From Magnum at Pixca Saturday lunch. Double decanted for sediment and served 2 hours later. Served blind and guessed widely as a second growth Bordeaux from 1995 or 1996. Voted as wine of the lunch of abut a dozen cab blends from Bordeaux or Napa with age. This really improved in the glass and in fact finished the bottle 2 days later and going very strong. Earthy black dusty aromas followed by impressive depth of flavors and nice lively acids. Mature yet showing nice essence of dark fruits into a spicy finish. Impressive for the age and holding fine.
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Very variable lot. Cork on the verge of disintegration, bottles change nature of wine. This one turn out on the fruity side with strong character and higher acidity than the rest. It could last another 5 years. Great effort Mondavi!!!!
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Vinetasters: Robert Mondavi Reserve (1970-1998) (Skokie, IL): Served blind in a Mondavi lineup. A nascent amount of bricking here. The nose is stunning; a beautiful note of cherry mixed with menthol. The palate is similar to the 1998, but it's a little bit more restrained and less exuberant. There's a good earthiness here, but the fruit isn't as prominent as in the 1998. It's got a little bitterness on the back end as well. The tannins are still a little rough on the edges; I expect this to improve significantly. I guessed that this was something from the mid 1990s? My 3rd, group's 4th.
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A bit overshadowed by the 85 Insignia and 87 Red Rock Terrace but still a beautiful wine. Unbelievably dark and youthful considering its 31 years of age. Full flavored and fresh. Just plain enjoyable.
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Tasted at The Fine Wine Experience Mature Robert Mondavi Tasting, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong. Perhaps a touch acidic without the benefit of food. Light and pleasant, this was more 'Napa-like' in style. You would be less likely to confuse this vintage with the mature Bordeaux that is often first guess for a Mondavi Reserve at a blind tasting.
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A pleasant and mature noise with some Bordeaux-like aromatics of cedar, cassis and dried herbs; The palate is medium-bodied, with some herbal undertones to the black cherry and dark fruits at its core; Drinking well right now if not a complete blockbuster; Tannins are resolved and I imagine this is slightly past peak, although will likely be drinkable for many more years
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Beautifully fresh and vibrant. Red fruit with a slight hint of smoke in a light elegant body. Medium finish. No hint of maturity. A very enjoyable easy drinking wine.
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Earthy (potting soil) nose, with oak and a very comforting autumnal/ember character.
Red and black fruited - raspberries and blackberries. Has fairly good impact on the palate, although lacks a little breadth. Fruit is quite sweet and finishes with fine grained tannins. A little past peak for me, but holding on OK.
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Still drinking quite well. Nose is classic aged Napa cab, smooth on the palate with a lingering finish. Flavor profile all tertiary elements. This is still prime but the lack of evident tannin makes me think the decline is beginning, though I would guess it will be a slow descent.
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Drank very well. Smooth and still alive, though probably slightly past what most would consider "peak". Nevertheless, this bottle was more than enjoyable, particularly after 30 minutes in the glass. From a bottle with no corrosion on the capsule.
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Decanted, tasted over 3 hrs, cork saturated and heavy mold on top -mostly opaque dark red with minimal bricking -moderately expressive plum cassis touch of oak and mature cedar-y elements -med/med- acidity, typical cab cassis/plum remnants, noticeable but not obtrusive oak, not much depth or complexity, tannins mostly resolved -pleasant and correct though fairly uninteresting, not flawed or completely over the hill but just unexciting
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From a 1.5L. Medium-deep garnet in color with slight clearing at the edges. forward, attractive and complex nose of mature and well-developed ripe fruit aromas of dark cherries, blueberries & cassis with overtones of cedar & floral notes of violets, dusty, tobacco, dried herbs, some cocoa, leather, olives, dill, mint/eucalyptus, earthy, spices, minerals and toasty oak & vanilla in the background. Medium-full bodied with good concentration, silky smooth textured, elegant & plush, complex, mature ripe fruit flavors of cherries, berries & plums with herbs, spices, minerals, cocoa, earthy and some toasty oak. Lingering silky smooth & seamless finish. Drinks quite well at present and appears to be at its peak of development and doubt any further development would occur from additional aging.
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TTTG (Jed's House): Tasted Blind – My WOTN - Terrific blend of red and black fruits interwoven, rich texture with some remaining dusty tannin. Early on the nose and entry I picked up a slight mint note that faded. The fruit is beautifully restrained to display earthy characteristics on the palate and finish. I was a little bit surprised to find this was a Napa cab. Very Good to Excellent – Drink Now
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The cork was completely wet and disintegrated upon removal. It took some serious surgery to remove it all so be careful when opening. About 60 minutes in the decanter had this wine opening up, but I think it's safe to say that it is past its prime. Still drinkable but not as good as the 1989.
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Dark garnet with a thin meniscus. Perfumed nose with cherrywood smoke, leather, sage, cucumber, mint, lime and barnyard. Big creme de cassis on the palate with bright citrus zest and a gentle yet persistent leathery finish.
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The color here is still quite lively with a solid purple core and some garnet at the rim. On the nose there are aromas of cherries, dust, tobacco, currant, some muted perfume of violet and just the faintest hint of olive - decidely old school. Though nicely aromatic - with aromas reaching both the top-note and middle-note range - there is not the complexity to make this wine stand up as a standout example of what Napa wines from this era can achieve.
On the palate the flavors are nicely refined, and the flavor of plum comes out in the midpalate. The tannins are soft and well integrated. The mid-palate, though not exactly hollow, does lack some stuffing - as I have tasted in other (older) vintages of this bottling.
To my mind, not a wine that would make believers out of newcomers to the world of well-aged Napa Cabs (a la 1990 Dominus and wines from the 70's and 80's) but can be appreciated by those so inclined.
Still, if it were to set me back more than a bill I would pass at this point - simply because I have already tasting this particular wine and would rather try something else!
The last sip is the best, though, so though slightly disappointing overall the wine does show quite a bit of class. Well done.
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Bottles with oxidized capsules - hit and miss. Bottles with pristine capsules - outstanding. This is one of the latter. High fill. Cork wet throughout, but the wine itself is remarkably fresh. Fully developed, but a bottle like this is in no danger of going downhill anytime soon.
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Nice deep coloring still, just very slightly bricking. Right off the bat this was very vegetal, with more breathing notes of spice, meat and a woody/leather scent unfolds in the glass. Plum, wood spice and more leather. Tannins integrated and smooth. Medium finish. Overall this was a sound bottle of mature Cali cab.
SS 91pts.
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Post peak. Ok, post peak to the point of subterranean. Distinct brown meniscus. Nose is vegetal but strives to a bit of graphite. Taste is vegetal but as good as vegetal gets with some faded cherry. Not a drink for the fruit bomb fan, but an old Bordeaux drinker will find a few positives here.
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This wine still has hints of greatness, but is past its prime. Very nice after decanting and breathing, good fruit and very smooth. Dark red, medium-heavy body, very little tannin.
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Brick red color with intense aromas of dried fruit and old wood. Entry was nice and bright with very little tannins left and body was more than mature with dried fruit and spice tones combined for a drier than usual light to medium finish. This wine has run its course and should be drunk sooner than later. However it still has charm and intensity.
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Cork was pretty saturated but came out in one piece. A little volitile on the nose at first but blew off within a few minutes. Bricking/rust around the rim. This has seen its' best day having lost a lot of its' fruit with the wood left over. It was ok and drinkable but nothing really of note to mention. It was my last bottle and I wouldn't pay much to replace it.
