Wine & Dine with Robert Mondavi Winemaker Richard Arnold

Some words regarding the Restaurant:
One objective for me attending the Wine & Dine was to get to know the restaurant. When I went to their Homepage my first impression was: Tried but failed … Very stylish, but almost unusable.
The restaurant itself is exactly like their homepage: very stylish, they really tried. But IMHO they failed tremendously! The fine dining room is on the first floor, on the ground level is some kind of bar and discotheque. The result: You can hardly understand a word and one cannot really enjoy the food. The tables and chairs are completely mixed. At my table, smaller people could put their chin on the table, because the chairs are too low.
The staff was professional, but not that attentive.
The food was like their homepage: very ambitious, but failed… I noticed it a lot in the past that young chefs want to create something special and extravagant, but don’t have the skills. The food was of excellent quality, no doubt, but it was not a great composition, more like different parts standing side by side. For my matter of taste the chef used too much chili and ginger, which killed the fine aromas of the other ingredients. Some dishes where served lukewarm instead of hot.
So, if you want to be a hipster and like to eat seaweed, sweet potatoes, Ponzu and all that stuff in a stylish decoration go to 5. If you really want to have a fine dining experience: go somewhere else…

• NV Roederer Estate Brut Rosé Quartet 88 Points

  USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley

  As Mondavi does not produce a sparkling wine itself, we had this Roederer Rose. Salmon color, fine perlage. At the beginning some artificial, syrupy strawberry notes in the nose, slight notes of a bread and yeast. Dry, medium- acidity, medium alcohol, medium- intensity and a medium+ finish, which was not very complex. Brioche, red berries on the palate.
  Quite ok.

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• 2012 Robert Mondavi Winery Chardonnay 87 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Glass: Gabriel Universal machine-blown
  Some butter and oak notes in the nose, this Chardonnay is made to be a crowd pleaser. Quite simple to understand, round, melted acidity by malolactic fermentation, medium+ body, soft and smooth with a medium- finish with some fruit and lots of oak.
  Drink now, it won’t get any better.

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• 2012 Robert Mondavi Winery Fumé Blanc 88 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Glass: Gabriel Universal machine-blown
  I really like the nose! Ripe gooseberry, herbs, nettles, a complete different scent. Medium+ intensity. Dry, medium- acidity, medium alcohol, medium- body with a medium+ finish. It lacks a bit of complexity on the mid palate.
  Lots of green fruits, vegetables, herbs and some bitter notes in the finish.
  Drink now or in the next 2-3 years

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• 2012 Robert Mondavi Winery Fumé Blanc Reserve To-Kalon Vineyard 91 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Glass: Gabriel Universal machine-blown
  The reserve is more elegant and refined than the regular fume blanc. It is produced for the longer run. Nose is still nice and appealing, but not that intense. Oak aromas start to come out when the wine warms up (produced with 20% new Oak).
  Not that fruit driven, elegant, medium+ alcohol, edium+ finish with some oak, which needs to settle down.
  According to Rich Arnolds wife, this is made for the long run and should taste beautiful in 10-20 years. But you can drink it now, just decant it for 1-2 hours.

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• 2011 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville 86 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

  Glass: Gabriel Universal machine-blown
  Ruby red color with medium intensity. Clean nose with butter, oak, green pepper, some fruit in the back, medium intensity.
  Dry, medium- acidity, medium tannins, medium- body, medium alcohol. Medium intensity and a medium- finish. Vanilla notes, some greenish notes, earty notes (soil).
  Drink now -> 4 years

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• 2012 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 87 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Glass: Gabriel Universal machine-blown
  Puple/ruby red color with medium+ intensity. Clean nose with hints of blood (iron), quite closed and not that intense, medium+ tannins not (yet) integrated and quite harsh.
  Quite simple Napa Cab.

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• 2010 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 91 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

  Glass: Gabriel Universal machine-blown
  Deep, intense purple color. Clean, medium intense nose of dark berries, very fruit driven and almost no tertiary aromas. Medium acidity, medium+/high soft and ripe tannins, medium+ Body with medium+ intensity and a medium+ finish.
  On the palate still fruit driven, elegant and has a good potential for evolving in something beautiful.
  Let it ripen for 3-5 more years.

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• 2008 Opus One 92 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Glass: Gabriel Universal machine-blown
  Deep, ruby red color. Clean, low intense nose, quite closed, some oak, very few fruit, and almost no tertiary aromas. Medium acidity, medium+/high soft and ripe tannins, medium+ body. Long and mouthfilling finish. It has a big potential, but is quite closed at the moment.
  It is really unfair to rate this wine at this stage as it is far too young. It can and certainly will evolve and will earn 3-5 more points in the coming decades.

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• 2001 Robert Mondavi Winery Sauvignon Blanc Botrytis 90 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Well, what should I say: a botrytis SB from Napa. Respect, hard to produce, but compared to other regions where they really have experience with that (Sauternes, Neusiedlersee) a wine, that nobody really needs..
  Light amber color, clean botrytis nose with honey notes, but not very complex and lots of volatile acidity (nail polish remover) that vanishes over time. Good acidity, 12% alcohol, fermented in new oak. Sure it is intense and sweet and all that stuff, but it lacks the complexity and aromas I usually expect from a late picked botrytis wine.

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Richard and his wife where lovely, very opened and presented their wines really with passion and joy. Unfortunately only half of the guest could understand them due to the noise in the restaurant.