A blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 9% Petit Verdot, the 2011 Dominus is deep garnet in color. It springs from the glass with bright, youthful notes of kirsch, black raspberries, redcurrant jelly, and red roses, leading to suggestions of wild sage, damp soil, and crushed rocks. The medium-bodied palate is vivacious and spritely with soft, fine-grained tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing with a red berry lift. Drink: 2023-2038 (LPB)

The 2011 Dominus is a bold, powerful wine. It opens with a huge bouquet redolent of dried herbs, licorice, spice, tobacco and espresso. Relative to most vintages of Dominus, the 2011 is a bit light, but compared to most wines of the year, it is pretty big! The cool, savory notes that are typical of the year are present, but not dominant, while the 2011 is marked by a distinctly red fruit profile. (AG)

Christian Moueix and his team at Dominus have experience with rainy vintages in Bordeaux. They also farm a site that is particularly well adapted to draining excess water. So they produced a remarkable 2011, a late vintage challenged by rain close to harvest. It’s proof that a challenge met can create something sublime—like this floral, red-raspberry-scented vintage of Dominus. It’s a tense chord of flavor incorporating green herb, tobacco, cassis and raspberry in a lasting harmony. The sophisticated structure suggests it will age with grace, while the gentleness of that structure will make it accessible along the way. A great bottle for lamb.