Chateau La Dominique

Chateau La Dominique

Acquired in 1969 by Clément Fayat, the vineyard has been entirely renovated and constantly improved ever since.
Bordering directly on châteaux Cheval Blanc, Figeac, L’Évangile and La Conseillante, this outstanding 29-hectare terroir consists of sand and clay where Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon reach full maturity to make great wine.

History

According to legend, the name 'La Dominique' came from a rich merchant who named the land in memory of the Caribbean island in the 17th century. During the first Saint Emilion wine classification in 1955, it was designated Grand Cru. The current owner, who purchased the estate in 1969, is Clément Fayat.
They grow grapes of the Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon varieties in their vineyards, with which they create their signature Grand Cru wine and a second red wine.
The famous architect Jean Nouvel created a new cellar building for the estate in 2014 that contrasts with the classical architecture of the old host house, where visitors are received. The tour comprises a visit to the panoramic terrace overlooking the vines, discovering the history of the estate and tasting various wines.

Terroir

The 29 hectares of the Château La Dominique are located in the north-west of the Saint-Emilion appellation, on the edge of the AOC Pomerol, on a mosaic of soils: composed in the north of argilo-gravelly plateaux of Pomerol, blue clays, in the south of argilo-basementlimestone from Saint-Emilion.
To the north of the property, we find the argilo-gravelly plateaux of Pomerol on which cabernet-sauvignon were planted. These warmer terroirs, thanks to the presence of bass, promote the good maturity of this later grape variety, while clay brings density and concentration to the wines. In the south, the clay-limestone basements typical of Saint-Emilion and the famous blue clays, give tension, finesse and minerality to the merlots and cabernet-franc that were planted there.

Savoir-Faire

Voluntarist and committed, the team at Château La Dominique seeks to minimize the impact of different gestures on the environment with the obsession of the preservation of fauna and flora. For Château La Dominique, it is still a question of thinking of itself as a farm, with a holistic viticultural vision to move away from a monoculture logic. In this way, the team is setting up cover crops to reduce soil tillage and that the agroforestry approach will eventually make it possible to develop greater biodiversity and contribute to better management of wildlife and their habitats.
Suitable sizes, integral winemaking in Tava© amphorae according to the plots and the increase in the share of cabernet franc should allow to gain in finesse and elegance. With this quest for precision, Yann Monties, the Technical Director, is now reorienting the wines of Château La Dominique towards even greater excellence.

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