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Cork was soaked but manageable. Opened and recorked for a day (due to bad planning), but not decanted. Beautiful ruby color- very little sign of bricking. A youthful wine for sure.
A complex nose, with faint black fruit a meaty component and a dab of citrus, chocolate and turmeric. A dusty overtone which reminds me of the smell you get in a crawl space under a house, but balanced with a fresh rainforest floor note.
Tart on the palate, tannins gone- reminiscent of a 1974 Sterling I had recently. The terroir shines through in both wines (a rarity outside of Randy Dunn's wines these days) thanks to the low alcohol, but the Sterling is undoubtedly bigger and more concentrated. The Mondavi just feels a little dilute.
Finish is pretty short, but the nose keeps me coming back.
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Sunday Brown Bag Tasting: Mondavi Cabernet Reserve Vertical (Our house): Soft crimson color, slight bricking. Cedar, leather, plum and violet notes. On the light side of medium-bodied and fully-integrated at this stage. Red berries and plum, along with leather and spice box. Finishes well, with plenty of fruit.
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Ming's Birthday (Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck, Paragon): A very nice wine, but a bit overshadowed by the illustrious company on the night. Even within its own flight, the table almost unanimously preferred an excellent 1985 Clos du Val Reserve to this. Nevertheless, there was a lot to like here. It was more Pauillac to the Clos du Val's St Estephe on the nose here, with very masculine inflections of meat and earth, sweet spice and black tea notes on a backdrop of cassis and cigary tobacco. The palate may have lacked the brilliant freshness of the Clos du Val, but was very delicious in its own way, with yummy flavours of ripe cassis and black cherries on the attack, and then lots of black tea and spice, meat and sous bois on the midpalate, before the wine pulled away into a long, powerful finish filled with chewy cigar notes. There was still quite a bite of firm but beautifully ripe tannins at the finish that gave a sense of musuclar structure to the wine. Very nice indeed, and while quite at the right place for drinking, this bottle could easily have held up for the next few years as well.
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July 4th Part 2: Popped and poured, but we should have decanted. A bit of a slow starter sour off the bat and a bit muted, but started to open up as it swirled in the glass. Young and lively, yet a bit thin and average, especially for a RM reserve. Very typical older mondavi reserve nose, would have guessed it in a second blind. Blackberry nose, Black fruit palate. Medium finish.
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It was dark purple, the cork was bled through. the smell was a little muted. maybe a little old. went well with the rib roast. certainly less flavorful than the younger Napa cab I am used to. A great complement to the meal
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An evening of older Mondavi Cab Reserves- 1971-1990 (Apiary.): This was just lovely and quite Bordeaux-like. It's more herb-driven on the nose and palate than the '90 and '87, with redder cherry, plums, cedar and dust. There's a wonderful freshness and depth to the wine that all at the table admired. The oak is nicely integrated, the alcohol levels are in check and the acid levels are elevated, but that's a positive. A real joy to drink. A-.
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Brick rim, ruby body. On opening had a sour note in the finish which made me fear for the bottle, but after decanting it moved into the background. A bit of lead pencil in the nose, flavors mellowed out after a half-hour or so. Probably should have gone to this bottle 5 years or so ago, past prime but still nice aged Cab flavors. Bottle was purchased at release and stored in a cool cellar since.
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For whatever reason, bottles of this that I've had with oxidized capsules are hit and miss. Some good, some tired. But bottles with pristine capsules, such as this one, remain outstanding. Bottom neck fill.
On the nose, intoxicating and secondary. Sweaty fruit and oak, that morphs into something more perfumed as it opens up in the glass. On the palate, more of the same with a hint of resinous cassis. Perfectly balanced and completely resolved in terms of acidity, tannins, and the green note that was there in earlier bottles. The finish - hauntingly long given a lack of plushness on the mid palate. In fact, the only thing that holds my score down is a slight lack of fruit depth and soft plushness on the midpalate. Surprisingly, some pretty noticeable tannins creep in with some time in the glass, but with more time these fade away. This bottle reminds me of a less infectious '86 Haut Brion.
Objectively, its probably time, or perhaps past time, to drink these up. Emotionally, I'm still looking for a bottle of this that will perform at the level of a '73 Mayacamas I had a couple of years ago.
A fresh bottle, no oxidization on the capsule. Sweaty aged cab fruit on the nose...quite secondary. On the palate, remarkably young. What once was probably a green pepper note had resolved to an uplifting backdrop against some great depth of fruit. Medium long finish. I've sourced a few cases of this from multiple sources. Varied results. The bad ones are disappointing, but the good ones...like this bottle, suggest good drinking for another 10+ years.
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Pop/pour. Opens up with a secondary sweat and a bit of green on the nose. This blows off a bit to be joined by a brighter cherry note. On the palate, this is one of the fresher bottles of this I've had. Good fruit depth and quite a bit of remaining tannins.
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Not at all old and held its own against Cos 1986 and Mondavi Reserve and Cos 1990. Refined aromas of eucalypt, fennel seed, chalk, cedar and fresh cut hay. Flavours of black doris plums (with some of the plum's associated sourness). Some sweat. Lovely balance - a slight powdery texture.This is a great new world food wine which has aged beautifully and gained nuance.
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Very pleasing nose that opened up after a couple of hours decanting (it was a little closed to start with), a variety of tertiary notes including spice, cigar box, smoke and a hint of leather. Still plenty of fruit left on the palate, but not overpowering, and well in balance with the structure and velvety texture. It is complex, elegant and delicious. This bottle came from dubious provenance, with a lowish fill level, but it still showed very well. I have another that looks to be in better condition, so I look forward to that. There's no hurry to finish these up, there's plenty of life left. A very good example of an older Napa cab, the way they used to be made,
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Hanging out at Jim's house: This was one of Jim's mad scientist moments as he was wanting to check in on this one. Nose: Mushrooms and some cedar with damp cellar aromas. Palate: Red fruits and mushrooms. Surprisingly youthful color with very little browning. I prefer much more youth in my wines but this has held up well given its amazing age. Cool to try a Cab this old.
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Impromptu Mixed Bag Tasting: No detailed notes. Wonderful, secondary nose. It took awhile for the palate to open up and show its depth. Not the best bottle of this I've had, but definitely one of the "good" ones. Well-kept bottles of this have some time left. Update: surprisingly enough, this is better the second day, with more integrated and expressive flavors on the palate. Very Bordeaux in character, a throwback to the days when wine wasn't a food group.
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No detailed notes. One of the "good ones", this bottle was still drinking with quite a bit of life to it. Secondary aromas and flavors, but still plenty of fruit.
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This was really good and still had nice structure. Great nose of mint and cassis, obviously aged. The cork was not in very good shape even though the wine has been cellared well since release.
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What a difference between bottles opened today. This one, while it obviously has aged, carries itself relatively young and with a good amount of fruit. Two commonalities across all the bottles I've had. First, they need to be stood up for a couple of days prior to serving to settle the sediment. Second, I haven't seen a pristine cork yet. All are either soaked, loose, or both.
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This is one that came in a couple of years ago on a shipment that was frozen. A bit of beef bouillion on the nose, along with sweaty socks. More pleasant on the palate, where the fruit is still very much in evidence. However, there's an abundance of suspended sediment that may well have been a byproduct of the freezing. I probably could have finished the glass, but I've got enough of this that it seemed worthwhile to try another bottle..........
