Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The full-bodied, powerful, pure 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is another outstanding effort revealing notes of spring flowers, toasty oak, creme de cassis, licorice, and graphite. One would have to go back to the 1990, 1991, 2001, or 2002 to find a Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve this impressive. The 2007 should evolve for 20-25 years.
95+ -
Wine Enthusiast
Bone dry and utterly balanced, with deeply powerful, long-lasting flavors of blackberries and black currants and an intense, but integrated, coating of smoky oak. But it’s also very tannic. Nothing soft about this wine. As fine a cellar candidate as any Mondavi Reserve in years. Should develop for 12, 15, even 20 years.
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Wine Spectator
A wonderful expression of stylish Cabernet that's ripe, fleshy, complex and layered, highlighting ripe currant, wild berry and blueberry, with touches of cedar and cigar box. The flavors gain traction on the finish. Drink now through 2022. 9,590 cases made.
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James Suckling
Blackberry jam on the nose, with hints of vanilla and licorice. Full and jammy, with a slightly hollow center palate, but I enjoy the velvety texture. Will be better if you pull the cork after 2013. 14+22+23+32. Find the 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.
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.