2015 Robert Mondavi BDX

The 2015 BDX is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Cabernet Franc that spent two years in 75% new French oak. It’s a powerful, concentrated, and voluptuous effort that’s going to need bottle age to show its true potential. Giving up lots of graphite, charcoal embers, and licorice, with beautiful cassis and jammy blackberry fruit, hide bottles for 4-5 years and it will keep for 15-20 years. It’s a great value.

Mondavi's 2 015 BDX is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, all from To Kalon. Deep and quite structured, the BDX is going to need time to soften. The high percentage of Franc in this blend is intriguing, to be sure. Mocha, espresso, grilled herb, licorice and plum open up with time in the glass. It will be interesting to see where this wine goes. The 2015 is naturally quite dominated by the richness and power of the vintage, but there is a good deal of Franc spiciness waiting to fully emerge.