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2009 Valentine's Day (At Home): Cork was shot, fill top shoulder. Still a very nice wine. Doesn't compare favorable to the 1986 Heitz Martha's. Not as fresh or as rich in fruit. Slight hints of portiness creeping in. Nevertheless, I'm very happy with this bottle. Continue to think that these should be consumed relatively soon, particularly those bottles with deteriorating capsules. Wanted to open a pristine bottle for comparison, but too much other stuff already open today.
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This was one of the 1st wines i had ever bought , my freind John told me about a bottle he opened over the weekend and didnt finish so i went over last night and had a few glasses . The wine was relatively sweet , had very nice color , but had a bit of stewed -pruney thing going on which i particularly dont enjoy . I would say that the wine has held up very well .
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Anniversary Dinner - 2008 (Home - Minnesota): Opened this one as a "second" to the prior bottle. Cork pushed through. Generally a better bottle. Significantly more fruit and better balanced. A bit tannic, which could be because of all the suspended crap in it (btl wasn't prepped). I'll let it stand up, filter/decant later and revisit. Update: later in the day, this settled down and turned into a quite elegant, mature California cabernet. Almost bordeaux in its styling. Sweaty cab fruit and cedar on the nose. Relatively lush on the palate, with some remaining tannins. Long finish. Should probably drink the rest of these off over the next year or two.
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Anniversary Dinner - 2008 (Home - Minnesota): Cork was dust at the top, soaked at the bottom. I don't know what it is about the capsules/corks on these 86 Mondavi's, but they've all been shot. Top shoulder fill. This is not one of the "good bottles". Similar to my tasting in Dec 2006, this one has more wood, less fruit than some of the others I've opened in the last year. Still some tannins on the finish. This bottle is suggestive of a bottle on the decline.
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Capsule looked bad, cork soaked through... looked like bad things to come. Surprisingly, this turned out to be the best bottle of this I've had. Needed about 45 minutes to open up. A bit disjointed right off the bat.
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A nice bottle that would have benefitted from being stood up for a couple of days prior to opening....lots of sediment. Excellent nose, rich with sweet fruit. A bit tannic on the palate, more a function of poor prep on my part (sediment). I think a properly prepped btl continues to hit 90+,.
Updated: 2nd day kicks this over 90. One of the best bottles I've had of this particular bottling. On the 3rd day, it continues on, if fading a bit. But the nostalgic pairing is a perfect match to the Hot Tuna concert blasting in the background tonight. If I was of drinking age way back when, this would be the way I'd have wanted to spend my nights.
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Wonderful. Still with a lot of fruit and compexity. A smooth finish; almost velvety at a point. Different than a year and a half ago. Mondavi continues to impress!
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Tasted November 10, 2007 at an offline. Nose of black licorice and fennel. Flavors of red currants and red berries. Light acidity, integrated tannins, light to medium body. Drink now.
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One of the better btls of the '86 Reserve that I've had. Opened for 21st anniversary. Nice cassis aroma on the nose. Whle this is definitely mature, it has a very nice depth of fruit. Less of a cedar influence than prior btls, and overall better balanced. I probably wouldn't think about trying to keep this around for two days after opening (see the 82pt rating below), as it just doesn't have that much left. A very nice bottle!
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Northwoods Wineapalooza; 9/7/2007-9/9/2007 (Boulder Junction, Wisconsin): No dtl'd notes. Marker for 3 day tasting @ Wineapalooza. Wasted on an evening that featured young, full throttle stuff from Foley, Merus, Darioush, etc. Doesn't have the stuffing for that context, but similar notes to earlier pleasurable bottles.
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Tried this at Allreds house. It had been opened for 2 days. This tasted tired and was faded from being opened in my opinion. Mild tannins. Notes of mushrooms and too acidic with fruit to back it up. Only a shadow of what the non reserve 1986 Mondavi Cab was like when I had it last year. 82 points.
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From a bottle opened two days earlier. A shadow of what it was, but still with some nice qualities. Cedar and forest floor tones, with flavors of plum and tobacco.
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Served double blind. Decanted for sediment and returned to the bottle. Initial musty cellar note blew off to reveal tea leaf, tobacco and olive notes. Nicely balanced, perfectly integrated, with red fruit, herb and cedar flavors. Nice finish.
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Cork was shot, and disintegrated on opening. However, the wine remains in good shape, similar to 12/23/2006 notes. May be the most outgoing of the 3 btls I've had over the last 6-7 months.
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Decanted for 1hr prior to drinking. Color was of ripe black cherry. Aroma of coffee, chocolate, and cherry with a hint of smoke. After 2 hr Blackberry and a little vanilla showed up. A little cininnamon on the nose too. Smooth as could be with a little tannin still on the finish. Most of the fruit was gone, what was left was very subtle. Should have drank by 2005ish. Still a nice bottle.
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Ooops. Just received 2 of these, one with some signs of seepage. It looked as though it could have been fried....it wasn't. Wish I would have saved it for a more fitting occasion..like a night where we were serving beef instead of spaghetti. Notes generally similar to 12/23/06 entry. More significant cigar box on the nose with this bottle. A bit less fruit, and a bit more wood on this bottle. Not as well balanced.
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"Christmas Eve Eve" - a perfect bottle,a nice steak, and "Sound of Music"....the evening's elements are all in balance. Decanted for 90 minutes, kept it relatively cool. Cork was painted red from top to bottom, but did not appear to affect the bottle. As for balance, this wine has it, having aged very gracefully. A nice but not overpowering nose. Fruit and cedarwood on a medium length palate. Always a treat for me to drink well-aged Cabernet, "elegant" is the word that comes to mind to summarize this one.
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Deep garnet with clear rim; rich nose of deep mature cab fruit with classic cedar and cigar box elements; some tannins still unresolved but softened enough to add to structure of a solid wine which went well with leg of lamb. Very nice length and persistence of rich, mature cab qualities. Plenty of life left.
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Decanted into a sealable decanter. Only fine sediment left in bottle. Started off watery and light- worried. But, after 15 minutes, the fruit and body started coming around. For the next hour it was refined and delicate. Then, it kept on building power and intensity, while still being eliquient and wonderful finish. Everything I had hoped and more. Drink the other one during the next year. Wow!
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Another night, another bottle and what a difference. Garnet color, barely turning pink/clear toward the rim. Notes of dark fruit: currants, plum and blackberries, with a tobacco note showing up as well. Smooth as silk, very elegant and balanced in the mouth. Plums and tobacco show up on the palate, with black cherries showing up on the finish, which hangs there for a few moments and then fades slowly. Hopefully the third and final bottle will be as good as this one.
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This wine has aged very well. The color was a deep ruby and the flavors of plum, spice and currant were still very present. The mouthfeel was very rich and the tannins have integrated very nicely. It should age for a couple more years, but why wait!!
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Remember when Mondavi made a great reserve cabernet. This is one of the last great ones. 19 years old and hardly a brown edge. Great "legs". Still plenty of fruit to balance with the tannins. Certainly ready to drink but should hold for awhile. Awesome aged California cab.
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Second bottle, first one several months ago. If anything better than before. Dark purple with lighter edges. A swirl & sniff revealed a well aged wine: boot polish & dark fruit in a pleasant blend. Palate continued the boot polish, dark blackberries slight dryness ( tannins mostly integrated). Finish was very short, but it brought me back for more. Doesn't need food, but a robust cut of beef well prepared (wellington) was oh so nice...
