Winemaker Notes
The fruit's rich flavors, ripe tannins and balanced acidity enabled Michael to craft Cabernet Sauvignon with unmatched richness, elegance and harmony. Stylistically reminiscent of the legendary Mondavi cabernets of the late 1960s and early 1970s, crafted by Michael. is a prestigious wine reflecting the animo, or "soul," of the vineyard: compelling, dynamic, and elegant.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
The purity and focus to this is really wonderful with blueberry, black currant, and lavender flower character. Full to medium body, ultra-fine tannins and wonderful length. Needs a few years to come together still. Try in 2019.
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Wine Enthusiast
Among the producer's most luxurious offerings, this nearly 100% varietal wine (with 2% Petit Verdot) is grippy in tobacco and big, pillowy tannin. The leaner side of its personality is defined by classic notions of cedar, currant and graphite, while its other aspect reveals riper elements of mountain blackberry and chocolate mocha. They all work well together in sync.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
2012 was a “winemaker’s vintage” that gracefully evolved into a “consumer’s vintage,” often mistaken for simplicity—but the “M” stands as one of the year’s most compelling expressions and continues to show beautifully. It opens with enticing aromas of ripe black fruits laced with sweet spice, flowing onto a supple, polished palate where generosity meets refinement. For an elevated pairing, serve this wine with pan-seared veal cutlets finished with a rosemary–thyme butter, a touch of garlic, and a light porcini reduction—the earthiness and herbal accents drawing out the wine’s depth while its silky texture mirrors the tenderness of the dish. (Best Served: 2018–2030)
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The flagship wine, the 2012 M by Michael Mondavi, is 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Petit Verdot. In this vintage, the wine seems lush, opulent and soft, with lots of creamy blackcurrant fruit interwoven with some cedar wood, licorice and forest floor. It is juicy, but doesn't seem to have the density and concentration of the two vintages of Animo. Nevertheless, it is elegant and made in a Bordeaux style. Drink it over the next 12-15 years.
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.