"When I arrived, there was really nothing here," says Christian Moueix, describing his first days at the helm of Dominus Estate. "There was one shed and one tractor. That first harvest, I remember driving exactly 20 miles in the tractor with a double hopper in tow to take the grapes to Rombauer to be crushed, because we didn't have our own facility. And when I got there, there was a line of growers waiting to drop off their grapes. So I had to wait for a few hours with the fruit sitting in the hot sun. Looking back, it's a fond memory now." Moueix admits that he can see things fondly now because so much has changed since that time. Dominus was very much a barebones operation in the beginning. For example, in those early days there was still Chardonnay planted in the vineyard, which Moueix would sell to provide cash flow to the winery. Today, all of the Chardonnay is gone, and the fruit harvested from Moueix's Dominus Estate doesn't sit out in the sun waiting to be processed it goes straight into the sleek and modern Herzog & de Meuron-designed winery facility that was built in time for the 1997 harvest.
Dominus' success is evidenced in the steady progression of quality the wine demonstrated in a recent vertical tasting, covering 14 vintages between the debut 1983 and still-in-barrel 2021. The wines were tasted non-blind with Moueix and current winemaker Tod Mostero at Dominus in August.
It's this success that makes the early days such a fascinating story. It even took Moueix two years before he got a vintage into bottle.
Denne historien er fra November 30, 2022-utgaven av Wine Spectator.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra November 30, 2022-utgaven av Wine Spectator.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
New Zealand's Success Story
From small beginnings, the country’s wines have ascended to global prominence
Wine Is Healthiest Choice for Drinkers
Decades of research has linked light to moderate drinking, especially of wine, to a range of health benefits.
In Pursuit of the Perfect Crust
“Dough is always the hardest challenge for any home chef,” explains chef and restaurateur Tony Gemignani. “But it’s the foundation of any great pizza.”
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In Napa’s Conn Valley, a family-run winery marches to its own drum
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RECENT VINTAGES DELIVER EXCELLENT REDS AND WHITES IN AN ARRAY OF STYLES
Tuscany Comes of Age
Anchored by the 2021 vintage, Tuscan reds set a new standard of quality
The Absolute Best Places to Eat and Drink in America
PROFILES OF THE 63 WINE SPECTATOR GRAND AWARD WINNERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TODAY, AS THE PROGRAM MARKS ITS 44TH YEAR
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Big Wine Players Target Pinot Noir - Plenty of small winery owners are cashing out, either because they're looking to retire or they see selling as the best way to keep their label growing
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Restaurant Awards- Lazy Bear- Lazy Bear bills itself as a modern American dinner party. But it's so much more.
Lazy Bear bills itself as a modern American dinner party. But it’s so much more. This Mission District restaurant effortlessly strips away the formality of a multicourse dinner and replaces it with conviviality, nostalgia and curiosity. With reverence for time and place, Lazy Bear is an ode to California where guests dine in concert with the season and can explore diverse wines, including an impressive collection of older California vintages.
