Ch.Le Dome 2004 750ml

Wine Advocate #158, Apr 29, 2005 by Robert Parker Jr
A fragrant, ethereal-styled, dark ruby/purple-tinged effort, Le Dome¡¯s 2004 offers a precise, pure nose of menthol, cranberries, raspberries, and cherries. This medium-bodied St.-Emilion, which obviously includes considerable Cabernet Franc in the blend, exhibits good ripeness, striking elegance, and potential complexity as well as purity. Although there is not a great deal of depth, it is a suave 2004 that should shed its tannin in 2-3 years, and drink well over the following 12-15.

Still in its infancy, Le Dome was purchased in 1996 by Englishman Jonathan Maltus, who created the vineyard by bringing together parcels located close to Chateau Beau-Sejour Becot, Chateau Canon and Chateau Angelus.

The vineyard is part of the much larger Chateau Teyssier, which heads up a range of other wines – namely super cuvees – including Chateau Laforge, Le Carre, Les Asteries and Vieux Chateau Mazerat. At a very small 3.5 hectares, Le Dome is without its own cellars or chateau (and is made at the larger Chateau Teyssier itself), which is why the label lacks an official classification – although most agree the wine is at minimum a Grand Cru Classe.

The vineyard utilises one of the highest concentrations of Cabernet Franc in the Right Bank, 75%, and is planted with these vines at least 60 years old. The wine was originally produced according to ‘garagiste’ principles but has since outgrown the movement to become a highly-regarded – and difficult to obtain – wine in its own right.

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