2004 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve***
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Tasting notes
(15% alcohol; 53% To Kalon): Dark ruby-red. Blackberry, blueberry, plum, gravel, licorice and nutmeg on the ripe nose. Plush, fine-grained, very ripe and sweet, offering highly concentrated, deep flavors of cassis, plum and graphite. This wine can be enjoyed now owing to its seamless, gracious texture and ripe tannins but it should continue to evolve positively for another decade.
Critic scores
Robert Parker
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
The 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is in a beautiful spot today, as there is a good deal of development in the aromatics, but also enough density to allow the wine to drink well for another 5-10 years. Chocolate, mocha, black cherries and brown spices are all shaped by a considerable amount of new oak. All things considered, the 2004 has held up nicely. At eleven years of age, this ripe, opulent Cabernet Sauvignon is ready to drink, but not likely to improve much from here. There's no time like the present. The 2004 is 81% Oakville Fruit (53% To-Kalon) and 19% Stags Leap fruit. Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot round out the blend.
(15% alcohol): Good bright medium ruby. Sexy dark berries, raspberry, tobacco, mocha and spicy oak on the nose, plus a whiff of iron. Sweet, lush flavors of currant, plum, tobacco and iron. Finishes with substantial dusty, broad tannins and very good length. I wanted a bit more in the way of treble notes, but this wine is undeniably plush and rich, with red fruits and brown spices dominating. Slightly aggressive tannins show a dusty edge.
A blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, this beauty reveals wonderfully sweet black currant fruit, soft tannins, a medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, a broad, elegant texture, and an authoritative, pure finish. It possesses both power and elegance, but is not yet fully mature. It should continue to evolve for another 10-12+ years. Tel. (707) 967-6364
About the producer
Robert Mondavi is a name known the world over. The ambitious businessman created his eponymous winery in 1966 to produce world-class wines in Napa, pioneering quality winemaking and becoming a champion for the region.