Winemaker Notes
Blend: 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 1% Malbec
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A very good introduction to Napa Valley cabernet for drinkers who are unfamiliar. This offers ripe, generous red and black fruit on a velvety texture of fine-grained tannins. Black cherries, dark plums and blackberries come up in the aroma and then go deeper on the palate. Contains 7% petit verdot, 8% merlot, 3% cabernet franc and 1% malbec. Aged in all French barrels, 31% new, which add accents of cinnamon and cedar. Drink now or hold.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Mondavi's 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa spans five Bordeaux varieties and several AVAs, with the largest components coming from Stags Leap District and Oakville. Aged in French oak (38% new) for 18 months, it's excellent entry-level stuff, boasting gentle black cherries, loam and cinnamon notes. Full-bodied, it's soft and supple, almost suede-like in feel, with some mocha and dark chocolate notes on the slightly warm finish.
One of the most prestigious wines of the world capable of great power and grace, Napa Valley Cabernet is a leading force in the world of fine, famous, collectible red wine. Today the Napa Valley and Cabernet Sauvignon are so intrinsically linked that it is difficult to discuss one without the other. But it wasn’t until the 1970s that this marriage came to light; sudden international recognition rained upon Napa with the victory of the Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon in the 1976 Judgement of Paris.
Cabernet Sauvignon undoubtedly dominates Napa Valley today, covering half of the land under vine, commanding the highest prices per ton and earning the most critical acclaim. Cabernet Sauvignon’s structure, acidity, capacity to thrive in multiple environs and ability to express nuances of vintage make it perfect for Napa Valley where incredible soil and geographical diversity are found and the climate is perfect for grape growing. Within the Napa Valley lie many smaller sub-AVAs that express specific characteristics based on situation, slope and soil—as a perfect example, Rutherford’s famous dust or Stags Leap District's tart cherry flavors.