Le Dôme has been made with majority (~80%) Cabernet Franc long before it was cool, and remains the biggest expression of Cabernet Franc in Bordeaux. With a reputation for producing a wine that is wild, opulent and fragrant as well as being rich, concentrated and lively. It’s a wine that drinks well after 3-4 years but stays alive for decades. The 2018 is beautifully perfumed, with rich black fruit character.
Producer Information
Le Dôme is a small but highly-regarded Saint-Emilion Grand Cru vineyard and winery on the Saint-Emilion plateau two kilometers (1.2 miles) west of Saint-Emilion town. Owned by Nigerian-born British businessman Jonathan Maltus (and previously made at his Château Teyssier estate south of town), the former garage wine is heavily based on Cabernet Franc, partnered with Merlot, and is made in very small volumes for the region, and Bordeaux as a whole.The first vintage of Le Dôme appeared in 1996, and the wine immediately placed itself in the vanguard of the “garage” movement of the 1990s, regularly challenging the Premier Cru Classés in terms of both quality and prices achieved. The 2010 vintage earned a perfect 100 points from high-profile US wine critic, Robert Parker, nosing ahead of the 2009, which had scored 99.
