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.
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.
Home to some of the most sought-after Cabernet Sauvignon in America, Napa Valley’s Oakville district stretches across the center of Napa's valley floor and foothills between the Vaca and Mayacamas Mountains. This AVA is home to the legendary To Kalon Vineyard and Martha's Vineyard, as well as many powerhouse wineries including Screaming Eagle, Silver Oak, Robert Mondavi, Opus One, Far Niente and Groth.
The climate is generally warm and agreeable, resulting in year after year of favorable vintages. Summer days see a gentle tug of war between warmer inland air and the cool air coming in from the San Pablo Bay, creating an ideal environment to grow red varieties. Oakville's diverse soils, namely ancient sea bedrock, clay and gravel, are well-drained, and perfect for high-caliber viticulture.
Cabernet here is often bottled varietally but is also popular in Bordeaux Blends. Oakville wines are known for their silky, sensual textures, structured tannins, dark and brooding fruit and lovely aromatics. These age-worthy and prestigious wines are favored by collectors throughout the world.