CHÂTEAU LE DÔME
2019 Saint Emilion
The 2019 Le Dôme is absolutely compelling. All the elements are dialed up to eleven in a large-scaled, dramatic Saint-Émilion that has so much to say. Cabernet Franc is, of course, front and center at Le Dôme, as it always is. Black cherry, blackberry, mocha, espresso, lavender and dried herbs are all vivid in the glass. I would give the 2019 a few years to come together. It is hugely impressive in the early going, though. Drinking range: 2026 - 2039 Rating: 96 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Feb 2022)
* This is a pre-shipment/primeur offer. All orders are accepted under the TERMS of this offer which differ from the terms of the rest of the site.
The 2019 Le Dôme was the last vintage vinified in the old winery before Norman Foster’s "spaceship" landed (the new winery is spectacular). I admire the aromatics here; the Cabernet Franc feels unrestrained and very expressive, almost Loire-like in style. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, nicely detailed, maybe less ostentatious than previous vintages – and all the better for it. This is an excellent Le Dôme that should offer two decades of drinking pleasure. Drinking range: 2025 - 2048 Rating: 94 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Feb 2022)
A kick of turmeric, cloves, cinammon spice and sweet black cherry get things off to a powerful start. This is an excellent Le Dôme that showcases the big-shouldered signature style of this wine while maintaining a subdued, restrained core of fresh acidities. Skilful winemaking, delivering on its En Primeur promise. Harvest October 1 and 10 (all grapes brought in over two separate days). Neil Whyte winemker full time for Le Dôme since 1995. Drinking range: 2029 - 2048 Rating: 96 Jane Anson, Decanter (Jan 2022)
This magnificently situated parcel of old-vine Cabernet Franc continues to impress. It is intensely perfumed in smoky black fruits, displaying a dark, tight structure that leads through to finely textured tannins. The wine's acidity and succulent ripeness come through strongly. This is for long-term aging Rating: 97-99 Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast www.winemag.com (Jun 2020)
Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2019 Le Dome is a little closed and broody to begin, unfurling to reveal a profound core of preserved plums, fruitcake, chocolate-covered cherries and mocha with nuances of star anise, Sichuan pepper and cardamom. The medium to full-bodied palate is beautifully perfumed with loads of floral notes emerging among the black fruits, framed by remarkably soft, velvety tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and fragrant. Gorgeous wine! Rating: 96-98+ Lisa Perrotti-Brown, RobertParker.com (Jun 2020)
The Cabernet Franc-dominated 2019 Le Dome comes from a single vineyard on the hillsides outside of Saint-Emilion, not far from Angelus. Offering a wonderful bouquet of dark black and blue fruits, spring flowers, truffle, and violets, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a terrific sense of purity, elegant, silky tannins, and a great finish. This elegant yet also concentrated and structured 2019 is going to have upfront appeal given its balance and quality of fruit yet should also evolve for 20-30 years or more. Drinking range: 2020 - 2050 Rating: 95-97+ Jeb Dunnuck, www.jebdunnuck.com (Jun 2020)
Château Le Dôme
Jonathan Maltus was the first Englishman to receive 100 points from Robert Parker for one of his wines. He arrived in Bordeaux in 1994, selling his project management company in order to buy the picturesque but otherwise unremarkable Château Teyssier. Hard work and serious investment established Château Teyssier as a remarkably successful St Emilion brand, but the sandy soils of Vignonet were never going to provide the terroir for true St Emilion greatness. So, Jonathan set out to find himself some good terroir. First of all, in 1996, he purchased a 3.5ha plot from Vieux Château Mazerat when one of the two brothers who owned the estate died. This he christened Le Dôme. The plot sits next to Château Angélus on almost Pomerol-esque ground – sandy soil over a layer of crasse de fer (a rich iron oxide). The vines, planted in 1956 and 1970, are 80% Cabernet Franc and 20% Merlot, making Le Dôme the most Cabernet Franc dominant wine in St Emilion. In 1996, Le Dôme was at the forefront of the garagiste movement and went into exclusively new oak, although latterly the new oak proportion has dropped back to 80%. In 2004 Jonathan took on a 1.2ha plot that had been part of Château Fonroque, that lay on a hard limestone called calcaire à astéries, so he named the wine Les Astéries. The 80 year old vines are 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. Next, in 2005, came Le Carré – a 1.1ha plot next to Clos Fourtet on more typically St Emilion clay over limestone soil. Le Carré is 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. And, in 2008, when the other brother at Vieux Château Mazerat died, Jonathan purchased the rest of the estate. The 3.5ha of vineyard also lie next to Château Angélus (and, also, Château Canon) but in a separate block from Le Dôme, on more usual clay/limestone soil, and with a different grape mix (65% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc), so the old estate was not re-united. But in a nod to their former joint status, the Vieux Château Mazerat has the same label as Le Dôme except the colours are reversed.
