Dominus Napanook 2012

Description

eRobertParker.com #215 Oct 2014 Robert M. Parker, Jr. Rated 92 Drink: 2014 – 2029 The 2012 Napanook (a 3,000-case blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot) is one of the strongest second wines Moueix has produced to date. Made in a sexy, open-knit, opulent style very much in keeping with the vintage’s signature, it offers up luscious notes of bay leaf, lavender, red and blackcurrants, plum sauce, licorice and Christmas fruitcake. This is a gorgeous, opulent, medium to full-bodied 2012 that is already revealing considerable complexity. Drink it over the next 10-15 years. The California outpost of Pomerol and St.-Emilion’s famed proprietor, Christian Moueix has been working at this iconic vineyard, Yountville’s Napanook, for over twenty years. Many decades ago this was the origin of some of the great Inglenook Cabernet Sauvignons. The 2012 and 2013 vintages were two of the greatest for Christian Moueix at Dominus in his long and distinguished career. Think of these as more modern day versions of the 1991 and 1994, two extraordinary early vintages at Dominus. Christian Moueix considers 2013 to be the greatest vintage of his illustrious career. Production was tiny for this estate, with only 2,000 cases of the 2013 Napanook produced and 3,500 cases of Dominus. The harvest was extremely early, beginning on September 10 and finishing on September 26. Analytically, the 2013s have the highest levels of extract and tannins ever measured at this estate. Fermentations were easy, and lasted three weeks.