking window and is highly refined and complex.
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12/7/2013 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine: 93 Points
Zachy's auction w/ some CTers (Marea - 240 Central Park South): This is soft and supple and there's that cinnamon that I seem to get in a lot of the best cabs. It's low in fruit and high in grandma's spice cabinet. Still some forest floor - pine cones and a bit of leaves and sticks. Another great wine.
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9/2/2013 - heidoanddave Likes this wine: 93 Points
Beautiful and well integrated wine. Dark cherries. Decanted for 4-5 hours.
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8/11/2013 - pmeeno wrote: 98 Points
Tonight this wine was ripe and fruit forward. It had wonderful mouth feel. There were notes of chocolate, coffee, and some dark berries. It is still relatively young, but the tannins were well integrated. As with all great wines, the last taste was the best, and had me longing for more.
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6/14/2013 - JMLoree Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank on my 55th birthday along with an '86. Shows the power and finesse one expects from this bottling... Still needs plenty of time to begin to reach full potential.
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2/22/2013 - TOTOM wrote: 94 Points
Very concentrated, long finish 10 sec.
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2/18/2013 - Coralspringscom wrote: 94 Points
Nice . Great taste.
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2/14/2013 - GoHeels Likes this wine: 94 Points
Excellent Cali Bordeaux. Decanted 5 hours and was pleased. After another two this was stellar. Great nose, smooth round tannins, and a wonderful lingering finish.
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2/2/2013 - bigdogsteve wrote: 95 Points
Decanted for 2 hours, and served with Grass Fed Filet Mignon, Asparagus and Sweet Potato. Blue Cheese Butter on the steaks combined with this wine were incredible. The subtle complexity of the wine was not lost on us, and each new bite of steak brought out a slightly different depth of the wine. It's my 2nd purchase of a $100+ wine, and it was well worth it.
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1/30/2013 - winolee wrote: 93 Points
If you want a Cali cab that drinks more like a Bordeaux, then Dominus is it.
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1/25/2013 - dream Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is an excellent vintage for Dominus; not a blockbuster but rather refined and very drinkable with lovely black and blue fruits and ripe, dusty tannins. Finishes complex with nice mineral notes. A tame and pretty Cali Cab that actually goes well with food!
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12/26/2012 - BadOyster Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is one of the few times when I'll give James Suckling credit: he nailed this wine. This wine was full of iodine/salty essence that reminded me a bit of the scent of the ocean crashing against a jetty. There was a chalkiness and minerality not commonly found in red wine. Very intriguing. Would I pay >$100 to have it again? No. But I'm glad I did for the first try. A great thought-provoking wine - definitely NOT a typical california cab, as it had lean fruit, good grip, etc.
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12/19/2012 - rpenn77 wrote: 94 Points
Big rich oaky Cab.
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12/1/2012 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
Blending 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, this delicious wine opens with an enticing perfume packed with chocolate, coffee bean, blackberries and truffle. On the palate, the wine is soft, silky, plush and structured to age. With so much ripe, juicy fruit, you can drink this now, or give it another 5 years. The wine was aged in 40% new, French oak for 16 months.
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8/2/2012 - Vin Lover wrote: 93 Points
Muted in the first place as it was poped and poured, but showed up quite well after an hour plus in the glass. Has a pronounced alcohol nose with spices, liquorice, black cherry, dark chocolates, dried herbs, green olives notes, impressive as it does gives a very structure and steady feeling despite its pungent nature. Very silky on the palate that possess of fine, sweet tannins, wood spice, and various dark fruits. Good balance, weight and complexity and the hidden, high acidity provides the vital freshness to this heavy wine. Long finish that has some oaky vanilla and seductive black fruits/cocoa flavours.
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7/29/2012 - farinas wrote: 91 Points
very closed but there were apparent layers of complexity, too young
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7/21/2012 - psmith wrote: 92 Points
Firm, dark, and rather hard at this point. Grainy, tannic body. Nice restraint, with good core material, but very young.
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7/16/2012 - Rafili wrote: 96 Points
- Brick color with medium forming legs. It's in total harmony with a full body. Round texture with a long finish - Drank at Chopping Block cooking class
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7/16/2012 - Rafili wrote:
- It's in total harmony with a full body. Round texture with a long finish - Brought to Chopping Block cooking class.
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7/9/2012 - Redondo-Wino Likes this wine: 97 Points
I had this bottle in a blind heads up against a '03 Pichon Lalande. When first out of bottle, the nose was almost muted. But as the night progress it continued to evolve in the glass and it just got better and better. After two hours of decanting the wine opened up completely, and it showed bright pure Napa fruit while having the balance of Bordeaux at the same time. Truly an amazing wine. Loved it!
