Winemaker Notes
Dominus Estate is the Napa Valley property of Bordeaux producer Christian Moueix. The wine is bottled from the historic Napanook Vineyard. Located at the foothills of the Mayacamas, the vineyard was planted in 1838 and continues to evolve under the stewardship of Christian Moueix. The estate’s Bordeaux varietals benefit from the Yountville microclimate where temperatures are moderated by cool breezes from the San Pablo Bay. The resulting wine is a uniquely refined expression of this special terroir.
About Winery
The vineyards of Dominus Estate have connections to the original history of the Napa Valley as they date back to the mid 1850’s, or even earlier, when it was first cultivated. At the time, it was known as the Napanook vineyard.
In the late 1960s, while attending the University of California at Davis, Christian Moueix fell in love with the Napa Valley and its wines. Son of Jean-Pierre Moueix, the famed wine merchant and producer from Libourne, France, Moueix returned home in 1970 to manage the family vineyards, including Chateaux Petrus, La Fleur-Petrus, Trotanoy in Pomerol and Magdelaine in St. Emilion.
His love of Napa Valley lingered and in 1981, he discovered the historic Napanook vineyard, a 124-acre site west of Yountville that had been the source of fruit for some of the finest Napa Valley wines of the 1940s and 1950s.
In 1982, Moueix entered into a partnership with Robin Lail and Marcia Smith, the daughters of John Daniels who owned the vineyard. In 1995, he became the sole owner of the estate and chose the name Dominus, or “Lord of the Estate” in Latin to underscore his longstanding commitment to stewardship of the land.
One of the most respected wine producers in the world, Christian Moueix is on a personal quest for perfection in grape growing and winemaking. It is a journey that began in Bordeaux and continues today at Dominus Estate.
Winemaker Notes
Located just below Bonnes-Mares, the 2020 Joseph Drouhin Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru "Les Baudes" displays a slightly more structured and muscular profile than a typical Chambolle, while retaining the signature elegance of the appellation. It opens with an intriguing nose of dark cherry, amarena sweetness, violets, and subtle earthy undertones. On the palate, the warm and concentrated 2020 vintage delivers rich, succulent red-and-black fruit framed by a solid backbone of chalky minerality, well-integrated oak, and fine yet firm, grippy tannins. While it carries impressive power, velvety texture, and a long, spice-tinged finish, this is a serious and tightly wound Premier Cru that clearly benefits from cellaring to fully open up.
About Winery
Maison Joseph Drouhin was founded in 1880 in Beaune, Burgundy, by Joseph Drouhin, and has since grown into one of the region’s most respected wine producers. Over the generations, the family expanded its holdings to include vineyards across Burgundy—such as Chablis, Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune, and Côte Chalonnaise—and later established Domaine Drouhin Oregon in the Willamette Valley. Today, the estate remains family-run by Joseph’s great-grandchildren, who continue the tradition of producing elegant wines with a focus on terroir and sustainable practices, including organic certification for their Burgundy vineyards since 2009
Winemaker Notes
The 2018 HdV Belle Cousine is a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blend from the Hyde Vineyard, characterized by aromas and flavors of cassis, black cherry, graphite, and florals, with high-toned acidity, granular tannins, and a long mineral-driven finish. The blend is medium to full-bodied, described as elegant, fresh, and savory, showing excellent vibrancy and balance, with notes of spices and dried herbs rounding out the palate.
About Winery
HDV Winery, or Hyde de Villaine, was founded in 2000 through a partnership between the Hyde family of Napa Valley and the de Villaine family of Burgundy, brought together by the marriage of Pamela de Villaine (Larry Hyde's cousin) to Aubert de Villaine. The venture produces single-vineyard wines from the esteemed Hyde Vineyards in Napa's Carneros region, blending Old World Burgundian techniques with New World Californian fruit through a philosophy of minimal intervention and respect for terroir.
Winemaker Notes
74,000 bottles of Château Gazin 2011 and 47,000 bottles of the Hospitalet de Gazin second wine are composed of a blend of 90% merlot, 5% Caber 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. A very careful selection allowed us to produce a very full-bodied wine that is rather meaty, tannic, raised for 15 months in (45%), with the rest in one wine barrels. The alcohol level of this vintage is 13.45°. The wine’s appearance is dark, brilliant bordeaux. 2011 features notes, with red and black berry aromas: sour cherry, blackberry and black currant, a slightly toasted smell, winy, peppery, with a hint of caramel. T silky, rather full, with a nice lingering effect, and a clearly tannic finish that doesn’t overpower and will soften with age.
