Winemaker Notes
A brilliant, deep ruby color matches the abundant aromas of blue and blackberries, red currant, and hints of minerality reminiscent of flint, soil, and menthol. On the palate, the 2021 Animo Cabernet Sauvignon is fresh with layered flavors of huckleberry and raspberry accentuated by notes of pink peppercorn and toasted oak on the lengthy finish. Youthful yet well-balanced and complex, this wine has great potential for aging.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This big, complex, aromatic and concentrated wine has tons going for it. Alluring cedar shavings, graphite, cinnamon and cocoa fill the aroma while lush, deep blueberries, black cherries and dark chocolate fill the mouth with richness. Fine-grained tannins add great textural support without any astringency. Best from 2025–2035.
Cellar Selection -
Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
From its stony, volcanic perch high atop Atlas Peak (1,270–1,350 feet), the 2021 Animo – Michael Mondavi Family Cabernet Sauvignon speaks with confidence and depth. A vivid chorus of ripe berry flavors rises to the fore, beautifully grounded by nuanced notes of dried earth and mineral. Structured yet polished, this wine calls for something more commanding than a traditional roast—think a slow-roasted, herb-crusted beef tenderloin with a black truffle jus, where richness, aromatic lift, and textural finesse meet the wine stride for stride. (Tasted: February 19, 2026, Napa, CA)
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Animo offers up attractive scents of black cherries, vanilla, dried spices and some hints of cedar. It's medium to full-bodied, velvety and balanced, reasonably concentrated without being massive or off-putting, then adds mocha and cedar notes on the finish.
Seeking vineyards that would form the foundation of his family estate, Michael Mondavi zeroed-in on a particularly rugged, Manzanita-dotted parcel high on Atlas Peak in the Vaca Mountain range of southeastern Napa Valley. As Michael surveyed the site with his family, his daughter Dina remarked, "Dad, this place has animo."
Animo is an Italian word for heart or spirit. In the family’s experience, some vineyards have it, and some don’t - a pervading spirit that presents the opportunity of producing something that is truly exceptional. An experienced vintner recognizes the dormant energy of such a site before it has even been planted, its potential evident in the raw material, from the soil to the curvature of the land and sun exposures.
Michael Mondavi sensed the potential of Animo at first sight, and the continually developing wines that are produced here have spirit to spare. The Animo Vineyard is planted to a mere 15 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon vines in soil composed of a relatively uniform rocky volcanic tufa infused with red streaks of iron. The vines climb from an elevation of 1,200 to 1,350 feet on the slope of Atlas Peak, overlooking Napa Valley. At this elevation, the grapes enjoy a protracted growing season, and harvest generally extends well into October. Variations in elevation and sun exposure require numerous picking passes at harvest time. The attention paid to each individual vine is reflected in the quality of the finished wine.
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.
Just northeast of Napa city, Atlas Peak boasts some of Napa Valley’s highest elevation vineyards. Here the intense sunlight coupled with cool, nighttime temperatures produce grapes that are perfectly ripe, balanced and concentrated. The appellation is rich in volcanic soils and excels in the production of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.