February 2, 2020 - Past it’s prime. Nose was still great with hints of black cherry and cassis. Taste was earthy, but mostly flat.
May 17, 2017 - Past its prime, no surprise... but fun to taste the age. Drinkable.
April 17, 2016 - Drank with Mike and Lisa Britney Chris or Lisa and Britt's birthday Progressive appetizer dinner. Tastes of rose pedals, blueberry. Fruit fades out to a finish of earthy tobacco. Medium tanins.
June 21, 2014 - Aged cabernet nose. Still good Black currant in the nose. Not Much fruit left, but still nice and not dried out.
Very impressive for a 26 year old basic cuvee.
Drink up.
August 4, 2011 - Deep burgundy color. Very smooth. Rich old bordeaux flavor with aftertaste of bitter herb or green pepper. Aromatic but not fruity; more wood or leather.
February 27, 2010 - Considering I should have drank it 14 years ago, it is phenominal. It has held together quite well over 22 years despite some cork issues.
January 24, 2010 - My buddy brought this over for the Indy/Jets game. Purchased upon release from the American Consulate from when he lived in Australia. This bottle sure has some miles on it, I thought. Nevertheless, it was still a base neck fill. There was some very slight signs of seepage, so I was a little worried, though it turns out I did not need to be. Cork started to come out fairly easily, then broke, but the last 20% came out just fine. Immediate nose of mature California cabernet. This baby was not corked, nor flawed whatsoever. Popped and poured as we saw no reason to wait. Telltale Mondavi nose of blackberry, eucalyptus, and mint. Color amazingly dark almost all the way to the rim with only slight bricking. This is a 1988 regular Mondavi Cabernet? What a delightful, soft, mature, and really enjoyable cabernet. After the 90 minute mark some (slight) tannin arrived, then faded. Yes, this could go another 6 months to a year, but I'd drink up if I had any myself.
April 19, 2008 - Decanted for an hour beforehand. Some cork taint on the nose, but only slight. Nice consistent color, no real hint of the age. Some fruit on the nose--blackberry and even some strawberry, but also some heat. On the palate, pleasant enough, but not all that remarkable.
July 29, 2006 - A very slight, thin ring of bricking, yet the core is opaque, almost inky, plum color. The lively color of this is rather amazing Cassis, plum, blackberry, dusty rose, currants. Interesting finish - as the wine opens with time it develops some tobo and pepper. Layers of fruit, but oddly, not layers of flavor, if that makes sense. Somewhat linear in flavor insofar as the wine not developing much after it opens. I suspect the fruit is not as rich or ripe as 5 years after vintage, but it still delivers a load of fruit 18 years later. And this isn’t even the Reserve bottling. Only a shadow of sediment. 12.5% alc. With grilled strip steaks, with Italian salad and sides of grilled mushrooms and red onions. 07.29.06.
September 21, 2003 - smooth & still very fruity cherry & cassis.