2021 Dominus Othello Napa Valley

When you hear the name Christian Moueix in the wine world, you immediately think of a legend. The famous wines of Chateau Petrus in Bordeaux and his reference Cabernet in Napa at Dominus Estate are iconic, almost priceless and this magic touch continues his work at the famous Napanook estate

It was in the famous Napanook vineyard that Christian Moueix (you know, the icon of Chateau Petrus) founded Dominus Estate in 1983. A historic site, it was the source of fruit for some of Napa Valley’s finest wines in the 1940s and 1950s. The vineyard’s history, in particular, dates back to the beginnings of Napa Valley, when in 1838 George Yount, after whom the town of Yountville was named, first planted vines there. Today, the vineyard produces three wines: Dominus, its flagship, Napanook and Othello. The Napanook vineyard, a model for its sustainable farming practices. Irrigation of the vines, the rule rather than the exception in Napa Valley, is not practiced. This forces the roots of the vines to search deep into the soil for water and nutrients. It is owner Christian Moueix’s deep conviction that this benefits the quality of the grapes, and ultimately the wine! In 2021, Dominus Estate received its CCOF (“California Certified Organic Farmers”) certification for organic farming practices.

Othello is a blend of mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, supplemented with Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. The vineyards in Napanook are cultivated with the utmost care to harvest optimally ripe fruit. Irrigation is not used to force the vines to root deep into the poor soils in search of food and moisture. There are few vineyards in California that do not require irrigation and this is one of the qualities of Napanook. After a gentle extraction, the wine is aged in barriques (the typical 228-litre Bordelaise barrels) of French oak.

The 2021 Othello is a blend of 85% cabernet sauvignon, 9% cabernet franc and the rest is petit verdot. The nose offers ripe cassis fruit, cedar wood and a (subtle) hint of spices. The taste is pure and complex with again the sultry dark fruit of blackberries, some cocoa, liquorice and velvety tannins. In the aftertaste a delicious freshness that provides balance and an immense length. Great! Dominus is a real wine for keeping with a lot of power, concentration and an immense tannin structure. Christian wanted to make a wine in addition to Dominus that would on the one hand show the class of the Napanook terroir, but also a wine that would give pleasure even younger. In 2012, the Dominus team presented the first harvest year of Othello. Immediately with great success. Othello wines, while tasty in their youth, have excellent ageing potential, gaining complexity and depth for at least 10-15 years after the vintage. The 2021 has been awarded his highest rating of 96/100 points by James Suckling.

FACT: The Dominus Proprietary Red Wine was voted the best wine in the world by Wine Spectator in 2021. The 2016 vintage of this wine (so the same vintage as this Napanook and the Othello) received the maximum score of 100/100 points from Robert Parker. The wine is in our conditioned Wine Warehouse and if you come to pick up the wine you will often also receive a nice discount. You will see your discount immediately when you choose Pick up in Checkout page. We are located almost next to the Rijksweg with plenty of parking. Click here for our address.

ABOUT DOMINUS ESTATE

Dominus Estate, owned by renowned winemaker and CEO Christian Moueix (also owner of Pétrus, Trotanoy, La Fleur-Petrus, Hosanna, among others), is part of the Historical Landmark Napanook and is widely regarded as one of the oldest vineyards (1836) in Napa Valley, California. The estate was purchased in 1946 by legendary winemaker and visionary John Daniels, and passed to his daughters in 1970. In 1982, they entered into a partnership with Christian Moueix, and Dominus Estate was created. Moueix purchased all shares in 1995 and is now the sole owner. The first Dominus wine was released in 1983 and, thanks to Moueix's influence, it immediately gained international attention.

Dominus Estate produces a second wine, Napanook, first released in 1996, and a third called “Othello”, an entry-level wine. The estate covers 44 hectares, divided into 14 parcels of mainly Cabernet Sauvignon (87%), but there is also some Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. The Merlot grape has not been used for the “Grand Vin” since 2002, but it is occasionally used in Napanook wines. The winery, built in 1996, is made of stones held together with metal wire and represents the terroir of the vineyard. The building style is in complete harmony with the landscape and protects against the heat of the day and the cold of the night.

WINES CRAFTED FOR THE AGES: “EVERY GOOD CRAFTSMAN CONDUCTS A DIALOGUE BETWEEN CONCRETE PRACTICES AND THINKING.” RICHARD SENNETT