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5/25/2012 - KPB wrote: 94 Points
An impressive bottle, early maturity. Deep ruby. Nose dominated by cassis and leather, coffee, licorice. Powerful, ripe, perhaps a bit aggressively tannic. Long finish builds slowly, with layers of fruit and minerals.
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5/6/2012 - flyfysher wrote: 96 Points
Opened the bottle the night before and let it sit rather than decant it. Also had the '04 Hosanna. This was clearly more fruit forward than I am used to when drinking Dominus and definitely a very powerful wine. Some alcoholic heat on the finish.
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4/28/2012 - pkatz wrote: 92 Points
Blind 05-07 Napa Cab tasting. Open about 3-4 hours. Young and balanced. Needs some time, but I always fear aging off vintage wines no matter how good their pedigree.
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3/23/2012 - yonster24 wrote:
Wow. Wonderful from the word jump. Gorgeous nose of black cherry, wet asphalt, and black licorice to start. Med - full bodied on the plate with some serious grip. As it opens it becomes more expressive, with fresh cut hay and leather joining the party along with a distinct note of dusty coco powder to it. Restrained and wonderful on the palate. Though it will age for years to come, this is very enjoyable with a healthy decant.
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11/29/2011 - beezer6 wrote: 90 Points
Dominus Seminar with Christian Moueix (Binny's Lincoln Park): Fragrant raspberry pancake syrup again. Lighter than the '08 by quite a bit in fact. Some nice red fruit, cotton candy and a touch of tutti frutti and bubble gum. Not as much minerals as the '08.
Palate is a bit austere and spicy. finishes a little short. Lots of power but not the balance of the '08. Harder tannins and acid is elevated as well. Peppery and spicy baking spice. Not my favorite style of Dominus. Stemmy and a little austere for my palate.
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11/29/2011 - DSaeedi wrote: 96 Points
Dominus: An Evening With Christian Moueix (Binnys Lincoln Park): Beautiful wine that is not as flawless as the 2008, but perhaps more interesting. It is brooding and moody at this youthful stage. Nose reveals red and black currant fruit, a very floral deep blossom note, forest floor, dusted notes and chocolate and plenty of earthiness. Slightly closed, opaque and definitely brooding here. I will call it vampiric! Tannins natually soft, but a little more noticeable than the 2008. Not as seamless, but just as complex and concentrated. Very long finish. Not ready to drink and not as deceivingly ready as the 08, but again it is a very interesting wine. Not perfect, but perhaps more attractive because of it.
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8/25/2011 - Rick and Debra wrote:
- Garnet color - Dinner with Mark and Dolores and Thad and Mary Ellen. Veal/mushrooms
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8/13/2011 - Rick and Debra wrote:
- Crimsom color with medium forming legs.
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7/15/2011 - IamNotDrinkingAny#@!%Merlot wrote: 90 Points
A bit more evolved since my last bottle 2 years ago. Very, very nice - but still not great. I should have waited until 10 years vintage age.... It will probably be fantastic then. My own darn fault for not waiting.
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7/10/2011 - BK29 wrote: 93 Points
After breathing downstaris the whole day, which was absolutely necessary, this wine finally came around. Very much an elegant Bordeaux-style with some nice black fruit. Ultimately IMO a good, perhaps "quite good" wine but not great.
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5/21/2011 - jmudukes79 wrote:
De-lish
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4/25/2011 - sjdoc Likes this wine: 96 Points
rich dark flavors.
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4/23/2011 - DirkL wrote: 88 Points
ok. lots of fruits. Maybe a bit early.
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4/14/2011 - tcowan wrote: 80 Points
Perhaps I should have opened this sooner. There was little flavor left in the bottle and was tasting of vinegar. Otherwise nothing offensive, just boring.
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3/6/2011 - eyeguy wrote: 92 Points
Very tight and tannic on opening, but after an hour in decanter started to show its pedigree. Still young and could use more time in the cellar.
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2/22/2011 - wineotim wrote: 92 Points
Intense aromas of black cherry, with more focused black cherry on the palate. Nicely balanced, fresh and young, finishes with dry chalky tannins. This wine borders between fruit bomb and restrainment. Ultimately it comes off as a more elegant but still forward style of Napa Meritage. Vanilla oak is kept in check. Really nice wine, but it does not have that "Wow" factor.
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2/12/2011 - Eurocave Likes this wine: 95 Points
Distinct long finish, complex yet perfectly balanced. Opened with rich character and expressive flavours of dark berry fruits and smooth tannins. Smooth yet full body with a touch of spice to match with a bold meal of lamb or dark meat.