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Cork was wet about half way through, poured very ink-like into my duck decanter. A swirl & sniff revealed a wine in it's prime. First sip, slightly closed fruit palate but with all tannins completely integrated. Finish was very short, but it brought me back for more rapid fire sips as the taste was very pleasing. Have a few more of these and will drink later this year.
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First Tuesday Wine Group at Charlie's House. All of the wines were in impeccable condition. Bright ruby. A bit closed. Not as aromatically complex as the other wines of the evening, and more primary. The finish was a bit shorter as well. This wine screamed 'California' to me. Very good, and should keep for quite a while longer.
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Mondavi Cab Sav Reserve 1986 - surprisingly good! Rich, ripe long, structured classic napa cab sav aromas and tastes. My wife got a bit of Mercaptan and mentioned that it remined her of Dominus because of this. it did not remind me of a french style and was still a touch monolithic - but the age has worked in its favour. an excellent showing. 90pnts
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with Bud and Liz at the farm with Ch. de Fuizal 1986. Very young, dense quintessential cab sav. New World - eucalypt style. Lots of oak - a youch monolithic, but dense concentrated and long - could be Australian except for the french oak handling.
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Opaque mulberry with red/purple rim. Very intense nose of oak, blackberries, currants and mint. Same palate. Prominent but supple tannins. Long, smooth finish. Great wine (probably the best Mondavi Reserve I have ever tasted).
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Robert Mondavi Sponsored Tasting of 3 Bordeaux and 4 Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignons. Was a real treat with a big, fruity nose and mouth but it lacked the structure and elegance of the 1987, needs 3 years to come together and then should nearly equal the 1987. My #4.
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With MPL and BLR at the office in MPL's office. Ruby-purple. Deep, seductive blackcurrant aroma. Fine. In the mouth, silky and elegant, with a black licorice character. Very oaky and tannic at this point, however. Needs lots of time; quite hard at this point, but has great potential. 5-12-14-7: 88/100.
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Tasting of 9 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserves which was repeated with a different wine group. Dark red color, rich fruity nose, big, intense, balanced, mose California like of group, tannins, needs 5 years to age. My #4 of 9.
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Tasting of 9 Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignons. Showed a dark red color in the glass which pointed toward a one dimensional fruity nose and in the mouth that was the most typical California cabernet of the first 4 wines tasted, 5 years of ageing to resolve the tannin, tasted 4 times in 8 months and always regret not buying the futures, will have to make do with the 7 bottles in the cellar. The 1987 is the twin of this wine but better. My #4.
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7/15/2023 - paulst Likes this wine: 95 Points
Earth and cedar with smooth berry and resolved tannin; long sweet finish.
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10/19/2022 - paulst Likes this wine: 94 Points
Sweet cherry and blueberry; coarse; still some tannin; a bit acidic; smooth sweet earthy finish.
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6/4/2022 - paulst Likes this wine: 89 Points
Earthy with resolved tannin and sweet blackberry; a bit harsh with a balanced finish.
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2/4/2022 - edwine__ wrote: 85 Points
Nose of earthy and cherry with a light plum juice palate with nice acidity. Still a pleasure to drink but this bottle is over the peak.
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1/29/2022 - paulst Likes this wine: 93 Points
Light nose; earthy, cherry-sweet raspberry; resolved; layered sweet finish.
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12/1/2021 - paulst Likes this wine: 93 Points
Leather; rich; raspberry; sweet balanced finish.
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11/12/2021 - paulst Likes this wine: 86 Points
Tight and restrictive; light blackberry; moments of mention but rather drab.
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10/9/2021 - KenK Likes this wine: 93 Points
From Magnum at Pixca Saturday lunch. Double decanted for sediment and served 2 hours later. Served blind and guessed widely as a second growth Bordeaux from 1995 or 1996. Voted as wine of the lunch of abut a dozen cab blends from Bordeaux or Napa with age. This really improved in the glass and in fact finished the bottle 2 days later and going very strong. Earthy black dusty aromas followed by impressive depth of flavors and nice lively acids. Mature yet showing nice essence of dark fruits into a spicy finish. Impressive for the age and holding fine.
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10/9/2021 - Burgundy Al wrote: 92 Points
Mid-Aged Cabernet Sauvignon Lunch (Mostly Double Blind) (Pixca - Highland Park IL): Double blind from magnum. Dense cassis and plum with unfolding layers, ending with a sweet hint on the finish that made me think this was New World wine made in an Old World style. Good+ length, I liked this quite a bit.
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10/9/2021 - ChicagoBas Likes this wine: 94 Points
From magnum: Drinking great, youthful but complex, could be old world
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9/8/2021 - paulst Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice lean blackberry and earth with elegant finish; fades at the end.
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5/30/2021 - paulst Likes this wine: 94 Points
Mature and balanced; textured; elegant blackberry-light licorice; long earthy - sweet finish.
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4/14/2021 - paulst Likes this wine: 92 Points
Jammy and fresh; fruit; sweet blueberry; plumy; fruity finish.
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3/29/2021 - paulst Likes this wine: 90 Points
Earth blueberry raspberry; plummy; disconnected; heavy finish.
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2/21/2021 - paulst Likes this wine: 95 Points
Light earth and blueberry-raspberry; coarse and our-sweet; plummey; raisen, mocha and light licorice; complex; layered; long semi-sweet finish.
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9/12/2020 - paulst Likes this wine: 92 Points
earthy nose; sweet blackberry; balanced; mature tannin; sweet long finish.
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9/3/2020 - paulst Likes this wine: 92 Points
Cedar; light blackberry; earth; balanced; sweet but fading finish.
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8/14/2020 - paulst Likes this wine: 93 Points
Sweet blueberry-cherry-raspberry; earthy; some tannin; sweet finish.
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8/2/2020 - paulst Likes this wine: 92 Points
Crumbling cork; light cedar nose; mature; light cherry; soft and elegant; totally integrated and melted tannin; sweet soft and earthy finish.
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1/5/2020 - G SQUARED wrote: 92 Points
Beautifully mature. Not the power of an 86 Montelena but such elegance and grace. Nice weight and color but in my mind it's time to drink up.
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1/1/2020 - lolo66 wrote:
faded and on decline, but enough there - with coaxing and air that it develops a lovely but faint sense of what this wine was.
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5/5/2019 - joseduca Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very variable lot. Cork on the verge of disintegration, bottles change nature of wine. This one turn out on the fruity side with strong character and higher acidity than the rest. It could last another 5 years. Great effort Mondavi!!!!
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11/22/2018 - 97mjr wrote:
Another excellent bottle. Great vintage cali cab. Dark red fruit. Tobacco
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2/11/2018 - acyso wrote: 88 Points
Vinetasters: Robert Mondavi Reserve (1970-1998) (Skokie, IL): Served blind in a Mondavi lineup. A nascent amount of bricking here. The nose is stunning; a beautiful note of cherry mixed with menthol. The palate is similar to the 1998, but it's a little bit more restrained and less exuberant. There's a good earthiness here, but the fruit isn't as prominent as in the 1998. It's got a little bitterness on the back end as well. The tannins are still a little rough on the edges; I expect this to improve significantly. I guessed that this was something from the mid 1990s? My 3rd, group's 4th.
