Tod Mostero, winemaker of Dominus and Ulysses, launches Napa’s next cult cab with us at Graileys! Tod was super gracious as he introduced us to his next venture with Bordeaux’ super star Christian Moueix and Dominus. The Ulysses Vineyard is a beautiful property in southwest Oakville that lies just south of the world famous To Kalon Vineyard and Martha’s Vineyard. Christian noticed this “sweet spot” plot and purchased the property back in 2008. With only 800 cases, the praised 2012 vintage is the first commercial release and what a spectacular debut! Check out our tasting below as are proud and excited to introduce you to Napa’s legend in the making! We also tasted through Moueix’ Right Bank properties of the 2011 drinking vintage to highlight the well loved wines of Christian Moueix.
Tod Mostero of Dominus and Ulysses tasting with AJ and our members.
2012 Ulysses Cabernet- This beauty tastes like a mythical blend of Dominus and Mouton! It took some time to open up, but after a solid decant, the wine explodes from the glass with sensual and alluring wild flowers, ripe raspberries, cocoa and exotic spices. The palate is full of sweet red and black cherries, cassis, raspberry jam, roses, cedar, coffee bean and minerals. The palate is so supple and sexy that it’s hard to stop drinking! This multi-layered Cab shows striking depth and complexity on the extremely long finish.
2013 Ulysses Cabernet- Not yet released (will be released in March 2017), it was fascinating to try the 2012 and the ’13 side by side! Such a dynamic difference between these two spectacular vintages! The 2012 was ripping with ripe flavors while the ’13 was the more serious Cabernet, beautifully reserved and extraordinarily complex. The ’12 has so much to offer and it does almost straight away, but there were so many other elements going on in the bottle of ’13 Ulysses that wouldn’t ever be in the ’12 and I am totally happy to have both vintages. Both are smoking examples of their vintages and I can’t wait to revisit the 2013 after more time in the bottle and for it’s official release.
A Stunning Showcase of Christian Moueix!
2011 Belaire Monange, St. Emilion- Earth driven with wild herbs, forest floor, violets and lavender followed by wild blueberry, black mulberry fruit and spice. It started off really strong with earth but with some air, the earth elements simmered down and the fruit shown through in a mouthcoating, lingering showing.
2011 Esperance de Trotanoy, Pomerol- This was our favorite straight from the bottle! Ripe and silky- it was a perfect balance of fruit, earth, spice and everything in between. A perfect bottle to open for any occasion and quite impressive from start to finish. This is a great bottle of youthful Bordeaux to impress just about any palate.
2011 Chateau Trotanoy, Pomerol- Powerful and gripping, this was the wine I cherished in my glass at the end of the night. The 1982 Trotanoy was the winner of our “You Show Me Yours, I’ll Show You Mine- Bordeaux Varietals” tasting a few months back and although not that quite of an epic vintage, this bottle of 2011 was impressive in its own right. Dense black currants and black plums soared through the palate with equally powerful notes of compacted spices, wild lavender, rich leather, earth and minerals. Each sip is quite fulfilling and the finish is daunting. This was a wonderful Bordeaux to cap the night.
DO NOT PASS ON THIS FANTASTIC DEBUT!
2012 Ulysses Cabernet Sauvignon
Graileys Price: $169.95 per bottle | $1019.70 per 6 pack OWC
“The 2012 Ulysses (800 cases) is 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest other Bordeaux varietals. A structured, dense purple wine that displays plenty of cedar wood, crème de cassis, licorice and graphite, the wine is full-bodied, rich, backward and dense, but beautifully pure fruit and an almost Pontet-Canet-like purity and density are hallmarks of this brilliant wine. Forget it for 4-5 years and drink it over the following 20-25.” – Robert Parker