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1/16/2011 - dke wrote: 90 Points
California vs. Europe (Bordeaux blends) BLIND TASTING: The nose was initially really fresh with lots of sour cherries but it did show some prominent cabernet franc component (leafy) which made me think this was Kopar. Really good palate but extremely tannic, good finish. On the retaste ~1hour later this actually started tasting like an artificial fruit bomb. 90-91 (started like 91, but then it decreased to < 90). Guessed Kopar (second guess Dominus).
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1/11/2011 - wicked wrote: 92 Points
Obviously this wine is still VERY young. That being said it is tasting well now - opened up nicely over dinner. Looking forward to this maturing.
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1/4/2011 - Colia wrote: 92 Points
The nose is full of brooding dark cherries, cranberry and black tea. I appreciate a slight astringency that could come from a cool temperature. But overall, wow. The fruit/wood balance is perfect and the finish goes on forever.
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1/3/2011 - xtian wrote: 92 Points
Deep rich and concentrated. I liked it a lot despite the relative low parker scores. Cannot wait to drink my 07s!
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12/4/2010 - OldSpec Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very fragrant nose of flowers and jam, on the palate the attack was surprising smooth followed by muscular tannins. This is a showy red that will benefit from a few more years of cellaring.
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11/21/2010 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
Popped & poured, consumed over the course of dinner, alongside the 2007 Carpe Diem for comparison's sake. Inky garnet color. Aromas of blackberry, cassis, herbs and green tobacco. Full-bodied, with fine-grained tannins and flavors of cassis, dark fruit and plums. Long finish, picking up soft spice and earth qualities. Will be a gorgeous wine at full maturity.
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10/28/2010 - wino_tim wrote: 91 Points
A very nice showing, this is pure, relatively fresh, and expressive with loads of crushed plum, currant paste, black cherry and oak aromas. Nearly full bodied, and fleshy on the palate with good sweetness to the black fruit and espresso flavors. Drinking well young.
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10/20/2010 - ews3 wrote: 91 Points
Zachys Robin Hood 2010 Wine Tasting (La venue, NYC): lighter fruit profile -- was surprised at the contrast with the 07 Napanook.
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10/15/2010 - vine20 wrote: 91 Points
Deep garnet in color with a mixed dark fruit nose. Layers of raspberries and cherries, some earth, cassis, leather. Moderate tannins.
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8/4/2010 - Wamrod Does not like this wine: 82 Points
I've collected a bunch of these, based on their scores, sight unseen, and untasted... till now. Have 2005, 2006 and 2007 bottles in cellar.
I hope the 05 and 07 are much better. This 06 is just too full of oak and charcoal, completely drowns out the fruit. Sorry, not for me. Also, lots of bitter, like green or stems. Unfortunate for this bottle that I drank it with a 2006 Buoncristiani OPC, which had much nicer fruit and a lot less burnt muck.
I just cannot find anything attractive, nor artistic, about this level of over-oak, particularly just HUGE charcoal like this Dominus. To me there was some green fruit as well, which perhaps the oak can hide, but I just don't like this.
Some might say it's just too young, however I'm not one of them. I had an '05 Flinders Run and that was well young, yet delicious like veal. This Dominus was not in the same category. And I'd still feel that way at half the price. Damn... looks like I'll be giving away some as pres'ies..
Color me disappointed, but never fear, I'll leave the other bottles for a LONG time and hope it gets better. Sorry to be harsh... like this bottle.
NOTE: After 5 hours, it developed quite an attractive nose, which got my hopes up a bit, however, upon tasting the burnt forest slapped me back to reality. Whatever fruit I could smell was not able to come through on the palate... at all.
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7/26/2010 - SyrahQueen wrote: 94 Points
Really enjoyed this wine. Very Bordeaux like. But feel like I drank too early. Will be lovely in another few years. The nose was earthly and even hints of leather after a few more swirls the vanilla, cherries and currants were coming through. Had great complexities and balance. Definitely still a lot of tannins. Will age very nicely. Will put away my other bottles for a few years.
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7/15/2010 - Capt Cutlass wrote: 92 Points
Decanted. Medium dark hue. Complex nose with mocha, cocoa and toast and dark berries lurking in the background. Red berries in the mouth give it a bright note to go with its pleasing acidity. The mineral finish helps give it an elegant style. Not a heavy wine.
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7/15/2010 - Ajtrader wrote: 88 Points
Should have decanted it longer
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6/19/2010 - MySacha wrote: 92 Points
Drank at my parents, bought at Granville Island.
