2005 Dominus Estate Red Wine Napa Valley

Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine: 92 points

92% Cabernet Sauvignon; 5% Cab. Franc; 3% Petit Verdot. A quick glance at this wine may leave the impression that it is a bit too tough and tannic and not quite as rich in fruit as it could be, but a second and third look finds it unfolding and revealing ever more richness and depth. As it opens, it shows elements of dark cherries, loam, sweet cream and touch of pencil-box spice, and its layered flavors are rife with curranty fruit that powers past its considerable tannins. As in vintages past, this latest opus from Dominus is a wine meant for keeping, and eight to ten years of cellaring seems a minimum wait.

Review Date: August 2008