Napa’s Dominus Acquires Markham’s Yountville Ranch Vineyard: A New Era in Winemaking

Dominus Estate, the prestigious Napa Valley winery owned by Bordeaux’s Christian Moueix, has acquired the 86-acre Yountville Ranch Vineyard from Markham Vineyards. This new addition is located adjacent to Dominus’s existing Napanook vineyard, expanding Moueix’s holdings to more than 200 acres in Napa Valley.

Despite the current challenges facing the wine industry, Moueix remains optimistic about the future of Napa wines. He expressed confidence in the terroir of both his current vineyards and the newly acquired land. “We love the terroir of our vineyard. We know the terroir next door is about the same,” Moueix stated.

The Yountville Ranch Vineyard is divided into two parcels north of Napanook. Dominus plans to commence farming the new vineyard after the 2025 harvest, and Moueix anticipates replanting some of the vines. Since its inception in 1983, Dominus has produced three wines from its estate, currently cultivating 103 acres at Napanook. Moueix’s past acquisitions include the 40-acre Oakville property, which he renamed Ulysses in 2008, further solidifying his presence in the Napa region.

The new vineyard has a predominance of Merlot, and while Moueix intends to transition away from Merlot, he is also considering expanding his Cabernet Franc plantings. Historically, Napanook vineyard consists predominantly of Cabernet Sauvignon, with a small proportion of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.

Moueix’s deep connection to Napa Valley began during his studies at UC Davis in 1968, where he learned under the guidance of renowned professor Maynard Amerine. His early career included a harvest stint at Beaulieu Vineyards, mentored by the legendary André Tchelistcheff. After spending a decade in Bordeaux, he returned to Napa with a focus on vineyard acquisition and partnership, ultimately purchasing Napanook and Dominus outright in 1994. His wine, Dominus Estate Napa Valley 2018, was named Wine Spectator’s 2021 Wine of the Year.

With the addition of Yountville Ranch Vineyard, Moueix is planning for the long term, confident in the quality of the land he has secured. “We are not in a hurry. We know we have great terroir. We are going to inherit great terroir," he remarked.

About the Author: Chris Lehoux

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