About Winery
The Chateau Gazin vineyards cover 64.2 acres in a single lot, with 56.8 acres under vines, located on the renowned clay-gravel plateau of Pomerol. The estate can produce up to 100,000 bottles a year. A second AOC Pomerol wine "l’Hospitalet de Gazin", was created in 1986 in order to reserve the best of the harvest for Chateau Gazin.
The grapes are fermented in small cement vats. The wine is aged for 18 months in oak barrels (50% new) according to the Bordeaux tradition: malolactic fermentation in casks, rackings to separate the fine wine from the lees, fining with egg whites and, if necessary, light filtration.
Winemaker Notes
The 2021 Joseph Drouhin Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru displays an intense, brilliant ruby hue and opens with an aromatic, lifted bouquet dominated by crunchy red cherries and wild raspberries, accentuated by delicate hints of violets, exotic spices, and a whisper of forest musk. True to the cooler, classical nature of the 2021 vintage, the palate offers fantastic vibrancy, precision, and drive rather than brute weight, coating the mouth in a silky, generous texture (gras). Medium-bodied yet seamlessly structured, its succulent core of pure red fruit is supported by noble, fine-grained tannins and a streak of lively acidity, culminating in a long, elegant finish marked by lingering floral and spice nuances that will reward patient cellaring.
About Winery
Maison Joseph Drouhin was founded in 1880 in Beaune, Burgundy, by Joseph Drouhin, and has since grown into one of the region’s most respected wine producers. Over the generations, the family expanded its holdings to include vineyards across Burgundy—such as Chablis, Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune, and Côte Chalonnaise—and later established Domaine Drouhin Oregon in the Willamette Valley. Today, the estate remains family-run by Joseph’s great-grandchildren, who continue the tradition of producing elegant wines with a focus on terroir and sustainable practices, including organic certification for their Burgundy vineyards since 2009
Winemaker Notes
The 2019 Optimus is a blend of 57% Syrah, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Petit Verdot. It has a medium ruby-purple color and pure aromas of red and black berries with earthy, autumnal accents and a streak of spice. The medium-bodied palate is grainy and fresh, with pretty floral perfume on the long finish.
About Winery
L'Aventure was founded in 1998 by a French winemaker, Stephan Asseo. After Stephan graduated enology school in Burgundy, the Asseo family bought their first estate, Domaine de Courteillac, in the Bordeaux area in 1982. Later, the family purchased additional properties: Chateau Robin and Chateau Fleur-Cardinale in Saint-Emilion. Stephan raised these properties to a level of great quality, while managing some other well-established domaines such as Chateau Guillot-Clauzel in Pomerol and Chateau Corbin in St Emilion.
Stephan saw in the New World a unique opportunity to expand his experience, while gaining more freedom in viticulture and vinification. He began by looking all over California for land, including Napa/Sonoma and Santa Barbara counties, but it was the terroir and climate of Paso Robles that impressed him the most.
L'Aventure is located on the west side of Paso Robles in the Willow Creek District. The 127-acre property with 57 acres planted, is comprised of multiple hills of various elevation and complex soils. Because of its proximity to the ocean, the vineyard has clear warm days and drastic cool nighttime temperatures which increases the time of the grape’s maturation cycle providing fruit that creates a more complex and balanced wine. Stephan’s choice of this lean terroir provides him with the fruit necessary to create wine with a good balance between alcohol and acidity. The resulting wines are full and rich yet well balanced and elegant.
Winemaker Notes
Without doubt one of the world's greatest and most individual wine estates. The family traditions continue here with Jean-Philippe Delmas running the winemaking as his father and grandfather did before him and Clarence Dillon's great-grandson Robert de Luxembourg in overall charge of this wonderful property. Haut Brion is one of the most consistently great wine of Bordeaux. Since 1958 it has been bottled in the unique and iconic Haut Brion bottle. Situated in the suburbs of the city of Bordeaux, the 48 hectares of red grape varieties are planted with 45% Merlot, 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. The 2018 is pretty much a classic 50:50 blend with 49.4% Merlot, 38.7% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11.9% Cabernet Franc. Jean-Philippe describes it as being closer to 2016 and 2010 in style than it is to 2015 and 2009. He likens it to the excellent 1998 made here, but better.
About Winery
Château Haut-Brion's history spans five centuries, starting with Jean de Pontac's acquisition of the domain in 1521. He defined the estate's vineyards and built the château in 1549. The property was further developed by his descendants, and its wines gained renown among British aristocrats and authors, including Samuel Pepys, who wrote about them in 1663. Thomas Jefferson also visited and praised the estate's wines. In the 1930s, the property was acquired by the Dillon family, and is still managed by the Dillon family today.
Winemaker Notes
A wine of great elegance! Intense deep ruby colour. Characteristic aromas of wild cherry combining with fine spice and a subtle note of musk. On the palate, the first impression is of silk. Refined tannins of great breed; lively notes. Lingering aftertaste with a myriad of sensations.
