Community Tasting Note

BostonRob64 wrote:

Tuesday, June 18, 2013 - Had this wine in honor of what would have been Robert Mondavi's 100th birthday.

Began the evening with a 2010 Mondavi Napa Valley Unoaked Chardonnay, one of the best chardonnays I've ever had. Crisp with notes of melon and green apple. Simply delicious. 92 points.

Main event of the evening was a "face-off" between a 1974 Mondavi Napa Valley Cabernet and the '74 Reserve Cab. Same vintage, maker, (essentially) grapes, but what a difference. The reserve was drinking well right out of the gate, with a richness of cherry, leather, and lead pencil notes. Very Bordeaux-like without the usual "terroir perfume" of 40-year old Left Bank wines. Maintained its fruit over the course of the two-hour dinner. 95 points.

The "regular" '74 was initially lean without much complexity, finally opening up after an hour or so, but never demonstrated the fullness or depth of the Reserve. That said, the color of this wine was virtually indistinguishable from its cousin, with just a slight tinge on brown surrounding an increasingly dark red core. 90 points.

Both reds were a testimony to the greatness of this legendary winemaker.

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