2005 | Le Dôme | Saint-Emilion Grand Cru

An aristocratic, perfumed wine dominated by delicious Cabernet Franc. Beneath this elegant exterior, there is also power from intensely concentrated fruit and tannins. The wine is already well integrated, the wood only here by feel, balancing so well with the fruit. To finish, sweet fruit and dusty tannins combine easily.

Reviews:

• Wine Advocate: From the famous flagship estate of Jonathan Malthus, this wine normally has about 75% or more Cabernet Franc in the blend and the rest Merlot. With the great aromatic expression of the vintage, the 2005 Le Dôme offers up a smashing fireworks-like display of spring flowers, blueberries, forest floor, raspberries and cherries. Dense purple in color, medium to full-bodied, light on its feet, but super-intense and rich, this wine performed fabulously well, and is one of the superstars and profound efforts of the vintage. It is actually somewhat approachable, which is not always the case with many 2005s. Drink it over the next 20 years.

• Wine Spectator: Has green olive, licorice and cut-wood aromas, with plenty of plum and crushed berry character. Full-bodied, with round, polished tannins and a beautiful finish. A real crowd-pleaser.

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. The 3.2-hectare (7.9-acre) plot is located just south of Château Angélus on a gentle southward slope facing the Château Quintus spur, with the flatter land of the Dordogne river plain (and Château Teyssier) beyond. The vineyard soil is sandy over light clay with iron deposits and good drainage. Le Dôme is planted to 80 percent Cabernet Franc with the remainder to Merlot. This is reputed to be the highest proportion of Cabernet Franc in any Bordeaux wine. The property was formerly a section of Vieux Château Mazerat. The remainder of the latter was purchased in 2008 but retained its own identity within the Maltus stable. The grapes undergo a cold maceration and then are vinified in staineless steel tanks and wooden vats. Malolactic fermentation and aging takes place in French oak barrels. Annual production is only 750 to 1000 cases. In 2019, renowned architect Norman Foster (who also designed Château Margaux's revamped winery buildings in 2015) was engaged by Maltus to design a winery building at the Le Dôme site. The project, which cost an estimated €11 million ($13m), and includes meeting and tasting rooms, began in 2020. Although Maltus remains at the helm of the estate, Le Dôme is now primarily owned by Czech Republic-based J&T Finance Group.

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