Please make sure that you have read the terms of this offer which are different from those on the main website. If you are unclear as to what is involved in primeur purchases please do contact our private client team via email or on 020 7018 0187.
Ordering
Prices are all in bond by the case size stated.
Pre-Orders are a firm commitment to buy wines on release, as long as the release price is within the upper and lower price bands set by you on the pre-order form. Pre-orders will be fulfilled subject to availability but providing this firm commitment to buy effectively gives you priority and is a good idea for the most desirable wines.
Wines listed on the website can be ordered in the usual way via the website wishlist order form. You can also send orders directly to our private client team via email. Please note that, for the most sought-after wines, priority will be given to those who ordered the same wines last year and to those that have pre-ordered.
Confirmation
All orders will be confirmed by email and are binding unless written cancellation is received within seven days of email confirmation. Pre-orders are not binding if the release price is above your upper price band.
Invoices are all raised at the in bond price (excluding any duty and VAT) which will become payable at the prevailing rates when the wines arrive in the UK, should you wish to take duty paid delivery.
Payment is required on sight of invoice, by cash, cheque, debit card or bank transfer. We regret we cannot accept credit cards for en primeur orders. We reserve the right to apply a dunning charge of 2% per month on invoices unpaid after 30 days.
Delivery
- Shipment to our bond (at LCB Creek Road) and insurance are included in the in bond price.
- Delivery is free to Lea and Sandeman / Elephant storage accounts, both duty paid and in bond.
- Other deliveries (In Bond and Duty Paid) are also free subject to a minimum order from the offer of £500. Orders below this total will be charged an administration and handling fee of £16.50+ VAT when invoices are issued. We will group deliveries and this is a charge for your entire purchases, not a per-case charge.
- Delivery of 2022 Bordeaux bought en primeur is expected during 2025. Delivery dates may vary as wines are shipped from Bordeaux at different times.
Practical notes - how it works
We start a sale in each customer's name and add all their primeur orders to one sale which is invoiced at the end of the campaign (or when the customer wishes). Immediate payment of invoices is then required by cash, cheque, debit card or bank transfer. We and our customers find that having a single invoice for the vintage is the simpler option but please note that confirmed orders are still binding even if the final invoice has not yet been issued.
Please specify on your wishlist order form where you would like the wines shipped on arrival in the UK. If this is to a third-party bonded warehouse, please specify the relevant account details. If the wines are required duty-paid we will issue a second invoice for duty and VAT at the prevailing rate when the wines are available for delivery.
Half-bottles, Magnums and larger bottles.
One of the additional advantages of buying en primeur is being able to order the wine in the format you want. While most of our listings are for 75cl bottles, we can source wines in any format that is offered by the Château. Please note that format requests cannot be changed once wines have been invoiced. Additional charges for special formats do apply and are as follows:-
- +£18.00 per case of 12 half-bottles
- +£30.00 per case of 24 half-bottles
- +£7.50 per case of 3 Magnums (2 bottles equivalent, 1.5 litres each)
- +£11.00 per case of 6 Magnums
- +£45.00 per individually boxed Double Magnum (4 bottles equivalent, 3 litres)
- +£60.00 per individually boxed Imperial (8 bottles equivalent, 6 litres) for Salmanazars, Balthazars, Nebuchadnezzars and Melchiors please enquire for availability and price.
Storage Options:
Wines bought en primeur won't arrive in the UK until 2025. If you do not wish to take home delivery at that point, you may wish to consider where you would like the wines shipped. Lea & Sandeman offers duty paid and in bond storage through a dedicated storage company called Elephant Storage. For more details on the terms and fees associated with storage please go to our Storage Homepage or contact our private client team for more information.