Winemaker Notes
As ever, this wine expresses the singular elegance and powerful character of To Kalon Vineyard. This Reserve is blended from the finest blocks within To Kalon. The wine coats the mouth with fine tannins and sings with lively acidity.
Pair this wine with Ribeye with wild mushrooms and vegetable tarts.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Wonderful aromas of fresh herbs, such as sage and mint. Currants. Extremely aromatic. Full body. Fantastic tension and focus. Reminds me of the 1974. Really exceptional. Gorgeous. Cool and sleek. Try after 2023, but already fascinating to drink.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2017 Robert Mondavi Winery Reserve To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is an outstanding Napa Valley effort. TASTING NOTES: This excellent wine shines with aromas and flavors of blackcurrants, violets, licorice, and a lovely note of oak. Enjoy it with a lightly-seasoned, grilled ribeye. (Tasted: August 24, 2021, San Francisco, CA)
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Jeb Dunnuck
While the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve checks in behind the 2016, it’s a terrific effort as well as a beautiful wine. Based on 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot, and a splash of Cabernet Franc, all from the estate’s holdings in the To Kolan Vineyard, it reveals a deep purple hue as well as medium to full-bodied aromas and flavors of crème de cassis, lead pencil shavings, violets, and Asian spice. It shows the more focused, linear style of the vintage with its ripe, polished tannins, outstanding balance, and a great finish. Give bottles 3-4 years and enjoy over the following two decades or so.
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Wine Enthusiast
With tiny amounts of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, this reserve-worthy wine is age-worthy and structured, with hugely concentrated red fruit and bursts of dried herb. Tight-grained tannins emphasize its power as underlying acidity builds on the palate to provide a hint of brightness. Enjoy best from 2027–2030.
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Wine Spectator
Very solid, with a direct beam of steeped black currant and plum fruit, carried by hints of loam and black licorice. A loamy note mingles with the fruit through the broad finish, while light herb and singed alder hints check in. Best from 2021 through 2031.
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.