2019 Château Le Dôme Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

WA97+ A blend of 80% Cabernet Franc and 20% Merlot, the 2019 Le Dome is deep purple-black in color. It needs a fair bit of coaxing to unlock aromas of redcurrant jelly, chocolate-covered cherries, and violets with wafts of forest floor, dusty soil, cedar chest, and pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is both wonderfully intense and light on its feet, framed by ripe, fine-grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long with epic mineral and floral sparks.

JD97 Always Cabernet Franc-dominated from a single lieu-dit not far from Angélus, the 2019 Le Dome offers a wonderful purity and freshness, and it shows how good the vintage was for Cabernet Franc. Blackcurrants, violets, spring flowers, and damp earth are just some of its nuances, and it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, beautiful, seamless tannins, integrated acidity, and a great finish. The purity, precision, and balance are spot on. This is a gorgeous Cabernet Franc that will evolve for 20-25 years, probably longer.