Winemaker Notes
Deep, dark inky color signals the wine's intensity. Aromas of wild blueberry contain hints of black olive and spicy vanilla from oak aging. Powerful tannins are chewy and generous, and beautifully balanced by the wine's equally dense flavors of black fruits—blackberry, black cherry, boysenberry and crème de cassis. Vibrant and alive with fresh acidity.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This is a very fine, high level Cabernet that shows the impeccable nature of Mondavi Reserve. Yet it’s also very tannic and far from being drinkable. Shows a vast repository of black currant, blackberry, black cherry and new oak flavors wrapped into a smooth, velvety mouthfeel whose finish goes on forever. Masculine and authoritative, it should continue to improve for many years. Drink now, with decanting, and through 2017, at least.
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Wine & Spirits
Genevieve Jannsens has been working with To Kalon fruit, on and off, since 1978. Her blend for Mondavi Reserve includes several of the oldest dry-farmed blocks in this historic vineyard, some dating to 1945. She sets out to make a wine of elegant power and intensity, and this 2005 is a triumph. It presents cabernet sauvignon as an aristocratic wine, with just enough supple richness to fill out the austere tannins. A hint of green herb and a gloss of cocoa integrated from the new oak add complexity as the profound, earthy flavors open and expand with air. A classic Napa Valley wine to age for ten years or more.
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Wine Spectator
The Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve weaves together a complex array of ripe, rich currant, anise, smoky oak and black cherry. Dense, concentrated and persistent, with great depth and focus, ending with an amazingly long, richly flavored finish.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The dense ruby/purple-hued 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve’s big, sweet nose reveals aromas of creme de cassis, licorice, cedar, and spice box. Medium to full-bodied, elegant, restrained, and made in a distinctively Bordeaux style, it possesses admirable purity, texture, and length. It is delicate and poised as opposed to flamboyant, and should age easily for 15-18 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.