Agree with you both. Mac Donald should be 1 but probably won’t be due to WS retailer and ad spaced focus.
#2 is Château Pichon Longueville Lalande 2018
#3 is Heitz Martha’s 2016
I’m guessing Cote Rotie
You called it JohnP!
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Dominus 2018. Macdonald’s lack of availability knocks it out.
How much is 2018 Dominus from winery?
Well 2018 Napa was a very strong year. JD gave 2018 Dominus a 100 points too-- for those that are JD fans. JS gave it a 100, but he gives everything high 90s. Parker gave it a 99, so with a 97 points, WS seems to be on the “low end” for scoring it.
Winespectator typically scores these big wines lower than JD, WA and AG. 97 is a very high score for WS.
I can appreciate them choosing a slight Napa blend instead of a 100% Cab as #1. But I still think the Top-10 is too Napa heavy and too red Bordeaux-blend heavy, with 3 of each since #1 falls into both categories.
2018 Dominus
Good point. Has Wine Spectator ever given a wine a 100 points? I think I just saw they gave 08 Krug 99 points
(In)famously, they gave 1988 Mouton 100 back in the day. I believe maybe Taylor and Fonseca each got 100 for their '94s, too? I haven’t paid attention to their more recent scorings to know what’s gotten three digits this millenium.
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Of course, many times.
Thank god that wasn’t WOTY. Hard enough to find!
Quick search this is the only Napa 100:
'07 SCHRADER CELLARS Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard MM-VII
Lots of Bordeaux’s, especially 2005.
Thanks, lol. Now, I got to try this, haven’t tried Dominus since 2013 vintage and it was totally shut down on release. Sounds like this vintage is more open out the gate.
Not surprised about Dominus and thought about it as a potential, and was certain an 18 Napa cab would get that slot. Dominus seems less random than previous Duckhorn, Peter Michael and Lewis and better deserved IMO. Average price of $133/bottle in that list. I think 2014 was last time a Santa Barbara county wine made the top 10. Shafted again?
I was a big dominus fan for about 20 years, jumped off around 2005 sold a lot of inventory for a premium overthe past few years. Used to pick up napanook for sub 20 and dominus for under 50 via a previous employer. Always felt as though WS was not kind/fair to Christian Moueix. WS scores were always lower than expected for Dominus going back to the early 90’s. Happy to see Dominus/Christian score WOTY saddened I will probably never drink it in is prime drinking window. I opened a 91 and 94 a few weeks back I buck the norm and enjoy the 94 more than 91 however both were showing awesome.
Haven’t tried the 91’, but luckily had a taste of the 94’ from 3L a couple years ago and it was singing, a perfect example of aged Napa bdx IMO, such balance with incredible perfume. To think, that wine was around $20 on release, wow.
So was insignia
When Suckling was the Port reviewer at WS, he handed out some 100 scores to a few Ports. I believe the '77 Fonseca was 100 points, as was the '94 Taylor.
I don’t know the answer on table wines.
I think Dominus is a good choice. It seems like some folks like to hate on Dominus, but it’s a really solidly produced wine typically.
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Official numbers:
#1 Dominus Estate Napa Valley 2018; 97 pts; $269; 4,000 cases made