Dome 2019

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.

Score: 97

Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com Maturity: 2022-2047 11 April 2022

The 2019 Le Dome offers up rich aromas of jammy berry fruit, vanilla pod, caramel and milk chocolate. Medium to full-bodied, broad and velvety, it's seamless and polished, with an ample core of fruit, lively acids and a nicely integrated, harmonious profile that belies the overtly oaky and rather lactic nose. From the nose alone, the taster expects a monster; yet on the palate this Le Dome is actually surprisingly elegant, showing the results of a clear stylistic evolution over the last decade. Work on oak integration, however, remains to be done.

Score: 92

William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2025 - 2050 07 April 2022

The 2019 Le Dôme has an expressive bouquet that really gets a handle on the Cabernet Franc: blackberry, loamy soil, delicate pressed flowers and a touch of cedar coming through. It is more understated but perhaps it has a more sophisticated bouquet than what you might have found a decade ago. The palate is medium-bodied with freshness to the fore and touches of tobacco and graphite infuse the black fruit. Tannic towards the finish with a vivid spicy/cracked black pepper aftertaste that lingers in the mouth. Superb.

Score: 94 - 96

Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2024-2045 16 June 2020

The 2019 Le Dôme is absolutely compelling. All the elements are dialed up to eleven in a large-scaled, dramatic Saint-Émilion that has so much to say. Cabernet Franc is, of course, front and center at Le Dôme, as it always is. Black cherry, blackberry, mocha, espresso, lavender and dried herbs are all vivid in the glass. I would give the 2019 a few years to come together. It is hugely impressive in the early going, though.

Score: 96

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026 - 2039 01 February 2022

The 2019 Le Dôme is a wine of pure and total sensuality. Far more restrained than it can be, the 2019 possesses tremendous nuance and plenty of intensity, but it is also less of a bruiser than it can be. There is so much going on. Striking Cabernet Franc inflections and structure reveal themselves with time in the glass. Vivid and wonderfully deep, Le Dôme has so much to offer for readers who can give it a few years in the cellar. Jonathan Maltus' 2019s are superb across the board. I imagine many readers will be drawn to the micro-cuvées, Le Carré, Le Dôme and Les Astéries, in particular, and right so. In my view, though the most impressive wine in the lineup is Teyssier because of its quality at a production level that is very hard to achieve. The growing season was hot, as it was everywhere, with rain episodes in July, August and September that helped balance things out. Frost was an issue in some of the lower-lying parcels that typically inform Teyssier and Laforge. More importantly, the decision to give the wines a bit more energy while retaining all of the richness readers have come to expect yields a range of wines that really stand out in 2019.

Score: 94 - 96

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com 01 June 2020

This is excellent, expertly judged and carefully extracted. It has its eye on long ageing but already the tannins are well defined and carefully brushed. I love the undercurrent of spice, edged with saffron and cinnamon alongside bitter black chocolate and tons of cassis. 80% new oak, 3.82pH. Harvest October 1 to 8.

Score: 96

Jane Anson, Decanter.com Maturity: 2027 - 2042 01 June 2020

Tight and tannic with lots of structure, yet it shows sweet, ripe fruit in the center palate. Really intense, fruity center palate here. Clearly up the the level of the 2016 and 2015.

Score: 95 - 96

James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 29 May 2020