2018 Château La Dominique

One of the few 2018s that is clearly better than the 2016, something that highlights the step up in quality that is happening at La Dominique at this point. Supple blackcurrant and raspberry fruits, careful extraction that keeps the tannic hold caressing rather than drying, and nuanced smoked earth and cocoa bean dusting. 3.6ph, 50hl/h yield. Foral edge, black cherry, beatifully lilting acidities. Julien Viaud consultant (also Laboratoire Rolland), Gwendeline Lucas director.

Right next door to Cheval Blanc, but with slightly different soils that have less gravel, this is an excellent La Dominique that combines the glamorous fruits with mocha and espresso edges along with rose bud and peony florals to give lift. Everything in balance, with a juicy finish. New technical director Yann Monties, ex-Haut Bailly, is making an impact alongside director Gwendeline Lucas. Owned by Clement Fayat since 1969.

The 2018 La Dominique was matured in 50% new barrels plus amphorae and eggs – not the concrete type, but made from plastic. Here we have an attractive bouquet of lovely blackberry and raspberry fruit infused with wilted iris petals, just as I found in barrel. Wonderful definition, and unequivocally much more purity compared to recent vintages. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins and well-judged acidity that cuts through the pure black cherry and wild strawberry fruit. Very focused, and perhaps it does not quite fan out on the finish as I would like, but this is far better than some of the vintages I was tasting a decade ago, and it may well warrant a higher score with bottle age.