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11/29/2017 - nywine68 Likes this wine: 92 Points
A bit overshadowed by the 85 Insignia and 87 Red Rock Terrace but still a beautiful wine. Unbelievably dark and youthful considering its 31 years of age. Full flavored and fresh. Just plain enjoyable.
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11/6/2017 - nywine68 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Vibrant fresh red fruit. Good saturation. Tannins almost completely integrated. Medium finish.
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11/4/2017 - David J Cooper wrote: 93 Points
Dark red. Dense juicy red current fruit, dusty, cedar box and earth. Delicious earthy black currant and berry flavours. Long dry finish.
A very good wine at it's peak.
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9/26/2017 - KoalaHK wrote:
Tasted at The Fine Wine Experience Mature Robert Mondavi Tasting, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong. Perhaps a touch acidic without the benefit of food. Light and pleasant, this was more 'Napa-like' in style. You would be less likely to confuse this vintage with the mature Bordeaux that is often first guess for a Mondavi Reserve at a blind tasting.
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8/6/2017 - eluebchow wrote: 90 Points
A pleasant and mature noise with some Bordeaux-like aromatics of cedar, cassis and dried herbs; The palate is medium-bodied, with some herbal undertones to the black cherry and dark fruits at its core; Drinking well right now if not a complete blockbuster; Tannins are resolved and I imagine this is slightly past peak, although will likely be drinkable for many more years
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7/25/2017 - nywine68 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nice smokey nose. Red cherries and some chocolate. Medium-light body but decent persistence on the finish. Still some modest tannic structure left.
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5/29/2017 - nywine68 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Beautifully fresh and vibrant. Red fruit with a slight hint of smoke in a light elegant body. Medium finish. No hint of maturity. A very enjoyable easy drinking wine.
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4/25/2017 - Burgundy Al wrote: 90 Points
Fully mature black cherry and currant with hints of cigarbox. Moderate concentration and depth. Good now and for the next 5 years.
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10/22/2016 - bobdobilina wrote: 90 Points
Wines that don't suck at Steak and Vine (Rhys, Insignia, Pape Clement, Figeac, Lynch Bages, Les Pavots, Rieussec and others) (Steak and Vine): Dark, slightly cloudy mahogany color.
Earthy (potting soil) nose, with oak and a very comforting autumnal/ember character.
Red and black fruited - raspberries and blackberries. Has fairly good impact on the palate, although lacks a little breadth. Fruit is quite sweet and finishes with fine grained tannins. A little past peak for me, but holding on OK.
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6/5/2016 - Burgundy Al wrote: 90 Points
Chicago Wine Flock...Blind Tasting Reserve vs Regular Wines ("Chateau La Grange" - La Grange IL): Tasted double blind. Black fruit, nicely mature with licorice and tobacco. Slightly smoky and earthy. I thought this Bordeaux from the mid 1980s.
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9/19/2015 - lockestep Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still drinking quite well. Nose is classic aged Napa cab, smooth on the palate with a lingering finish. Flavor profile all tertiary elements. This is still prime but the lack of evident tannin makes me think the decline is beginning, though I would guess it will be a slow descent.
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6/21/2015 - vanpe003 wrote:
Drank very well. Smooth and still alive, though probably slightly past what most would consider "peak". Nevertheless, this bottle was more than enjoyable, particularly after 30 minutes in the glass. From a bottle with no corrosion on the capsule.
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5/21/2015 - Cote d'Or wrote:
Decanted, tasted over 3 hrs, cork saturated and heavy mold on top
-mostly opaque dark red with minimal bricking
-moderately expressive plum cassis touch of oak and mature cedar-y elements
-med/med- acidity, typical cab cassis/plum remnants, noticeable but not obtrusive oak, not much depth or complexity, tannins mostly resolved
-pleasant and correct though fairly uninteresting, not flawed or completely over the hill but just unexciting
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2/27/2015 - Vinnut Likes this wine: 90 Points
From a 1.5L. Medium-deep garnet in color with slight clearing at the edges. forward, attractive and complex nose of mature and well-developed ripe fruit aromas of dark cherries, blueberries & cassis with overtones of cedar & floral notes of violets, dusty, tobacco, dried herbs, some cocoa, leather, olives, dill, mint/eucalyptus, earthy, spices, minerals and toasty oak & vanilla in the background. Medium-full bodied with good concentration, silky smooth textured, elegant & plush, complex, mature ripe fruit flavors of cherries, berries & plums with herbs, spices, minerals, cocoa, earthy and some toasty oak. Lingering silky smooth & seamless finish. Drinks quite well at present and appears to be at its peak of development and doubt any further development would occur from additional aging.
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1/22/2015 - WMWG Likes this wine:
TTTG (Jed's House): Tasted Blind – My WOTN - Terrific blend of red and black fruits interwoven, rich texture with some remaining dusty tannin. Early on the nose and entry I picked up a slight mint note that faded. The fruit is beautifully restrained to display earthy characteristics on the palate and finish. I was a little bit surprised to find this was a Napa cab.
Very Good to Excellent – Drink Now
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11/26/2014 - mzimberg Likes this wine: 89 Points
Nice and very mellow. Tannins gone and everything is resolved. Some musty books in the background. Drink up.
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7/20/2014 - SM7400 wrote: 89 Points
The cork was completely wet and disintegrated upon removal. It took some serious surgery to remove it all so be careful when opening. About 60 minutes in the decanter had this wine opening up, but I think it's safe to say that it is past its prime. Still drinkable but not as good as the 1989.
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1/3/2014 - magyarsvensk wrote: 92 Points
Dark garnet with a thin meniscus. Perfumed nose with cherrywood smoke, leather, sage, cucumber, mint, lime and barnyard. Big creme de cassis on the palate with bright citrus zest and a gentle yet persistent leathery finish.
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10/15/2013 - kkazaks wrote: 91 Points
The color here is still quite lively with a solid purple core and some garnet at the rim. On the nose there are aromas of cherries, dust, tobacco, currant, some muted perfume of violet and just the faintest hint of olive - decidely old school. Though nicely aromatic - with aromas reaching both the top-note and middle-note range - there is not the complexity to make this wine stand up as a standout example of what Napa wines from this era can achieve.
On the palate the flavors are nicely refined, and the flavor of plum comes out in the midpalate. The tannins are soft and well integrated. The mid-palate, though not exactly hollow, does lack some stuffing - as I have tasted in other (older) vintages of this bottling.
To my mind, not a wine that would make believers out of newcomers to the world of well-aged Napa Cabs (a la 1990 Dominus and wines from the 70's and 80's) but can be appreciated by those so inclined.
Still, if it were to set me back more than a bill I would pass at this point - simply because I have already tasting this particular wine and would rather try something else!
The last sip is the best, though, so though slightly disappointing overall the wine does show quite a bit of class. Well done.
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10/4/2013 - vanpe003 wrote: 94 Points
Bottles with oxidized capsules - hit and miss. Bottles with pristine capsules - outstanding. This is one of the latter. High fill. Cork wet throughout, but the wine itself is remarkably fresh. Fully developed, but a bottle like this is in no danger of going downhill anytime soon.
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8/24/2013 - IWineAlot wrote: 91 Points
Nice deep coloring still, just very slightly bricking. Right off the bat this was very vegetal, with more breathing notes of spice, meat and a woody/leather scent unfolds in the glass. Plum, wood spice and more leather. Tannins integrated and smooth. Medium finish. Overall this was a sound bottle of mature Cali cab.
SS 91pts.