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5/6/2010 - srkool wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for about 45 minutes but wine was still slightly "hot". After about 90 minutes, wine began to open up and got better from there. At 2 hours decanting, wine was enjoyable with more complex flavors. I would have given it a higher score but it is still too young. Hold or decant for at least 2 hours. Enjoyed over a dinner of Tri-tip.
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4/17/2010 - slywka7 Likes this wine: 94 Points
It had been decanted for 2 hours. The wine was still very tight but through the tannins, it had very nice structure and fruit.
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1/30/2010 - cliffkol wrote: 92 Points
Crown Wine Project Newborn Tasting (Hollywood, FL): Great nose. Earthy. Long, spicy finish. (Doris 'good').
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1/26/2010 - Double-A Likes this wine: 93 Points
Earthy currant, tar, mineral and bread dough nose. Rich with dark flavours; assertive with dry, gripping tannins. Good, long, smoky finish.
4.5/5
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1/10/2010 - J0R0 wrote:
Drank at NaHa with large group. Opened and poured right away. Tasted fantastic without decanting.
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12/26/2009 - pmeeno wrote: 95 Points
Let the bottle decant for two hours and it really benefited from the additional air. The wine really opened up over the night and is a really great Dominus. It is full bodied with well integrated tannins and a long, full finish.
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12/20/2009 - IamNotDrinkingAny#@!%Merlot wrote: 86 Points
I was expecting much more... first time trying this wine. Very chalky, grainy texture... tannins were drying. I have 1 more bottle and I will give it at least 3 more years, if not more.
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12/5/2009 - KVM wrote:
K&L Big California Cabernets (Redwood City, K&L wine store): Dk red. Cherries, eucalyptus. Lovely med body structure and the cherry flavours - only a hint of oak. Excellent.
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12/5/2009 - europat55 wrote:
Good but still medicinal nose. I was not very impressed by this wine, but there is definitly a lot in there. Annoying finish. Hopefully this will get better with time. C
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11/14/2009 - kstoddard wrote: 88 Points
Big Red! (Sportsman's): Dark purple color. Sweet cherry nose. Tastes of blackberry, violet and mint. Tannic and chewy. Good balance. Charred oak finish with some green bell pepper. Why can't I embrace this wine? Ridiculously over priced for the quality.
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11/14/2009 - jeff nowak wrote:
i've given up on this wine. it's just not in my wheelhouse.
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11/5/2009 - KeithAkers wrote: 92 Points
Bordeaux Night (Binny's Grand Ave.): nose: real pungent and expressive nose of cedar, red currants, black currants, dark red cherries and some sour berries with a touch of cranberries. Great depth and showing off the skeleton of the wine right now
taste: tasty medium/full feel with big tannins and deep tones of cedar, anise, red currants, dark red cherries, and cranberries. Has a real polish to the tones underneath the tannins
overall: a real good young dominus. Very young, but the outline is there for something really good, but patience will be required. Has really good depth on both the nose and palate with a real sense of class to it
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10/31/2009 - cpsmith33 wrote: 91 Points
had at recent tasting against other cali cabs. clearly most bordeaux of the bunch. way too young right now.
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10/27/2009 - ews3 wrote: 93 Points
Zachys Fall 2009 Food & Wine Extravaganza (The Lighthouse at Pier Sixty (NYC)): thicker and more concentrated than the napanook. this really shines late in the midpalate and on the full, thick finish.
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10/14/2009 - mmdavis4 wrote: 93 Points
Quite Bordeaux in character. Deep color. Leather and spice on the nose. This is still young and rather lean right now. Rather aggressive in the mouth, but in a good way. Lots of grip. Excellent length. I like this quite a lot. An excellent red meat wine. Probably best to wait a couple years before drinking more. This wine should last for many, many years.
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9/25/2009 - wino_tim wrote: 88 Points
An odd showing for this wine: very earthy with an Old World feel to the brett-influenced must, animal, dried herb, dried cherry and leather flavors. Medium bodied with an unusual amount of acidity.
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6/15/2009 - Bradford wrote: 89 Points
Dark purple and unctuous. Extremely expressive, gorgeous BDX nose: dark cherries, cassis, oregano, chocolate, toffee, graham cracker. In the mouth, a toasty start with peanut (?) character gives way to overwhelming chocolate and a bit of Syrah-like spice and bacon. The nose promised so much, but things fell apart and became one-dimensional in the mouth. This finishes hot and short. But I'm still thinking: What a nose!
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6/6/2009 - jivey wrote: 88 Points
87% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest small amounts of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot) is made in a riper, more California style than usual, displaying more exuberant, up-front notes of kirsch, black currants, and plums. Deep and full-bodied with low acidity, sweet tannin, and a fleshy, succulent personality, it tastes like a classic Napa Cabernet
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