Dominus Estate 2006

“One of the finest wines of the vintage, it is complete, full-bodied, and seamlessly built with beautiful ripe tannins, low acidity, and a luscious, layered mouthfeel. The aromatics are even more evolved and complex than the 2005’s. The 2006 should drink well for 20-25 years. These are the two strongest back to back vintages for Dominus since 1990-1991 and 2001-2002.” -Robert Parker, Jr. (Tasted October, 2008)

That review of the 2006 Dominus may have come from Robert Parker, Jr. over 15 years ago, but it still rings true to this day. It’s funny how in pretty good but not amazing vintages some of the greatest wines can be overlooked and never revisited again. It’s crazy to me that in a B+ Napa Valley vintage (2006), that a wine that Parker called “one of the finest of the vintage” would be given a 96 and then just left by all critics for consumers to figure out how the wine progressed after all these years. When they don’t though, this can lead to some of the all0time  great under-the-radar treasures. Some of the very best wines I’ve ever drank are ones in vintages that simply “fell thru the cracks”.

I was treated to a tasting of 9 vintages of Dominus the other week. Pretty amazing, age-worthy wines that always shine on any stage. While there were aspects in each that I would take over others, the wine that stood out to me as the one that was drinking the absolute greatest right now was without a doubt the 2006. I would think we’re seeing the first of maybe 10 years where this historic wine will be in its prime. Forget the scores – I’d take this over any great gem in any continent in a game of “what’s tasting the best right now” contest.