Dominus 1998 Napa Valley

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Anything but Port, this includes all non-Port fortified wines even if they call themselves Port. There is a search facility for this part of the forum.
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djewesbury
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Dominus 1998 Napa Valley

Post by djewesbury »

Very proud to have spilt this all over the tablecloth once I was told it cost £300 a bottle.
Last edited by djewesbury on 07:55 Wed 10 Dec 2014, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Domina 1998 Napa Valley

Post by DRT »

Best thing for it.
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
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djewesbury
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Domina 1998 Napa Valley

Post by djewesbury »

Not a patch on the 1998 Batailley we had blind next to it. A true gentleman amongst wines. I didn't spill a drop. And a sixth of the price!!

(Tonight was our 'Judgement of Belfast'. Unfortunately California won, across all wines.)
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Re: Domina 1998 Napa Valley

Post by Andy Velebil »

Not a good vintage of this.


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Re: Domina 1998 Napa Valley

Post by Andy Velebil »

Oh, and it's Dominus (I assume the Estate and not the Napanook?)
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Re: Domina 1998 Napa Valley

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Andy Velebil wrote:Oh, and it's Dominus (I assume the Estate and not the Napanook?)
Thank you. I think that was Autocorrect..
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Re: Dominus 1998 Napa Valley

Post by LGTrotter »

Thank you for correcting this. I assumed it was the Dominus. Not as good as the Batailley 98? Wow.
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Re: Dominus 1998 Napa Valley

Post by djewesbury »

Really. At first it smelled supreme but it was too chunky, too overpowering. I have drunk almost no Napa Valley and looked forward to this. But the taste I can still recall, the curling smoky taste that I remember is that of the Batailley.
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Re: Dominus 1998 Napa Valley

Post by LGTrotter »

djewesbury wrote:At first it smelled supreme but it was too chunky, too overpowering.
Sounds like Napa, I know what you mean about being overwhelming. I wonder if we, being brought up on old world table wines, just can't get them. But then I drank Australian wines when I started, so that is not quite right. Also it is a bit odd for people who have come together because we like port should object to 'chunky'. I was told that Dominus is more elegant than most Napa wines, sounds like I had better stick to Ridge as my sole foray into California.
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Re: Dominus 1998 Napa Valley

Post by djewesbury »

I'm sorry it was the last wine of the evening as it meant I didn't take a more detailed note. I think we as Port lovers like large fruit flavours but not when they are too blocky. This was not my cup of tea is all I can tell you. It was too domineering.
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Re: Dominus 1998 Napa Valley

Post by Andy Velebil »

LGTrotter wrote:
djewesbury wrote:At first it smelled supreme but it was too chunky, too overpowering.
Sounds like Napa, I know what you mean about being overwhelming. I wonder if we, being brought up on old world table wines, just can't get them. But then I drank Australian wines when I started, so that is not quite right. Also it is a bit odd for people who have come together because we like port should object to 'chunky'. I was told that Dominus is more elegant than most Napa wines, sounds like I had better stick to Ridge as my sole foray into California.
Having had a fair amount from this producer over the years, this is not a good vintage of this and thus not a good representation. Please don't make broad assessments based on one not so good vintage of a wine. That's like saying the Douro makes bad Port because you had a poor bottle of 1983 Royal Oporto VP.

And really, being brought up on old world table wines I assume the "experts" at the Judgement of Paris were brought up on old world table wine and they couldn't sort what was Napa and what was BDX. The silliest thing I hear people say all the time.
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Re: Dominus 1998 Napa Valley

Post by djewesbury »

But is it a bad vintage, at £300 a pop?
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Re: Dominus 1998 Napa Valley

Post by DRT »

djewesbury wrote:But is it a bad vintage, at £300 a pop?
Napa is by no means alone if that is the case.
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
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Re: Dominus 1998 Napa Valley

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DRT wrote:
djewesbury wrote:But is it a bad vintage, at £300 a pop?
Napa is by no means alone if that is the case.
Oh quite, and a look on wine searcher suggests that it is not a expensive as Daniel suggests.

However I was simply wondering aloud why I found Napa valley wines a bit too much, I think I discounted most of my own arguments.
Andy Velebil wrote:
LGTrotter wrote:
djewesbury wrote:At first it smelled supreme but it was too chunky, too overpowering.
Sounds like Napa, I know what you mean about being overwhelming. I wonder if we, being brought up on old world table wines, just can't get them. But then I drank Australian wines when I started, so that is not quite right. Also it is a bit odd for people who have come together because we like port should object to 'chunky'. I was told that Dominus is more elegant than most Napa wines, sounds like I had better stick to Ridge as my sole foray into California.
Having had a fair amount from this producer over the years, this is not a good vintage of this and thus not a good representation. Please don't make broad assessments based on one not so good vintage of a wine. That's like saying the Douro makes bad Port because you had a poor bottle of 1983 Royal Oporto VP.

