Domaine de Long Dai 2020 (RP94) (Gift Box)

Country:               China
Region:                  Qiu Shan Valley, Shandong Rating:                   RP94, JS95
Grape Variety:   56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Marselan, 24% Cabernet Franc
Type of Wine:     Red Wine
Bottle Size:          750ml

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 94
The 2020 Domaine de Long Dai is a blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Cabernet Franc and 20% Marselan and has a relatively deep ruby appearance. As noted in my review of the 2020 Hu Yue (Long Dai’s second wine), this was an initially cooler and wetter vintage followed by a relatively dry growing season; but the fluctuations in temperature and obviously very different ripening conditions in its 420 terraces of vineyard meant that the Long Dai harvest extended from September 3 to October 28. On the nose, the 2020 Domaine de Long Dai has lifted, perfumed predominantly black fruit sporting cassis, bramble, black cherry and a touch of blueberry (with a hint of red plum), along with a violet floral element combining with herbaceous notes of sage and green bell pepper. These are complemented by some savory secondary aromas of clove, toast and smoke (the 2020 vintage was matured in barriques for some 18 months in a mixture of new and older oak).

On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied with coating, fine-grained, polished tannins, lively acidity and well-integrated 13.5% alcohol, supporting a decent core of complex black fruit and herbaceous character (in this cooler vintage expression) flanked by similarly well-integrated savory oak. Purely for personal preference, I warm to the richer vintages of 2018 and 2019, but in terms of wine quality, the 2020 Domaine de Long Dai shows greater precision and the tannin texture is notably impressive. With its long length, this is the perhaps the best vintage of Domaine de Long Dai to date—although a comparative tasting of 2018-2020 would help—which, while approachable now, will improve in bottle over the next 5-7 years.