Château La Dominique is an estate in Saint-Émilion known for its Merlot-based red wine. It was rated Grand Cru Classé in the official 1955 classification of Saint-Émilion.
Located close to the Pomerol border, the vineyard covers approximately 29 hectares (71 acres). The majority of plantings are Merlot (89 percent) with small amounts of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon and an addition of Malbec in 2019. Here, a gentle slope and sandy gravel soils with slighlty more clay than its neighbor Cheval Blanc create the terroir.
In the winery, movement of juice and wine is done gently, powered by gravity to aid the preservation of phenolics. Grapes undergo 12-24 hours of cold maceration, and then vinification takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. The grand vin is then aged oak barrels, a majority of which are new for 16 months.
Records for La Dominique date back to 1690, although it was first mentioned as a wine estate with its current name in 1785. The name is derived from Dominica in the Caribbean where the owner made his fortune. The estate's reputation dipped in the first half of the 20th Century, but in 1969 it was bought by industrialist Clement Fayat who also owns Château Fayat in Pomerol and Clément-Pichon in the Haut-Médoc. Sustained investment has brought about a return to form.
Located close to the Pomerol border, the vineyard covers approximately 29 hectares (71 acres). The majority of plantings are Merlot (89 percent) with small amounts of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon and an addition of Malbec in 2019. Here, a gentle slope and sandy gravel soils with slighlty more clay than its neighbor Cheval Blanc create the terroir.
In the winery, movement of juice and wine is done gently, powered by gravity to aid the preservation of phenolics. Grapes undergo 12-24 hours of cold maceration, and then vinification takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. The grand vin is then aged oak barrels, a majority of which are new for 16 months.
Records for La Dominique date back to 1690, although it was first mentioned as a wine estate with its current name in 1785. The name is derived from Dominica in the Caribbean where the owner made his fortune. The estate's reputation dipped in the first half of the 20th Century, but in 1969 it was bought by industrialist Clement Fayat who also owns Château Fayat in Pomerol and Clément-Pichon in the Haut-Médoc. Sustained investment has brought about a return to form.