And really, being brought up on old world table wines I assume the "experts" at the Judgement of Paris were brought up on old world table wine and they couldn't sort what was Napa and what was BDX. The silliest thing I hear people say all the time.
Nearly as silly as the man who once suggested that the 2007 ports were bound to be good because they once stood next to a vat of it and it looked nice, eh Andy. :wink:
Last edited by LGTrotter on 20:25 Fri 12 Dec 2014, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Dominus 1998 Napa Valley

Post by djewesbury »

Did Winesearcher show you the price in Northern Ireland?
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Re: Dominus 1998 Napa Valley

Post by LGTrotter »

djewesbury wrote:Did Winesearcher show you the price in Northern Ireland?
No, I just typed it in and looked at the results.
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Re: Dominus 1998 Napa Valley

Post by Andy Velebil »

LGTrotter wrote:
DRT wrote:
djewesbury wrote:But is it a bad vintage, at £300 a pop?
Napa is by no means alone if that is the case.
Oh quite, and a look on wine searcher suggests that it is not a expensive as Daniel suggests.

However I was simply wondering aloud why I found Napa valley wines a bit too much, I think I discounted most of my own arguments.
Andy Velebil wrote:
LGTrotter wrote:
djewesbury wrote:At first it smelled supreme but it was too chunky, too overpowering.
Sounds like Napa, I know what you mean about being overwhelming. I wonder if we, being brought up on old world table wines, just can't get them. But then I drank Australian wines when I started, so that is not quite right. Also it is a bit odd for people who have come together because we like port should object to 'chunky'. I was told that Dominus is more elegant than most Napa wines, sounds like I had better stick to Ridge as my sole foray into California.
Having had a fair amount from this producer over the years, this is not a good vintage of this and thus not a good representation. Please don't make broad assessments based on one not so good vintage of a wine. That's like saying the Douro makes bad Port because you had a poor bottle of 1983 Royal Oporto VP.

And really, being brought up on old world table wines I assume the "experts" at the Judgement of Paris were brought up on old world table wine and they couldn't sort what was Napa and what was BDX. The silliest thing I hear people say all the time.
Nearly as silly as the man who once suggested that the 2007 ports were bound to be good because they once stood next to a vat of it and it looked nice, eh Andy. :wink:
Actually because I put my stinky toes in it.


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Re: Dominus 1998 Napa Valley

Post by Andy Velebil »

DRT wrote:
djewesbury wrote:But is it a bad vintage, at £300 a pop?
Napa is by no means alone if that is the case.
Now you know how we feel when it comes to prices.


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Re: Dominus 1998 Napa Valley

Post by LGTrotter »

Andy Velebil wrote:Actually because I put my stinky toes in it.
Good comeback! You may have just sold some 07 port right there. Do tell; what cuvée toe jam is your release being marketed as?
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Dominus 1998 Napa Valley

Post by djewesbury »

djewesbury wrote:But is it a bad vintage, at £300 a pop?
I have to repeat the question. I seriously would love to know (notwithstanding variable estimates on actual price).
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Re: Dominus 1998 Napa Valley

Post by djewesbury »

Andy Velebil wrote:
DRT wrote:
djewesbury wrote:But is it a bad vintage, at £300 a pop?
Napa is by no means alone if that is the case.
Now you know how we feel when it comes to prices.


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Yes but it's easier for us. We just don't buy it. :)
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Re: Dominus 1998 Napa Valley

Post by Glenn E. »

LGTrotter wrote:
Andy Velebil wrote:Actually because I put my stinky toes in it.
Good comeback! You may have just sold some 07 port right there. Do tell; what cuvée toe jam is your release being marketed as?
There are multiple vintages of AVTJ. No doubt you have already drunk some of them. :twisted:
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Re: Dominus 1998 Napa Valley

Post by djewesbury »

Correction due. Rachel tells me that the vintage we drunk was indeed a £300 vintage and not the 98. I am awaiting confirmation of what exactly it was.
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Re: Dominus 1998 Napa Valley

Post by LGTrotter »

djewesbury wrote:Correction due. Rachel tells me that the vintage we drunk was indeed a £300 vintage and not the 98. I am awaiting confirmation of what exactly it was.
Thanks, that's great. Apostrophe crimes needs augmenting with a vintage crimes supplement. Time for another brandy. :roll:
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Re: Dominus 1998 Napa Valley

Post by djewesbury »

No. I have received confirmation. It was the 98.
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