Le Dome Grand Cru 2018
(Saint Emilion, Bordeaux, France) - [JD 97+] [WA 97] [DM 97] [TWI 97] [WE 97] [VM 96] [JS 94]

About the Winery:
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.

Background:
Born in Nigeria, raised in England and with business training in the world of petrochemicals – it’s fair to say that Jonathan Maltus doesn’t have the profile that you might expect for a‘vigneron’in Bordeaux. But a man with a character as big and bold as his wines doesn’t need a category to fit into. Once an unknown outsider criticized for his untraditional methods, 15 years later Jonathan became the first Englishman to receive a 100 Parker score and an Order of the British Empire for Winemaking from the Queen.

About this Wine:
Le Dôme has been made with majority (~80%) Cabernet Franc since long before it was cool, and remains the biggest expression of Cabernet Franc in Bordeaux. Referred to as ‘high-octane’ and ‘on steroids’, Le Dôme is so confident in its terroir that it opens it up to its freest and fullest extent - revealing a wine that is wild, opulent and fragrant as well as being rich, concentrated and lively. It’s a wine that drinks well after 3-4 years but stays alive for decades.

Ratings & Reviews

97+ Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"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." (Mar 2021)

97 Points - Wine Advocate:
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!" - LPB (Mar 2021)

97 Points - Decanter Magazine:
"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." - Georgina Hindle (Nov 2022)

97 Points - Wine Enthusiast:
A wine that celebrates Cabernet Franc, this comes from a parcel on the lower slope of Saint-Émilion. Its perfumed richness is profound and dense in structured black fruits. Old vines give concentration and add to the great power behind it all. This is a wine to age; drink from 2026. Roger Voss

97 Points - The Wine Independent:

The 2018 Le Dome is composed of 80% Cabernet Franc and 20% Merlot. Deep purple-black in color, it needs considerable swirling to unlock notes of wild blueberries, black raspberries, and chocolate box with touches of rosehip tea, aniseed, and candied violets. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has beautiful freshness and very fine-grained tannins supporting the expressive blue and black fruit layers, finishing very long and fragrant.

96 Points - Vinous Media:
"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. (Drink between 2025-2038)" - Antonio Galloni (Mar 2021)

94 Points - James Suckling:
"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." (Jan 2021)