Le Dome 2017 750ml

In a region dominated by Merlot, Jonathan Maltus's Le Dôme stands out for its Cabernet Franc-driven style, and the 2017 is a single-vineyard blend of 80% Cabernet Franc and 20% Merlot. Spring frost made 2017 a tricky year across Bordeaux, but top Saint-Émilion estates still made fresh, elegant wines, and this is a fine example. Wine Advocate described crushed black cherry, kirsch and raspberry preserves with pencil shavings, violets and cinnamon, while Jeb Dunnuck called it "a beautifully classy, layered 2017." Medium to full bodied with firm, building tannins and a perfumed, mineral finish, it should drink well from now through the late 2030s.