1999 Dominus, Napa Valley

A deep purple, black colour. The nose has excellent definition: blackberry, cassis and a touch of liquorices. It has less weight and concentration than the millennial  Dominus, yet it has superior balance and far more elegance. Crisp acidity, pure blackberry and cassis. Very focused and harmonious. Backward, I would leave this 5-8 years. Impressive. Tasted October 2005.

Medium to deep garnet colour. Dried cherry, mulberry, loam, espresso and tobacco aromas with a hint of dried mint. On the palate a savoury / meaty character comes through. A firm backbone of high acidity and a medium+ level of firm tannins give good structure. Medium to full bodied, very long finish.

A surprise was the showing of the 1999 Dominus, a 7,000-case blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc, 9% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot. The wine seemed to show some green pepper notes in the nose, and tasted austere and tannic. It offers an impressive plum color as well as notes of blackberries, coffee, prunes, cedar, and herbs in the moderately intense aromatics. On the palate, this medium-bodied wine effort displays a hard style, with tough tannin and a slightly attenuated finish. If it fleshes out over the next six months, it should prove to be outstanding. (Release date 5/02) Tel. (707) 944-8954; fax (707) 944-0547