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7/29/2013 - Fatty Cat wrote: 92 Points
Late Jul 2013: not decanted; pale chimney red color; cherry and red currant; light/medium body; bright, juicy texture.
Surprisingly ethereal California Cabernet Sauvignon. Very good: 92-93 points.
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7/4/2013 - oncocyte wrote: 87 Points
Post peak. Ok, post peak to the point of subterranean. Distinct brown meniscus. Nose is vegetal but strives to a bit of graphite. Taste is vegetal but as good as vegetal gets with some faded cherry. Not a drink for the fruit bomb fan, but an old Bordeaux drinker will find a few positives here.
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5/12/2013 - jeginmt Likes this wine: 86 Points
This wine still has hints of greatness, but is past its prime. Very nice after decanting and breathing, good fruit and very smooth. Dark red, medium-heavy body, very little tannin.
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5/11/2013 - lesz wrote: 91 Points
still very vibrant
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4/22/2013 - farinas wrote: 90 Points
Brick red color with intense aromas of dried fruit and old wood. Entry was nice and bright with very little tannins left and body was more than mature with dried fruit and spice tones combined for a drier than usual light to medium finish.
This wine has run its course and should be drunk sooner than later. However it still has charm and intensity.
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4/21/2013 - g-man wrote: 87 Points
Cork was pretty saturated but came out in one piece. A little volitile on the nose at first but blew off within a few minutes. Bricking/rust around the rim. This has seen its' best day having lost a lot of its' fruit with the wood left over. It was ok and drinkable but nothing really of note to mention. It was my last bottle and I wouldn't pay much to replace it.
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2/8/2013 - NewFrenchClaret Likes this wine: 86 Points
Cork was soaked but manageable. Opened and recorked for a day (due to bad planning), but not decanted. Beautiful ruby color- very little sign of bricking. A youthful wine for sure.
A complex nose, with faint black fruit a meaty component and a dab of citrus, chocolate and turmeric. A dusty overtone which reminds me of the smell you get in a crawl space under a house, but balanced with a fresh rainforest floor note.
Tart on the palate, tannins gone- reminiscent of a 1974 Sterling I had recently. The terroir shines through in both wines (a rarity outside of Randy Dunn's wines these days) thanks to the low alcohol, but the Sterling is undoubtedly bigger and more concentrated. The Mondavi just feels a little dilute.
Finish is pretty short, but the nose keeps me coming back.
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12/9/2012 - vanpe003 wrote: flawed
Over the hill. A bit of beef bouillon. Drinkable, but I was pulling this for a Mondavi vertical this evening and it's not what it should be.
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12/9/2012 - vanpe003 wrote: flawed
Corked
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11/11/2012 - AllRed wrote: 91 Points
Sunday Brown Bag Tasting: Mondavi Cabernet Reserve Vertical (Our house): Soft crimson color, slight bricking. Cedar, leather, plum and violet notes. On the light side of medium-bodied and fully-integrated at this stage. Red berries and plum, along with leather and spice box. Finishes well, with plenty of fruit.
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8/30/2012 - Alex H wrote: 88 Points
Sharp pungent glue stained nose of slightly herbaceous. Cigar ash and fresh capsicums with more punch
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8/25/2012 - Paul S wrote: 92 Points
Ming's Birthday (Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck, Paragon): A very nice wine, but a bit overshadowed by the illustrious company on the night. Even within its own flight, the table almost unanimously preferred an excellent 1985 Clos du Val Reserve to this. Nevertheless, there was a lot to like here. It was more Pauillac to the Clos du Val's St Estephe on the nose here, with very masculine inflections of meat and earth, sweet spice and black tea notes on a backdrop of cassis and cigary tobacco. The palate may have lacked the brilliant freshness of the Clos du Val, but was very delicious in its own way, with yummy flavours of ripe cassis and black cherries on the attack, and then lots of black tea and spice, meat and sous bois on the midpalate, before the wine pulled away into a long, powerful finish filled with chewy cigar notes. There was still quite a bite of firm but beautifully ripe tannins at the finish that gave a sense of musuclar structure to the wine. Very nice indeed, and while quite at the right place for drinking, this bottle could easily have held up for the next few years as well.
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7/6/2012 - 82Latour wrote: 89 Points
July 4th Part 2: Popped and poured, but we should have decanted. A bit of a slow starter sour off the bat and a bit muted, but started to open up as it swirled in the glass. Young and lively, yet a bit thin and average, especially for a RM reserve. Very typical older mondavi reserve nose, would have guessed it in a second blind. Blackberry nose, Black fruit palate. Medium finish.
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5/28/2012 - leesullivan wrote: 92 Points
It was dark purple, the cork was bled through. the smell was a little muted. maybe a little old. went well with the rib roast. certainly less flavorful than the younger Napa cab I am used to. A great complement to the meal
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5/24/2012 - BradKNYC wrote:
An evening of older Mondavi Cab Reserves- 1971-1990 (Apiary.): This was just lovely and quite Bordeaux-like. It's more herb-driven on the nose and palate than the '90 and '87, with redder cherry, plums, cedar and dust. There's a wonderful freshness and depth to the wine that all at the table admired. The oak is nicely integrated, the alcohol levels are in check and the acid levels are elevated, but that's a positive. A real joy to drink. A-.
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3/18/2012 - vanpe003 wrote: 92 Points
Another fresh bottle....fresh capsule, fresh wine. Similar to notes from 12/ 2011
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12/26/2011 - lockestep wrote: 87 Points
Brick rim, ruby body. On opening had a sour note in the finish which made me fear for the bottle, but after decanting it moved into the background. A bit of lead pencil in the nose, flavors mellowed out after a half-hour or so. Probably should have gone to this bottle 5 years or so ago, past prime but still nice aged Cab flavors. Bottle was purchased at release and stored in a cool cellar since.
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12/16/2011 - vanpe003 wrote: 92 Points
For whatever reason, bottles of this that I've had with oxidized capsules are hit and miss. Some good, some tired. But bottles with pristine capsules, such as this one, remain outstanding. Bottom neck fill.
On the nose, intoxicating and secondary. Sweaty fruit and oak, that morphs into something more perfumed as it opens up in the glass. On the palate, more of the same with a hint of resinous cassis. Perfectly balanced and completely resolved in terms of acidity, tannins, and the green note that was there in earlier bottles. The finish - hauntingly long given a lack of plushness on the mid palate. In fact, the only thing that holds my score down is a slight lack of fruit depth and soft plushness on the midpalate. Surprisingly, some pretty noticeable tannins creep in with some time in the glass, but with more time these fade away. This bottle reminds me of a less infectious '86 Haut Brion.
Objectively, its probably time, or perhaps past time, to drink these up. Emotionally, I'm still looking for a bottle of this that will perform at the level of a '73 Mayacamas I had a couple of years ago.
Summary - nose 95pts, finish 95 points (wicked long), mid palate 88 points.
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10/4/2011 - vanpe003 wrote: 92 Points
A fresh bottle, no oxidization on the capsule. Sweaty aged cab fruit on the nose...quite secondary. On the palate, remarkably young. What once was probably a green pepper note had resolved to an uplifting backdrop against some great depth of fruit. Medium long finish. I've sourced a few cases of this from multiple sources. Varied results. The bad ones are disappointing, but the good ones...like this bottle, suggest good drinking for another 10+ years.
