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News
‘Haunting’ Dominus 2014 released
The latest vintage from Napa Valley heavyweight, Dominus, has been released alongside two other “wonderful” 2014 wines from the Moueix family’s California holdings.
The estate’s UK agent, Corney & Barrow, has sent out its offer for the 2014 Dominus, Napanook and Othello with the latter wine making just its second appearance in the offer for UK customers, the first being the 2012 vintage.
The 2014s cap off a trio of particularly excellent vintages in the Napa Valley that are regularly described as ‘must-haves’.
The 2014 Othello – a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Petit Verdot – is described by Christian Moueix as a wine to be “enjoyed with a more casual meal”.
The next step up is the Cabernet Sauvignon/Petit Verdot/Cabernet Franc blend of the Napanook. “Substantial on the attack, the ripe blackberry fruit brimming with vitality,” noted Corney & Barrow’s description, buyers should not however mistake for this for anything less than a “world class wine”, just because of its “glamorous sibling” that sits atop the release pile.
The 2014 Dominus, the 31st vintage from the estate, has “hallmarks of Bordeaux” and a “haunting, darkly fruited nose” – a wine with “real breeding”, commented fine wine director Will Hargrove.
Just 4,300 cases were produced by the estate in 2014 and allocations are limited.
Despite the offer only going out this morning Hargrove told the drinks business that the response had nonetheless been immediate.
Earlier this month the Opus One 2014 was released to great fanfare and Liv-ex recently examined the curious phenomenon that despite Dominus consistently scoring the better points (the 2014 has 97 from The Wine Advocate), it is Opus One which tends to command the higher prices.
Sadly, despite the release of their excellent 2014 wines, Napa Valley has been in the news recently due to the horrendous wildfires that are ripping through the local communities, destroying homes and businesses and taking numerous lives.
In response to the devastation, NVV has reactivated the Napa Valley Community Disaster Relief Fund, which the NVV established in 2014 following the South Napa earthquake.
Those wishing to make donations can contribute via the Community Foundation of Napa Valley’s website, or by clicking the link available on the napavintners.com website. The Community Foundation plans to begin distributing funds to those in need in the coming days.