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Château La Dominique

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Address: 33330 St Emilion

Telephone: +33 (0)5 57 51 31 36

E-mail: info@vignobles.fayat.com

Website: www.vignobles.fayat.com

Château La Dominique produces rich St Emilion in a modern style.

Vineyard/Terroir: 23 hectares, 25% of which are on deep gravel, and 75% on gravel soils with a clay base. Double sorting of the grapes, in the vineyard and in the winery. Planted with 80% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Winemaking/Elevage: 22 small stainless steel fermenters to vinify parcel by parcel. 15-18 months in oak, between 50-70% new each vintage.  Second wine Saint Paul de Dominique. Classified a Grand Cru.

Tasting notes:

  • 2015 Lovely dense yet glossy looking colour; saturated but vital; ripe seam of fruit on the nose; black cherry and cassis; nice velvety style on the palate; lovely; beautifully handled extraction and beautiful fruit; very pretty but also substantial; great length. Super wine. I love La Dominique. [85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% alc]. Drink 2020-2035. 94-96+
  • 2014 Deep saturated look; black centre; ripe red and black fruits; deep; little dumb at first; then plums and black cherry come across; creamy attack; plums and black cherries again; ball of extract; some chew but also freshness. Should settle well. [85% Merlot, Cabernet Franc 15%]. Drink 2020-2030. 5. Tasted UGC 1st April ’15. 89-91+
  • 2013 Deep and saturated look; very deep; coffee and mocha tones with some sweet plum and blackcurrant fruit; nice fruit on the palate with some extract but not bad effort at all. Acidity here for freshness. Little chewy on the finish. Tasted April 2, 2014 UGCB. Drink 2018-2025. 87-89+
  • 2012 Deepish colour; quite deep; spicy blackcurrant notes with some undergrowth; very attractive; full palate; caressing with beautiful fruit tones which manage to be seductive and fresh; there is vigour and sap on the finish and plenty of fruit and texture. A beauty on the day. Drink now-2027. 93+ UGC Oct ’12 [Earlier note] Deep and very saturated; Cabernet Franc here gives an earthy twist to the nose; deep; alongside the CF are wonderful plummy tones; this feels tighter than their 2011; red fruits and quite dense and pent up; then it opens up; fresh palate, good acidity and texture from the CF. Like this – usually do. Chewy finish. 85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc 91-93 UGC Wednesday April 10, 2013
  • 2011 Mid depth; ripe strawberry tones with cassis; stalky blackcurrants; attractive; plums and blackcurrants on the palate; cassis too; good structure and chew on the finish. Plenty of depth here. Nice wine, well handled in the cellar. Drink 2015-2026. 90+ UGC Oct ’13 [Earlier note] Deep and dark again; lots of ripe red strawberry fruits; quite hedonistic to use a Parkerism; some toasty oak too; layers and jam packed [literally]. Sweet, ripe fruit on the palate; attractive but structure beneath; fruit, oak and tannin but nicely done. Chewy, dense finish. 85% Merlot , 15% Cabernet Franc. Tasted UGC 4/4/12. 90-92+
  • 2010 Deep and saturated; very black looking; little reductive note; prunes and black fruits beneath; saturated palate which is full of fruit; pretty dense overall and extracted but tannins not dry [as at Dassault] or bitter. Pretty hefty La Dominique. Drink 2017-2030. 92+ MW Institute Nov ’14 [Earlier note] Deep and saturated colour; wet rocks; fresh; stalky note; depth and layers here; some tension too [ie complexity, not a monolithic wave of cloying super-ripe fruit]. Nice fruit qualities; very saturated and layered but without the jammy qualities; red fruits and stalky freshness; Nice chew and depth overall. Saturated with fruit but retains freshness and bite. Great effort. 93+ UGC Oct ’12 [Earlier] Very deep, concentrated look; minerals, rocks and ripeness; also seductive qualities big and thick palate with lots of flesh and extract and warmth; some grip at the end. Pretty plush in the middle with real density. Chew and tannin but plenty of lush fruit here 90-92+/100 6 April 2011 UGC
  • 2009 Very deep and saturated look; spicy plum tones with some earthy development; attractive to me; very saturated and full on the palate but not leaden and plodding. Nice sap and not cloying. Freshness alongside the depth and extract. Very good handling of the vintage. Drink now -2030. 93 MW Institute Nov ’13 [Earlier note] Dense and arterial; earthy, initially some bottle stink that blew off; ripe notes but not jammy; lots of depth and chew with minerality; nice palate with earthy notes alongside the fruit; lots of tannin here but very ripe, but gives the wine density and chew on the finish. Very good effort. 93+/100 UGC Oct ’11 [Earlier] Dense and tight to the rim; briary nose; little reductive note; lots of fruit though; strawberry and red fruits beneath. Some wet stone and minerals; palate big and bold; tannic at this stage; beetroot note, should settle; lots of extract and tannin again. Long haul wine. [later] Very sturdy; massively extracted though. So difficult to judge. 90-92?/100 but only if tannins settle?
  • 2008 Deep red; legs and tight to the rim; sweet and soft, some fruit pastel alongside ripe strawberry notes; some mocha and coffee; palate has extract and tannin but not too overpowering. Nevertheless there is something that feels a little overworked here and the palate feels a bit prematurely tired. 86-88?/100 UGC Oct ‘10
  • 2007 This is it! Mid red; good colour; tight to the rim; very attractive nose with real ripeness and some intensity; well integrated oak; spicy; very attractive; good palate; intense and quite balanced; layers of fruit here; nice attractive palate with some extract but not extracted. Rather well done. Very good. 92+/100 UGC tasting Oct ‘09

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