Napa Valley 1990

Dominus Estate, årgangsark (hentet 17. okt. 2026): 1990 Dominus, Napa Valley – Napanook Vineyard, Yountville. Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon: 80%, Cabernet Franc: 19%, Petit Verdot: 1%. Høststart: September 11 Høstslut: September 29 Aftapning: July 1991 Nye fade: 30% Produktion (kasser): 6200 Frigivet: October 1994 Smagsnote (producentens tekst, engelsk): The 1990 Dominus has a deep ruby color. On the nose, aromas of roasted coffee beans and vanilla overlay the ripe blackberry fruit. These aromas are echoed in the mouth, and sweet, round tannins are apparent in the wine’s lingering finish. Årgangen (producentens tekst, engelsk): August and September were neither too hot, nor too cool, and this allowed the fruit to ripen slowly and fully, with well-balanced acid and mature tannins. Although the latter part of the season is normally thought of as the most crucial to the vintage, it is the rain of late May that remains the most significant event in the vineyard for the 1990 season. The 1990 growing season at Napanook Vineyard appeared to be headed toward drought as the month of May began. We had seen the first rainless December in this century and only 18 inches of rain had fallen since the previous July. This was not enough to sustain even the low crops of this renowned dry-farmed vineyard. Typically in the Napa Valley, if the rain has not come by mid-April, it will not come at all. However, in 1990, between the dates of May 20th and 30th, close to 4 inches of rain fell. At the time there was widespread concern about the effect that the rainfall would have on the vines that were in bloom and the potential for mildew, but in fact this spring storm saved the vintage. It provided the moisture that the vineyard needed to sustain it through the long growing season, and had the added benefit of naturally thinning the crop and thus increasing intensity.