20 Years of Dominus - Part 4 - The Early 1990s

This was another interesting flight. From 1989 to 1990, there seems to have been a stylistic shift with the wines showing more sediment, bigger fruit, higher alcohol, and certainly more new oak. That said, although the 1990 and 1991 did not wow me, the 1992 was a rockstar of a wine.

• 1989 Dominus Estate - USA, California, Napa Valley
  Black fruit, grilled herbs (rosemary), pure and focused fruit. Reserved and shy with sweet fruit and a hint of a green streak that I rather liked.
  


• 1990 Dominus Estate - USA, California, Napa Valley
  Velvety texture and slightly chalky fruit. Menthol/eucalyptus on the nose and a pretty good hit of vanilla. Slightly drying finish that shows some overt oak influence.
  


• 1991 Dominus Estate Napanook Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley
  Toasted nuts, Brett, extremely dark blackberry fruit and again, noticeable vanilla from the new oak on the wine. I expected to like this much more than I did.
  
  


• 1992 Dominus Estate Napanook Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley
  My favorite wine of the flight. Meaty, floral with plumeria and orchids. Flannel on the palate and explosive on the entry and finish. Yet, it remains restrained, elegant and layered. Come to find out, the blend is 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, and 22% Cabernet Franc. A unique blend for Dominus, but one that seems to have churned out a wine that I preferred to its peers with much higher Cabernet Sauvignon content.
  

In Part 5, we will look at the mid to late 1990s vintages. To be posted in another 2 days.