Napanook vineyard spotlight
Wine Spectator: Christian Moueix on Dominus Estate, the Napanook vineyard, and why he calls it a love story.
The market on this bottle
Wine-Searcher tracks this 2023 Dominus Estate Napanook Napa Valley across the open market. Their published U.S. low is $74.40 and the average is $82.52. Our slash is $74.00.
2023 Dominus Estate Napanook Napa Valley, USA
Christian Moueix's Napanook, same dry-farmed Yountville vineyard as Dominus, James Suckling 97 at seventy-four dollars.
The 2023 Napanook is 92 percent Cabernet from the same organic, dry-farmed vineyard as Dominus, James Suckling 97, now $74.
Dominus DNA, without the Dominus ticket
Napanook Vineyard has been in vine since 1838. Christian Moueix dry-farms it organic. Dominus comes from the same ground. The 2023 Napanook is 92 percent Cabernet, more Cabernet than Dominus itself this year, James Suckling 97. This is the proof that the second wine is no longer a leftover.
The vineyard
Napanook has been in vine since 1838. Christian Moueix dry-farms it organic. Dominus comes from the same ground.
The wine
92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot. 20 months in 20% new French oak.
The scores
James Suckling 97, Wine Advocate 94, The Wine Palate 94, Vinous 93, Jeb Dunnuck 92.
The drinker
Open now. Decant 30 minutes. Duck or filet. Six bottles on this drop.
Cherry, sage, and a silk line
Suckling: blueberries, ash, stones, orange peel, chocolate, nutmeg, a long silky finish. Parker: cherries, dusty loam, black olives, black tea.
A forward, open Napanook year. Galloni says it will drink with little cellaring. Drink now through 2040.
Black cherry, cassis, pomegranate, sage, cedar, dusty earth, cacao.
Medium to full, silken tannin, 20% new oak, 92% Cabernet.
Earthy, long. Serve near 64 F. Decant 30 minutes.
Same vineyard, twenty percent new oak
Dominus Estate dry-farms Napanook organic, the Bordeaux habit Moueix brought from Pomerol: roots go deep, yields stay low, skins get thick. Napanook the wine is that vineyard with 20 percent new French oak and 20 months in barrel, not a lesser site, a different weight.
The 2023 blend is 92 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 4 percent Cabernet Franc, 4 percent Petit Verdot. Same team as Dominus. James Suckling went 97. Wine Advocate 94.
Serve near 64 F. Decant 30 minutes. Drink now through 2040.
From George Yount to Christian Moueix
The vineyard is older than Napa as a wine region.
George Yount planted here in the 1830s. The vineyard kept the Napanook name. Christian Moueix bought in, then built Dominus on that ground.
Napanook the wine is the second bottling from the same estate, more Cabernet in 2023 than Dominus itself.
George Yount planted here. Moueix kept the name on the land and put it on the second wine. That is the lineage in the glass.
Duck in the pan, filet on the board
A silken Yountville Cabernet wants duck fat and a tender filet, not a heavy braise.
Two plates. One duck breast. One filet. Both can take cherry and sage.
Serve near 64 F. Decant 30 minutes.
Pan-seared duck breast
Crisp skin, cherry glaze. Duck fat for a silken Cabernet.
Why it works: Duck fat and cherry echo pomegranate and cacao while tannin stays polite.
View Recipe for duck breast (opens in a new tab)
Filet mignon
Peppercorn sauce, asparagus. A tender cut for a forward Napanook.
Why it works: Filet softness matches the 2023's open tannin; pepper echoes sage and cedar.
View Recipe for pan-seared steaks (opens in a new tab)Open the Dominus second wine tonight
Same vineyard. Same Moueix team. James Suckling 97. Seventy-four dollars. Six bottles on this drop.
Put it in the cart. This is Napanook DNA you can drink without the Dominus ticket.
