Winemaker Notes
Blend: 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
From the most coveted blocks within To Kalon--the treasured vineyard of Robert Mondavi that was the location of his winery home since 1966--this is the fourth vintage of the To Kalon--designated Reserve. Like a classic rock 'n' roll tune from that era, this wine ranks among the most revered and will continue to be memorable for decades. Among the top five songs of 1966 were "Cherish" by the Association and "Soul and Inspiration" by the Righteous Brothers, which are appropriately a good fit for describing To Kalon Vineyard. From its aromas of dark cherry and vanilla spice to its deeply-expressive notes of graphite, leather, plum, and earth, the velvet drapes across the palate from start to finish.
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James Suckling
Soft and smooth but structured, the wine is aromatic with mint, red currant, cassis, graphite and savory bay leaf accents, followed by a rich mouthfeel and significant but fine-grained tannins. This beauty, Mondavi’s top red wine, is drinking great already, but will evolve for years.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve To Kalon is a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot. Deep ruby/purple-colored, notes of sweet creme de cassis, blackberry, charcoal and toast are present in the subtle but intense aromatics. The wine is full-bodied and classically crafted, building incrementally on the palate and displaying full-bodied richness, sweet tannin, and a potential to age for 25-30 + years. This is a beauty.
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Wine Enthusiast
This is made from a majority of Cabernet Sauvignon from the famous historic site, with 6% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. It startles in beauty and grace, with plenty of power and concentration. It's a charismatic wine, bright in red currant and black cherry and a soft, supple texture that holds an underlying grip and toasty oak spice.
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Decanter
This vintage's Mondavi Reserve leads with notes of red and black plum, vanilla, dried herbs and pencil shavings; the prelude to a supple, open-knit palate with a good core of juicy fruit and tangy acids. There is a touch of oak tannin which will need some time to integrate further.
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Wine & Spirits
Supple and heady with the richness of Oakville cabernet, this is a plush, espresso-scented red. Associate Editor Geoff Millar described it as an “oak rocket with dark fruit inside,” the oak propelling the fresh raspberry and blackberry flavor. Winemaker Genevieve Janssens selects this wine from the vineyard that surrounds the winery, working with a range of blocks for this Reserve, including vines dating to 1974.
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.