Dominus   Dominus Napanook

2012 Dominus Napanook

By Dominus

The 2012 Dominus Napanook from Dominus, California

The 2012 Dominus Napanook from Dominus is distinguished by the unique series of environmental factors that blessed the Napa Valley in this standout year. Unpredictability is often the enemy of winemakers, but in 2012 it was nothing less than an ally, when an ideal combination of warm days, cool nights, and long hanging time resulted in pure magic.

 

The Ambrosia of Exceptional Vintages

Dedicated fine wine investors will appreciate that the unique character of the 2012 Dominus Napanook from Dominus is a testament to both nuanced winemaking and Mother Nature's caprice. A blend predominantly made from Cabernet Sauvignon supported with touches of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, the vintage seizes one's olfactory senses with an indulgent bouquet of dark berries, exotic spice and seductive hints of tobacco and cedar.

This international icon, included amongst other fine wines from USA, has an extraordinary texture that can only be described as silk dipped in liquid tenderness—an amalgam of opulence and subtlety. The lasting finish is as fascinating as it is aromatic, leaving a whispered echo of its sweetness on the palate.

 

Feasting on favoring conditions concrete return

The California wine industry was greatly favored by Mother Nature in 2012, with a balmy summer and a dry fall creating a commendable consistency in the grapes—oft-touted but seldom achieved winemaking ideal came to be in this glorious year—and thus rendering it one of the most memorable vintages from this prestigious region.

The voluptuous structure and detailed complexity allow these top-tier bottles to become cellar standards around the world. Wine lovers and investors worldwide laud it as an investment-worthy vintage sure to bring not just great returns but also matchless pleasure with every dainty pour.

The 2012 Dominus Napanook from Dominus is more than just a wine, it is a love letter to the year of its birth. It's an encapsulation of all that was right with 2012 bottled up for discerning connoisseurs to pour, sniff, sip, and relish. Take the time to savour this profound vintage—it has much to say, and it speaks in the language of sheer indulgence.

Current market price

£650.00

12x75cl

Highest score

93

POP score

50

Scores and tasting notes

93

The second wine, the 2012 Napanook Proprietary Red Wine has a similar profile, but certainly comes across as less nuanced and slightly less concentrated and profound compared to its bigger sister. It is a blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot. It does reflect the fact that the selection process has gotten so severe that the second wine at Dominus is really special in top vintages such as 2012 or 2013. The wine has low acidity, beautiful ripe black cherry and blackcurrant fruit, a hint of unsmoked cigar tobacco and a touch of roasted herbs in the finish. This is a beauty to drink over the next 15-20 years.

Robert Parker Jr - The Wine Advocate, 29 October 2015

Vintage performance