Decanter was alerted to the sale by Markham Vineyards in an email this morning (26 August).
It marks a significant expansion for Dominus, owned by Bordeaux’s Moueix family, and a symbolic reunion of land first granted to Napa Valley pioneer George Yount in 1836.
Strategic location
The Yountville Ranch lies on the southern edge of the Rutherford Bench in the Yountville District. Its neighbour Dominus, founded by Christian Moueix in 1983, currently cultivates 41.6ha (103 acres) at the Napanook vineyard and produces three wines from the estate.
Both properties share a distinctive terroir of gravelly loam, fine-grained silt and clay at the foot of the Mayacamas range.
In 2008, the family added Ulysses, a 16ha (40-acre) site in Oakville purchased from Clark Swanson. With the new acquisition, the Moueix family now controls more than 80ha (200 acres) of contiguous vineyards stretching across the western side of Yountville and Oakville – a rare concentration of prime Napa terroir.
Deep roots
The Yountville Ranch itself carries significant history. Originally part of George Yount’s 1836 Mexican land grant, the property was acquired by Markham Vineyards founder Bruce Markham in 1975 and became the source of the estate’s first Cabernet Sauvignon in 1978.
Farmed continuously for more than a century, it has been a cornerstone of Markham’s portfolio and a model for sustainable viticulture in Napa, with cover crops, composting, and sheep grazing long in place to enrich the soils and control growth.
Historically, Yount sold part of the original land to his friend Charles Hopper, forming the Hopper Ranch. Dominus’ acquisition effectively brings a large portion of the historic estate back under single ownership.
Looking ahead
Describing the move as a ‘natural extension’ of Dominus, Christian Moueix confirmed that the estate will take over management of the vineyard after the 2025 harvest and, from the 2026 vintage, grapes will go into producing Dominus, Napanook and Othello.
Much of the site is expected to be replanted in the coming years, with the vines eventually integrated into Dominus’ long-term programme of adaptive viticulture.
The purchase underscores both Dominus’ ambition and its long-term commitment to Napa Valley at a time of growing pressure on land and climate, when the wine market is subdued and several estates have scaled back tasting room operations or shifted focus.
‘This acquisition represents a bold new chapter for Dominus Estate. A long-term project, it reflects our passion for the vineyard, our confidence in the future of the Napa Valley, and, above all, it affirms our love of wine with its life-enhancing qualities’ said Moueix.
