1994 Dominus Estate Napanook Vineyard
Red Bordeaux Blend
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- > California
- > Napa Valley
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Pro Reviews
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Decanter
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By William Kelley
(Dominus Estate, Napa Valley, California, USA, Red) Login and subscribe to see review text.
Dominus Estate Vertical, 11/5/2016, (See more on Decanter...)
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By Stephen Tanzer
(Dominus Red Wine Napa Valley Napa Valley) Login and sign up and see review text.
Horizontal Tasting of Napa Valley’s 1994 Cabernets (Jul 2015), 3/1/2015, (See more on Vinous...)
JancisRobinson.com
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By Jancis Robinson, MW
(Dominus Napa Valley Red) Subscribe to see review text.
11/8/2013, (See more on JancisRobinson.com...) -
By Alex Hunt, MW
(Dominus Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Red) Subscribe to see review text.
7/3/2012, (See more on JancisRobinson.com...) -
By Alex Hunt, MW
(Dominus Napa Valley Red) Subscribe to see review text.
7/3/2012, (See more on JancisRobinson.com...)
The WINEFRONT
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By Gary Walsh
(Dominus Napa Valley Red) Login and subscribe to see review text.
10/4/2008, (See more on The WINEFRONT...)
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By Stephen Tanzer
(Dominus Estate Red Wine Napa Valley) Login and sign up and see review text.
July/August 1999, IWC Issue #85, (See more on Vinous...)
RJonWine.com
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By Richard Jennings
(Dominus Estate Napanook Vineyard) Very dark red violet color; bretty, bell pepper, tart plum, olive, pyrazene nose; tart black fruit, bell pepper, bretty, pyrazine, grass clippings palate; medium-plus finish (too bretty to rate)
9/9/2012, (See more on RJonWine.com...) -
By Richard Jennings
(Dominus Estate Napanook Vineyard) Bricking medium dark red violet color; mature, cedar, dried currant, dried cherry nose; mature, poised, tart cassis, cedar, dried currant palate; medium-plus finish 92+ points
9/6/2012, (See more on RJonWine.com...) 92 points -
By Richard Jennings
(Dominus Estate Napanook Vineyard) Red violet color; intriguing, focused, leather and tart plum nose; good leather, mushroom, mature, tangy black fruit palate; medium-plus finish
8/13/2007, (See more on RJonWine.com...) 93 points -
By Richard Jennings
(Dominus Estate Napanook Vineyard) corked
7/21/2007, (See more on RJonWine.com...)
Rockss and Fruit
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By Lyle Fass
(Dominus) What a nose! Leather, jammy fruit, smoke, oak, mocha, hint of dried cherry. Reminded me of a 1990 Montrose I had recently on the nose. The palate was pretty good. No complaints here. Glyceril, jammy, super-ripe, balanced, layered, and long. Lighter than I expected. I never have had Dominus until tonight and it was everything it was built up to be. Easily the most Bordeaux-like Cali wine I have ever had. Still though it has that jammy fruit aspect that distinguishes it. Very nice.
1/6/2003, (See more on Rockss and Fruit...)
NOTE: Some content is property of Decanter and Vinous and JancisRobinson.com and The WINEFRONT and RJonWine.com and Rockss and Fruit.
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Wine Definition
- Vintage1994
- TypeRed
- ProducerDominus
- VarietyRed Bordeaux Blend
- DesignationEstate
- VineyardNapanook Vineyard
- CountryUSA
- RegionCalifornia
- SubRegionNapa Valley
- AppellationNapa Valley
- Display optionsDefault
- UPC/EAN Code000000638050, 017224712107, 099993542048, 121272415337, 3157719387049, 636595106751, 636595107758, 636595115753, 636595116750, 636595196752, 636595199753, 636595211752, 636595212759, 636595219758
4/21/2024 - Cailles wrote: 100 Points
It’s no secret that the 1994 vintage always delivers: highly layered, with a great blend of tertiary and fresh aromas, good freshness and tension, pure elegance with beautiful balance, and particularly a lots of drinking pleasure. But this specific bottle set a new benchmark: it had all that and much more: even more expressiveness, an even broader aromatic spectrum down to olives (where did those come from?) and a irresistible hint of brett (at least to my palate), meaty notes, aromatic precision that couldn’t be better and a harmony reaching unthinkable heights. Hands down, this was a perfect Bordeaux, better than every Bordeaux I’ve had in some time, better than all previous bottles of the 1994. A genuine Wow moment, unparalleled and unforgettable.
TN: Right from the first sniff to the long-lasting, expanding finish, this is highly expressive with intense and highly precise aromas that are too many to mention them all. A perfect mixture of mature aromas (tobacco, black truffle), fresh, primary aromas (vibrant, fresh forest fruit core mixed with ripe red and dark fruit), a touch of barnyard funk, meaty notes like a mature Pomerol, spices, minerality, vegetal aromas adding more crunch...... endless beauty. Impeccable structural frame with finely melted tannins, high tension and freshness, and a silky texture. The balance between all the components couldn’t be better. A dream wine.
Decanting: Some Dominus 1994 bottles needed hours, some no decanting at all. This one didn’t need any decanting.
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3/23/2024 - sirpat00 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Tasted blind at a social event. Obviously guessed beautifully aged Bordeaux as always with this one. Clear fruit of blueberry, cherry and lighter red berries on a bed of wet earth. Toppings of black truffles and spicy seasoning, sweet pipe tobacco and contrasting vegetal notes. Palate impresses with great tension and soft, caressing tannin. Aromatically showing seductive sweet fruit and leathery elements. Bottle nr. 8 in the last 6 years (from various sources) and this one was the best so far. A fabulous wine and one the best “Bordeaux” I’ve had.
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3/23/2024 - EMAZurich Likes this wine: 98 Points
Ich habe an diesem Abend nicht mitgeschrieben aber dieser Wein war nicht von dieser Welt - schreibe diese Notiz auch hauptsächlich um dieses unglaubliche Aroma (das ich immer noch so klar präsent habe) nicht zu vergessen.
Böse Zungen mögen sagen „könnte meine Nase auch in einen Pferdearsch stecken“, ja, der Wein war in der Nase wie auch am Gaumen von deutlichen Stallaromen geprägt. Aber diese war mit umwerfenden Waldbeerentönen, Trüffel, Honig und Teer kombiniert, Fruchtdruck wie ein Jungwein und eine tolle, süssliche Komponente, die ein endloses Finale einleitet. Showstopper.
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3/23/2024 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 97 Points
OMG this was so good. Super layered and complex, showing notes of cassis, dark fruit, menthol, some black truffle, forest floor, leather, tobacco and also a touch of pyrazine (reminding me of Cab Franc). It‘s medium-full bodied, ripe but classic at the same time, with some medium super silky tannin, medium+ acidity adding freshness and just a mouthfeel of creaminess and richness without weight. Super long finish. An epic bottle and a testament to the greatness of Napa. Too bad most wines are much more extracted now and much riper…
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3/23/2024 - Anca Bernet Likes this wine: 97 Points
Wiedermal mit altem bordeaux verwechselt. Schöne tertieräre aromen. Erinnert am figeac 1993. Scheint ein warmer 30 jähriger Bordeaux. Rote frucht, herbal, tabacco
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