Dominus Red Wine Napa Valley 1999 (Slight Label Damage)

A 27-year Dominus from the long, cool 1999 harvest — Wine Spectator’s #11 wine of 2002, now fully mature. Label lightly scuffed; the wine is untouched.

Taste
Dried black cherry, mulberry, cedar, tobacco leaf, espresso, and dried mint. Savory and meaty, with fresh acidity, firm but resolved tannin, and a very long finish.

Region
From the Napanook vineyard in Yountville, Napa Valley. Dominus is the project of Christian Moueix, longtime owner of Château Pétrus in Pomerol — a Bordeaux-style Napa Cab blend. The 1999 is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc, 9% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot; 7,000 cases, 40% new barrels.

About This Wine
Body: Full body, settled · Acidity: Integrated, still fresh · Texture: Resolved, firm-edged tannin

Best For
1999 birth-year gift, milestone dinner, Dominus vertical with the 2003 and 2020, library Cabernet at a fair price

For Who
Collectors building a Dominus vertical, gift recipients born or married in 1999, hosts who want a mature Napa Cab on the table tonight

Similar To
If you like mature Saint-Julien Bordeaux, library Opus One, or Ridge Monte Bello at 25 years, this is the same register — Bordeaux structure, Napa fruit, fully evolved.

Pairing
Aged ribeye, braised short rib, lamb shank, roast duck, wild mushroom dishes, Korean BBQ (galbi), aged Gouda

Drink Window
Drink now through 2029. Fully mature — no further cellar time needed.

Collector Note
1999 was a long, cool Napa season with a hot final week of September — long hang time, small berries, excellent natural acidity. Wine Spectator rated the 1999 Dominus 95 points and placed it #11 in its Top 100 of 2002. This bottle has slight label damage; the label is cosmetic only, and we price it below a clean-label copy. Decant 45 minutes; serve at 62–65°F.

Mood
Reverent, library, generous, classical

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What does “slight label damage” mean?
A: Cosmetic scuffing or a small nick on the paper label from storage handling. It does not affect the wine, the capsule, or the fill. We price these bottles below a clean-label copy; if you want a photo of the exact bottle before ordering, message us.

Q: Is a 1999 Napa Cab still drinking well?
A: Yes. 1999 was a long, cool vintage with excellent acidity, and Dominus is built for 30 years. Wine Advocate re-tasted it in 2010 and found it savory and very long with firm tannin still in place — it has since softened into its mature window.

Q: How does the 1999 fit with the 2003 and 2020?
A: Three points on the same arc from the same vineyard. 1999 is the oldest and most evolved, 2003 is mature and Bordeaux-leaning, 2020 is the cellar bottle. Together they make a textbook Dominus vertical.