2018 Le Dome Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 3pk 3x750ml

A beautiful wine in every sense. Based off 80% Cabernet Franc and 20% Merlot brought up in the usual 80% new barrels, it's a full-bodied, beautifully textured, seamless Cabernet Franc with loads of red currant, blueberry, and mulberry fruit as well as notes of cedary herbs, flowers, camphor, and new saddle leather. Always a singular, distinct wine given its high percentage of Cabernet Franc, it's brilliantly concentrated and has ultra-fine tannins as well as a great finish. Haut Couture at its finest, it's going to benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age, and I suspect, keep for 30 years or more. ~97+ Jeb Dunnuck

Le Dome is from the JCP Maltus portfolio of skillfully crafted Saint-Émilion wines. Neil White is the head winemaker and Thomas Duclos is a consultant here. The 2018 Le Dome is composed of 80% Cabernet Franc and 20% Merlot, with a 3.82 pH and 14.3% alcohol. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it slips sensuously from the glass with beguiling scents of blackberry pie, kirsch, blueberry preserves and plum pudding, plus suggestions of menthol, rose oil, pencil shavings and fragrant earth. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers fantastic energy and freshness, featuring loads of perfumed red and black fruit layers and a firm, very finely grained texture, finishing on a lingering mineral note. Stylistically, this is one of the most elegant vintages of Le Dome that I've tasted—and I love it! ~97+ Wine Advocate

High toned and very ripe on the nose - really heady and perfumed black, jammy fruits. Big and dense, but more in the flavours rather than the texture here, you get a lot of liquorice and the Cabernet showing its star power - dark and brooding with layers of complexity, acidity and concentration. Completely different in style to the 2019 - this is perhaps a little quiet right now to some extent, just waiting for it's time to shine. Potentially has more grip and structure to go the distance while the 2019 may end up being more elegant. This has character though with a lovely chalky minerality. A bold, imposing wine. ~97 Decanter

The 2018 Le Dôme is rich, deep and yet also translucent, with striking depth and tons of character. Sweet black cherry, lavender, spice and menthol lend tons of nuance. As always, Cabernet Franc drives Le Dôme, and that comes through loud and clear in the wine's lifted aromatic profile and pulsing energy. The 2018 is a rare Le Dôme that will require only minimal cellaring. ~96 Vinous Media

Blackcurrant, dried-violet, black-olive, mocha and walnut aromas. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, tightly knit tannins. Chewy, polished and broad-textured with a long, flavorful finish. Try from 2024. ~94 James Suckling