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4/24/2011 - vanpe003 wrote: 90 Points
Pop/pour. Opens up with a secondary sweat and a bit of green on the nose. This blows off a bit to be joined by a brighter cherry note. On the palate, this is one of the fresher bottles of this I've had. Good fruit depth and quite a bit of remaining tannins.
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11/16/2010 - Marc wrote: 89 Points
Not at all old and held its own against Cos 1986 and Mondavi Reserve and Cos 1990. Refined aromas of eucalypt, fennel seed, chalk, cedar and fresh cut hay. Flavours of black doris plums (with some of the plum's associated sourness). Some sweat. Lovely balance - a slight powdery texture.This is a great new world food wine which has aged beautifully and gained nuance.
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10/9/2010 - airbull76 wrote: 91 Points
Very pleasing nose that opened up after a couple of hours decanting (it was a little closed to start with), a variety of tertiary notes including spice, cigar box, smoke and a hint of leather. Still plenty of fruit left on the palate, but not overpowering, and well in balance with the structure and velvety texture. It is complex, elegant and delicious. This bottle came from dubious provenance, with a lowish fill level, but it still showed very well. I have another that looks to be in better condition, so I look forward to that. There's no hurry to finish these up, there's plenty of life left. A very good example of an older Napa cab, the way they used to be made,
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4/15/2010 - Mattshank wrote: 89 Points
Hanging out at Jim's house: This was one of Jim's mad scientist moments as he was wanting to check in on this one. Nose: Mushrooms and some cedar with damp cellar aromas. Palate: Red fruits and mushrooms. Surprisingly youthful color with very little browning. I prefer much more youth in my wines but this has held up well given its amazing age. Cool to try a Cab this old.
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4/15/2010 - vanpe003 wrote:
Impromptu Mixed Bag Tasting: No detailed notes. Wonderful, secondary nose. It took awhile for the palate to open up and show its depth. Not the best bottle of this I've had, but definitely one of the "good" ones. Well-kept bottles of this have some time left. Update: surprisingly enough, this is better the second day, with more integrated and expressive flavors on the palate. Very Bordeaux in character, a throwback to the days when wine wasn't a food group.
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2/28/2010 - vanpe003 Likes this wine: 92 Points
No detailed notes. One of the "good ones", this bottle was still drinking with quite a bit of life to it. Secondary aromas and flavors, but still plenty of fruit.
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2/28/2010 - rben_mvp wrote: 93 Points
This was really good and still had nice structure. Great nose of mint and cassis, obviously aged. The cork was not in very good shape even though the wine has been cellared well since release.
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11/28/2009 - vanpe003 wrote: 92 Points
Another one of the good ones. Another "bad cork, good wine" example. Fresher than some of the previous bottles.
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9/14/2009 - vanpe003 wrote: 91 Points
Relatively young fruit give 23 year old wine. Aged cassis and a hint of the old green on the nose. Rich fruit on a medium weight palate.
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5/17/2009 - vanpe003 wrote: 91 Points
What a difference between bottles opened today. This one, while it obviously has aged, carries itself relatively young and with a good amount of fruit. Two commonalities across all the bottles I've had. First, they need to be stood up for a couple of days prior to serving to settle the sediment. Second, I haven't seen a pristine cork yet. All are either soaked, loose, or both.
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5/17/2009 - vanpe003 wrote: flawed
This is one that came in a couple of years ago on a shipment that was frozen. A bit of beef bouillion on the nose, along with sweaty socks. More pleasant on the palate, where the fruit is still very much in evidence. However, there's an abundance of suspended sediment that may well have been a byproduct of the freezing. I probably could have finished the glass, but I've got enough of this that it seemed worthwhile to try another bottle..........
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2/14/2009 - vanpe003 wrote: 90 Points
2009 Valentine's Day (At Home): Cork was shot, fill top shoulder. Still a very nice wine. Doesn't compare favorable to the 1986 Heitz Martha's. Not as fresh or as rich in fruit. Slight hints of portiness creeping in. Nevertheless, I'm very happy with this bottle. Continue to think that these should be consumed relatively soon, particularly those bottles with deteriorating capsules. Wanted to open a pristine bottle for comparison, but too much other stuff already open today.
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12/23/2008 - jsebiri wrote: 89 Points
This was one of the 1st wines i had ever bought , my freind John told me about a bottle he opened over the weekend and didnt finish so i went over last night and had a few glasses . The wine was relatively sweet , had very nice color , but had a bit of stewed -pruney thing going on which i particularly dont enjoy . I would say that the wine has held up very well .
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12/13/2008 - vanpe003 wrote: 93 Points
One of the good bottles. Drinking perfectly. Nightcap after Domincin's.
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11/12/2008 - vanpe003 wrote: 91 Points
Cesare's Group - Collective House Cleaning; 11/11/2008-11/12/2008 (Lake Elmo): One of the better bottles of this I've had. Not tired at all. Blew away the regular '86 Mondavi as well as the 85 Inglenook Reserve Cask.
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10/4/2008 - vanpe003 wrote: 91 Points
Anniversary Dinner - 2008 (Home - Minnesota): Opened this one as a "second" to the prior bottle. Cork pushed through. Generally a better bottle. Significantly more fruit and better balanced. A bit tannic, which could be because of all the suspended crap in it (btl wasn't prepped). I'll let it stand up, filter/decant later and revisit. Update: later in the day, this settled down and turned into a quite elegant, mature California cabernet. Almost bordeaux in its styling. Sweaty cab fruit and cedar on the nose. Relatively lush on the palate, with some remaining tannins. Long finish. Should probably drink the rest of these off over the next year or two.
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10/4/2008 - vanpe003 wrote: 87 Points
Anniversary Dinner - 2008 (Home - Minnesota): Cork was dust at the top, soaked at the bottom. I don't know what it is about the capsules/corks on these 86 Mondavi's, but they've all been shot. Top shoulder fill. This is not one of the "good bottles". Similar to my tasting in Dec 2006, this one has more wood, less fruit than some of the others I've opened in the last year. Still some tannins on the finish. This bottle is suggestive of a bottle on the decline.
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8/13/2008 - vanpe003 wrote: 93 Points
Capsule looked bad, cork soaked through... looked like bad things to come. Surprisingly, this turned out to be the best bottle of this I've had. Needed about 45 minutes to open up. A bit disjointed right off the bat.
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1/22/2008 - vanpe003 wrote: 92 Points
A nice bottle that would have benefitted from being stood up for a couple of days prior to opening....lots of sediment. Excellent nose, rich with sweet fruit. A bit tannic on the palate, more a function of poor prep on my part (sediment). I think a properly prepped btl continues to hit 90+,.
Updated: 2nd day kicks this over 90. One of the best bottles I've had of this particular bottling. On the 3rd day, it continues on, if fading a bit. But the nostalgic pairing is a perfect match to the Hot Tuna concert blasting in the background tonight. If I was of drinking age way back when, this would be the way I'd have wanted to spend my nights.
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1/13/2008 - dougie wrote: 93 Points
Wonderful. Still with a lot of fruit and compexity. A smooth finish; almost velvety at a point. Different than a year and a half ago. Mondavi continues to impress!
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1/11/2008 - pll4 wrote: 90 Points
not expecting much, but enjoyed this bottle even despite some seepage and bottom neck fill. the fruit is still there and the wine is quite seductive.
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11/10/2007 - wineismylife wrote: 89 Points
WIML88-89?
Tasted November 10, 2007 at an offline. Nose of black licorice and fennel. Flavors of red currants and red berries. Light acidity, integrated tannins, light to medium body. Drink now.
