2011 Château Le Dôme
Estimated value
Buying options
Tasting notes
A slightly cooler vintage than 2010, but still dry, and the aromatics here bring edges of incense and sandalwood, heading to cocoa bean, slate, graphite and miso broth on the opening. This has a savoury edge, and a ton of grip, along with flavourful nuanced berry fruit that is not as gourmet as the last two vintages, but has a ton of charm. Everytime you think the tannins might be drying out a little it corrects itself and lingers for another minute, releasing more juice as it does so. Accomplished and full of interest. Neil Whyte winemaker, Jonathan Maltus owner. 80% new oak for ageing, malolactic in new oak.
Critic scores
James Suckling
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
The 2011 Le Dôme has a slightly flat nose, plenty of fruit but it needs more tension, perhaps a little bretty? The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, balanced but a little dry. There is a nice touch of white pepper, but it does taper a little towards the finish.
Tasted blind. Dried herbs on the nose. Thick and sweet and lacking a bit of refreshment. Rather exaggerated. Heavy. (JR)
I’m not sure you can still call this the flagship wine of proprietor Jonathan Maltus given the other top wines he’s producing. Le Dome, which is dominated by an incredibly high percentage of Cabernet Franc (80%) and the balance Merlot (20%), is a special effort that must be tasted to be believed. The 2011 boasts gorgeously juicy blue, red and black fruits intermixed with floral and spice aromas. This supple, velvety-textured, opulent, medium to full-bodied, ethereal St.-Emilion is another stunning effort. It is amazing how well Maltus does whether the vintage provides great raw materials, or if he is confronted with more difficult challenges as he was in 2011. Drink this brilliant effort over the next 10-15 years.
About the producer
The man behind highly regarded Saint-Émilion wine Le Dôme is a Nigerian-born Brit who sold his engineering firm in 1992 to move to Cahors and restore a pile of ruins. After meeting a local vineyard owner at a dinner party, he ended up selling his production to Oddbins and was caught by the wine bug.