Bordeaux 2018 at Two Years: St Emilion Grand Cru
I conclude my reports on the wines of St Emilion with this third and final instalment (no cheering at the back, please), taking in 32 wines not ranked in the 2012 iteration of the classification. It some cases these are small estates where the proprietors have perhaps never entertained the notion of applying for the classification. For others it is perhaps just too soon, and they are working their way up to it. Some proprietors (naming no names) are clearly not interested, perhaps considering themselves above such commercial affairs. In one or two obvious cases, however, the wines are clearly of a quality level that deserves some elevated status, but they are not eligible for some other reason.
Le Dôme from Jonathan Maltus is the perfect example of the latter, a renowned label in the St Emilion appellation and yet ineligible for promotion in the 2012 revision as it did not have a dedicated winery and cellars (one of numerous requirements for classification which is about much more than the quality of the wine). As followers of Jonathan Maltus and his wines will perhaps already know, this is no longer the case. The completion of a brand new facility next to the vines (and topped off with a domed roof, naturally), just around the corner from Château Angélus, now puts Le Dôme firmly in the running for promotion in 2022.
As for the wine, I though the 2018 Le Dôme showed brilliantly at the primeurs, the Cabernet Franc (which of course dominates the blend) revelling in the conditions of the vintage. Now in bottle it shows beautifully ripe Cabernet character, laced with aromatic complexities and supported by fine structure. It is certainly the strongest wine in this line up. And it is testament to the talent of Jonathan Maltus and his winemaker Neil Whyte that coming in close behind it is the 2018 Vieux Château Mazerat, its Merlot-dominated partner. It would be fascinating to revisit these two side by side in future years.