About Winery
Maison Joseph Drouhin was founded in 1880 in Beaune, Burgundy, by Joseph Drouhin, and has since grown into one of the region’s most respected wine producers. Over the generations, the family expanded its holdings to include vineyards across Burgundy—such as Chablis, Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune, and Côte Chalonnaise—and later established Domaine Drouhin Oregon in the Willamette Valley. Today, the estate remains family-run by Joseph’s great-grandchildren, who continue the tradition of producing elegant wines with a focus on terroir and sustainable practices, including organic certification for their Burgundy vineyards since 2009
Duo Holiday - Maison Noir in the Sheep's Clothing + Mystery Bottle
Enjoy a curated bundle featuring our best Collection of Maison Noir Wines and your choice of any other of our Holiday Best Pick from Vin Perdu, Caymus, and Joseph Phelps
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Winemaker Notes
The wine is known for its intense ruby color and aromatic profile of wild cherries, sweet spice, and subtle musk. On the palate, it delivers a silky texture, fine-grained tannins, and a remarkably long, elegant finish.
About Winery
Maison Joseph Drouhin was founded in 1880 in Beaune, Burgundy, by Joseph Drouhin, and has since grown into one of the region’s most respected wine producers. Over the generations, the family expanded its holdings to include vineyards across Burgundy—such as Chablis, Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune, and Côte Chalonnaise—and later established Domaine Drouhin Oregon in the Willamette Valley. Today, the estate remains family-run by Joseph’s great-grandchildren, who continue the tradition of producing elegant wines with a focus on terroir and sustainable practices, including organic certification for their Burgundy vineyards since 2009
PRE-ORDER
2014 | WE 97
The 2014 vintage shows great freshness and complexity, with a "muscular, youthful fruit" profile, offering a mix of blackberry, blackcurrant, and savory notes, balanced by firm, silky tannins.
2016 | WA 100
Notes of crème de cassis, blackberry, tobacco, exotic spices (sandalwood, incense), and graphite.
2018 | WA 98
A"backwards, tannic powerhouse" featuring intense crème de cassis, cedar, violets, and earthy notes.
2021 | WE 96
The wine offers aromas of blackcurrant, dark berries, pencil shavings, cedar, and spices (menthol, licorice).
About Winery
Chateau Cos d'Estournel is a Grand Cru vineyard located in St. Estephe. Its oriental facade is adorned with three pagoda turrets, all cast in a soft golden sandstone. Chateau Cos d'Estournel today covers 170 acres separated from Chateau Lafite, along the southern edge, by the stream between St. Estephe and Pauillac.
The gravelly soil, over a flint, limestone and silicate subsoil low in nitrogen, has eroded over centuries to form steep ridges which perfectly drain the vineyards. The vineyards are planted 60 percent in Cabernet Sauvignon vines, 2 percent of Cabernet Franc, and 38 percent in Merlot. Naturally, the percentage of Cabernet or Merlot in the composition of each vintage depends on the climate which favors one grape variety or the other.
Winemaker Notes
Dominus 2008 is a wine of great purity and definition, with distinct berry aromas and a supple yet precise palate. Deep blackberry and dark plums complement fine mineral notes. This wine is intensely perfumed, velvety and ethereal. Decant the wine prior to serving, to allow it to develop its full potential. This is especially important when serving young Dominus wines.
About Winery
The vineyards of Dominus Estate have connections to the original history of the Napa Valley as they date back to the mid 1850’s, or even earlier, when it was first cultivated. At the time, it was known as the Napanook vineyard.
In the late 1960s, while attending the University of California at Davis, Christian Moueix fell in love with the Napa Valley and its wines. Son of Jean-Pierre Moueix, the famed wine merchant and producer from Libourne, France, Moueix returned home in 1970 to manage the family vineyards, including Chateaux Petrus, La Fleur-Petrus, Trotanoy in Pomerol and Magdelaine in St. Emilion.
His love of Napa Valley lingered and in 1981, he discovered the historic Napanook vineyard, a 124-acre site west of Yountville that had been the source of fruit for some of the finest Napa Valley wines of the 1940s and 1950s.
In 1982, Moueix entered into a partnership with Robin Lail and Marcia Smith, the daughters of John Daniels who owned the vineyard. In 1995, he became the sole owner of the estate and chose the name Dominus, or “Lord of the Estate” in Latin to underscore his longstanding commitment to stewardship of the land.
One of the most respected wine producers in the world, Christian Moueix is on a personal quest for perfection in grape growing and winemaking. It is a journey that began in Bordeaux and continues today at Dominus Estate.
