Le Dome, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2017

The single vineyard 2017 Le Dome checks in as a normal blend of 80% Cabernet Franc and 20% Merlot brought up in 80% new French oak, with the balance in once-used oak. This deeply colored 2017 has a spicy, complex style as well as medium to full body, lots of red, black, and blue fruits, building tannins, nicely integrated acidity, and a great finish. It shows more floral and incense notes with time in the glass, has plenty of structure, and is a beautifully classy, layered 2017 that's going to benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for two decades.

The 2017 Le Dôme melds together the aromatic intensity of Franc with the plushness of Merlot. Raspberry jam, mocha, espresso, mint and spice all develop nicely in the glass. The saline, energetic and vibrant Le Dôme is one wine in this range that needs time in bottle to be at its best, as it is very tight today. Even so, there is quite a bit of potential.

A blend of 80% Cabernet Franc with 20% Merlot, the deep garnet-purple colored 2017 Le Dome has a reticent nose of crushed black cherries, raspberry preserves and kirsch with hints of pencil shavings, cast iron pan, violets and cinnamon stick. Medium-bodied, firm and with great freshness, it has a perfumed/mineral character and great length.

You can feel the slight difference in style that one degree less alcohol makes this year, but it retains rich notes of coffee bean, chocolate, liquorice and blue berry fruits. The 80% new oak is very well integrated, and there is good volume in the mouth. It's an enjoyable wine that, for me, benefits from the less overplayed style, even if it doesn't have quite the complexity of last year. The vines are pruned to four bunches pretty much every year at Le Dôme to keep the yields low, meaning that despite no frost this saw a yield of 32hl/ha.
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A solid red with dark-berry and chocolate character. Medium-to full-bodied, layered and structured. Chewy yet polished.

The 2017 Le Dôme was picked on 25 September and 2 October for the Merlot and Cabernet Franc respectively. It has the highest pH amongst Jonathan Maltus’s range this year and matured in 80% new oak. It has a crisp and precise bouquet with dark cherry, blackberry and light cassis fruit that unfold nicely in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins, a little furry in texture with subtle graphite, mocha and peppery notes towards the finish that just needs to develop a little more flesh.

The 2017 Le Dôme is the most distinguished of these wines from Jonathan Maltus. Highly nuanced and expressive, Le Dôme is beautifully layered and nuanced from start to finish. Espresso, rose petal, mint and dark raspberry jam meld together in this powerful yet nuanced Saint-Émilion.