The perfumes of Cabernet Franc shine in this richly structured wine. It has a sense of concentration as well as generous fruitiness that is impressive and ageworthy. This long-term wine is likely to be ready from 2024.

A blend of 80% Cabernet Franc with 20% Merlot, the deep garnet-purple colored 2017 Le Dome has a reticent nose of crushed black cherries, raspberry preserves and kirsch with hints of pencil shavings, cast iron pan, violets and cinnamon stick. Medium-bodied, firm and with great freshness, it has a perfumed/mineral character and great length.

The single vineyard 2017 Le Dome checks in as a normal blend of 80% Cabernet Franc and 20% Merlot brought up in 80% new French oak, with the balance in once-used oak. This deeply colored 2017 has a spicy, complex style as well as medium to full body, lots of red, black, and blue fruits, building tannins, nicely integrated acidity, and a great finish. It shows more floral and incense notes with time in the glass, has plenty of structure, and is a beautifully classy, layered 2017 that's going to benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for two decades.

The 2017 Le Dôme melds together the aromatic intensity of Franc with the plushness of Merlot. Raspberry jam, mocha, espresso, mint and spice all develop nicely in the glass. The saline, energetic and vibrant Le Dôme is one wine in this range that needs time in bottle to be at its best, as it is very tight today. Even so, there is quite a bit of potential.