2010 Dominus Napanook Vineyard

The 2010 Napanook (98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Petit Verdot) reveals a pungent, spicy, earthy, slightly herbal nose, and an exuberant mouthfeel with lots of plum, licorice, red and black currants and a hint of sweet cherries. The wine is slightly more in-your-face and aggressive than most Napanooks, but I enjoyed its exuberant style. Drink this beautiful 2010 over the next 12-15 years. Looking at the harvest dates for the 2009 through 2012 Napanook and Dominus reveals that none of these were early, very warm years, such as 2013 is promising to be in northern California. For example, in 2009 the harvest took place between October 5 and 12; 2010 between October 4 and 23; 2011 between October 15 and 24; and 2012 between October 9 and 21. Production has remained steady because the estate crop-thins as much as 50% of the harvest to ensure bunch regularity, even ripening and reasonable yields. The second wine, Napanook, tends to come in around 3,000 cases per year, and Dominus around 5,000 cases per year. I was joking with Christian Moueix when I visited the winery and I told him I am one of the geezers old enough to remember his first vintage of 1983, which was tasted at the Rombauer Cellars until he moved to what appears to be an old bank building in downtown St. Helena, after which they constructed a spectacular winery in Yountville that resembles an extension of their historic terroir. Another great vintage, the 2012s have slightly lower alcohols than the 2009s and 2010s, which surprised me given the exuberant nature of this vintage and its boisterous fruit and glycerin. I was shocked to realize that 2013 will mark over thirty vintages for Christian Moueix and Dominus, not to mention my visits each year. How time flies! Tel. (707) 944-8954

Bright ruby-red. Expressive, nuanced, lightly medicinal aromas of blackberry, mocha, coffee, spices and tobacco leaf. Offers lovely sweetness and texture, with tangy peppery lift to the flavors of bitter cherry, burnt sugar, chocolate and herbs. Dense and long for this bottling, finishing with a tart cherry note and excellent verve. This should evolve slowly for a second wine. Very successful.