Winemaker Notes
Elegant, balanced and approachable with bright floral notes, hints of currant, spice, dried berries and a touch of oak to smooth, bind and elevate the flavors. Complex and subtle, revealing itself over time.
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
The 2005 vintage, marking the debut of “M,” signaled a bold and purposeful beginning for Michael Mondavi’s flagship effort. Upon tasting, its vitality and generosity were striking—remarkably youthful in spirit, yet its layered complexity revealed a more profound, evolved character. This is a wine that bridges energy and maturity with effortless grace. Best enjoyed with a well-aged cheddar and unhurried conversation. (Tasted: February 19, 2026, Napa, CA)
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Wine Spectator
Tight and cedary, with mineral, sage and oak flavors that overshadow the dried currant, spice and black cherry fruit. Well-structured and focused. Best from 2010 through 2016. 700 cases made.
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Wine Enthusiast
Made from the winery's little vineyard on Atlas Peak, this 100% Cabernet needs time to come around. It doesn't show the voluptuous approachabiltiy of the 2005 or the 2007, which will be released next year. It's fairly acidic and tannic. But there's a luscious core of blackberries and black currants. Try after 2012, and might be a very long-lived wine.
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.