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Christian Moueix is one of the world's best winemakers, and of the few producers to make classic wines in both the old and new worlds, he is President of Etablissements Jean-Pierre Moueix, the leading wine company of Bordeaux’s Right Bank, and owner of Dominus Estate in the Napa Valley.

Son of Jean-Pierre Moueix, the legendary Bordeaux wine merchant, Christian was born in Libourne, France in 1946. After completing his agricultural engineering studies in Paris and graduate studies in viticulture and enology at the University of California at Davis in 1968-69, he joined Ets Jean-Pierre Moueix in 1970 and, in 1991, became its President.

A viticulturist at heart, Christian Moueix’s tenure has been marked by the introduction of revolutionary vineyard techniques, including, from 1973, crop-thinning as a means to improve grape quality. Today he produces wine from ten family chateaux in Pomerol, including La Fleur Petrus, Trotanoy, Hosanna, Providence, and in Saint Emilion, Belair-Monange, and Magdelaine. He made wines at his family estate, Petrus, for four decades.

In 1982, Christian Moueix formed a partnership to produce Dominus from the historic Napanook Vineyard in Yountville, adapting his French technical approach to California. There's a reason why the 2018 vintage was awarded the #1 wine of 2021 by Wine Spectator.

The 2023 growing season was marked by abundant rainfall, cool spring temperatures, and a delayed harvest, followed by warm summer and early fall conditions that allowed for slow, even ripening.

2023 Napa Valley vintage isn’t just another great year – it’s the year that will be etched in history. Wine experts are calling it "the vintage of a lifetime," and for good reason. The perfect blend of cool temperatures, morning fog, and balanced sunlight created conditions so exceptional that they’re being compared to Bordeaux's iconic 1961 vintage. As The Wine Independent put it, 2023 is "a winemaker's dream in terms of wine style." Wine Bible author Karen MacNeil calls it "one of the most phenomenal vintages ever in Napa Valley.

87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot.

The aromatics open with classic cassis and graphite, layered with crushed stone, subtle waxy notes, and a lift of florals. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, polished and precise, with ultra-fine tannins, focused mid-palate depth, and a long, effortless finish.

Based on 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot and aged 20 months in 40% new French oak, the 2023 Dominus is absolutely gorgeous, with an incredible level of purity and refinement. Cassis, graphite, crushed stone, melted crayons, and floral nuances all define the aromatics. It’s medium to full-bodied, with seamless, refined elegance, ultra-fine tannins, beautiful mid-palate depth, and outstanding length. This more charming, forward, and seductive style of Dominus will offer incredible appeal over the next 20-25 years or more. Drink 2025-2050. ~ 97 Jeb Dunnuck 

The 2023 Dominus is a very pretty, surprisingly open-knit wine from this estate. Soft contours wrap around a core of pliant red/purplish fruit. Lavender, rose petal, and gently spiced overtones caress the mid- palate and finish. I expect the 2023 will drink well with minimal cellaring, something that is rarely the case here. ~ 96 Vinous 

*Pre-arrival ETA March 2026*

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