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10/6/2007 - vanpe003 wrote: 92 Points
One of the better btls of the '86 Reserve that I've had. Opened for 21st anniversary. Nice cassis aroma on the nose. Whle this is definitely mature, it has a very nice depth of fruit. Less of a cedar influence than prior btls, and overall better balanced. I probably wouldn't think about trying to keep this around for two days after opening (see the 82pt rating below), as it just doesn't have that much left. A very nice bottle!
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9/8/2007 - vanpe003 wrote:
Northwoods Wineapalooza; 9/7/2007-9/9/2007 (Boulder Junction, Wisconsin): No dtl'd notes. Marker for 3 day tasting @ Wineapalooza. Wasted on an evening that featured young, full throttle stuff from Foley, Merus, Darioush, etc. Doesn't have the stuffing for that context, but similar notes to earlier pleasurable bottles.
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8/30/2007 - Vino Me wrote: 82 Points
Tried this at Allreds house. It had been opened for 2 days. This tasted tired and was faded from being opened in my opinion. Mild tannins. Notes of mushrooms and too acidic with fruit to back it up. Only a shadow of what the non reserve 1986 Mondavi Cab was like when I had it last year. 82 points.
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8/28/2007 - AllRed wrote: 87 Points
From a bottle opened two days earlier. A shadow of what it was, but still with some nice qualities. Cedar and forest floor tones, with flavors of plum and tobacco.
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8/27/2007 - pll3 wrote: 90 Points
opened 1 bottle- nice nose w/ good fruit, very nice wine drinking well now
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8/26/2007 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
Served double blind. Decanted for sediment and returned to the bottle. Initial musty cellar note blew off to reveal tea leaf, tobacco and olive notes. Nicely balanced, perfectly integrated, with red fruit, herb and cedar flavors. Nice finish.
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7/30/2007 - vanpe003 wrote: flawed
Cork shot, wine quite brown and oxidized.
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7/23/2007 - vanpe003 wrote: 91 Points
Cork was shot, and disintegrated on opening. However, the wine remains in good shape, similar to 12/23/2006 notes. May be the most outgoing of the 3 btls I've had over the last 6-7 months.
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6/30/2007 - dv002i wrote: 87 Points
Decanted for 1hr prior to drinking. Color was of ripe black cherry. Aroma of coffee, chocolate, and cherry with a hint of smoke. After 2 hr Blackberry and a little vanilla showed up. A little cininnamon on the nose too. Smooth as could be with a little tannin still on the finish. Most of the fruit was gone, what was left was very subtle. Should have drank by 2005ish. Still a nice bottle.
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12/27/2006 - vanpe003 wrote: 89 Points
Ooops. Just received 2 of these, one with some signs of seepage. It looked as though it could have been fried....it wasn't. Wish I would have saved it for a more fitting occasion..like a night where we were serving beef instead of spaghetti. Notes generally similar to 12/23/06 entry. More significant cigar box on the nose with this bottle. A bit less fruit, and a bit more wood on this bottle. Not as well balanced.
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12/23/2006 - vanpe003 wrote: 91 Points
"Christmas Eve Eve" - a perfect bottle,a nice steak, and "Sound of Music"....the evening's elements are all in balance. Decanted for 90 minutes, kept it relatively cool. Cork was painted red from top to bottom, but did not appear to affect the bottle. As for balance, this wine has it, having aged very gracefully. A nice but not overpowering nose. Fruit and cedarwood on a medium length palate. Always a treat for me to drink well-aged Cabernet, "elegant" is the word that comes to mind to summarize this one.
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12/13/2006 - M DU VIN wrote: 91 Points
A bit light after this much bottle age.
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11/19/2006 - jmoore431 wrote: 94 Points
Deep garnet with clear rim; rich nose of deep mature cab fruit with classic cedar and cigar box elements; some tannins still unresolved but softened enough to add to structure of a solid wine which went well with leg of lamb. Very nice length and persistence of rich, mature cab qualities. Plenty of life left.
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11/3/2006 - dougie wrote: 94 Points
Decanted into a sealable decanter. Only fine sediment left in bottle. Started off watery and light- worried. But, after 15 minutes, the fruit and body started coming around. For the next hour it was refined and delicate. Then, it kept on building power and intensity, while still being eliquient and wonderful finish. Everything I had hoped and more. Drink the other one during the next year. Wow!
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10/4/2006 - AllRed wrote: 90 Points
Another night, another bottle and what a difference. Garnet color, barely turning pink/clear toward the rim. Notes of dark fruit: currants, plum and blackberries, with a tobacco note showing up as well. Smooth as silk, very elegant and balanced in the mouth. Plums and tobacco show up on the palate, with black cherries showing up on the finish, which hangs there for a few moments and then fades slowly. Hopefully the third and final bottle will be as good as this one.
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10/3/2006 - AllRed wrote: flawed
Corked.
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2/15/2006 - matthen wrote: 92 Points
This wine has aged very well. The color was a deep ruby and the flavors of plum, spice and currant were still very present. The mouthfeel was very rich and the tannins have integrated very nicely. It should age for a couple more years, but why wait!!
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7/16/2005 - Screameagle wrote: 93 Points
Remember when Mondavi made a great reserve cabernet. This is one of the last great ones. 19 years old and hardly a brown edge. Great "legs". Still plenty of fruit to balance with the tannins. Certainly ready to drink but should hold for awhile. Awesome aged California cab.
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7/3/2005 - du Beaune wrote: 94 Points
Second bottle, first one several months ago. If anything better than before. Dark purple with lighter edges. A swirl & sniff revealed a well aged wine: boot polish & dark fruit in a pleasant blend. Palate continued the boot polish, dark blackberries slight dryness ( tannins mostly integrated). Finish was very short, but it brought me back for more. Doesn't need food, but a robust cut of beef well prepared (wellington) was oh so nice...
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3/28/2005 - du Beaune wrote: 93 Points
Cork was wet about half way through, poured very ink-like into my duck decanter. A swirl & sniff revealed a wine in it's prime. First sip, slightly closed fruit palate but with all tannins completely integrated. Finish was very short, but it brought me back for more rapid fire sips as the taste was very pleasing. Have a few more of these and will drink later this year.
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2/3/2004 - Spencer wrote: 93 Points
First Tuesday Wine Group at Charlie's House. All of the wines were in impeccable condition. Bright ruby. A bit closed. Not as aromatically complex as the other wines of the evening, and more primary. The finish was a bit shorter as well. This wine screamed 'California' to me. Very good, and should keep for quite a while longer.
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12/15/2002 - buckeye76 wrote: 93 Points
BLACKBERRIES, CURRENTS, AND A TOUCH OF TOBACCO IN THE NOSE WITH DEEP BERRY FRUIT IN THE FLAVOR. NICE COMPLEXITY AND A LONG FINISH
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6/17/2000 - Marc wrote: 90 Points
Mondavi Cab Sav Reserve 1986 - surprisingly good! Rich, ripe long,
structured classic napa cab sav aromas and tastes. My wife got a bit of
Mercaptan and mentioned that it remined her of Dominus because of this.
it did not remind me of a french style and was still a touch monolithic
- but the age has worked in its favour. an excellent showing. 90pnts
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6/19/1994 - Marc wrote: 89 Points
with Bud and Liz at the farm with Ch. de Fuizal 1986. Very young, dense quintessential cab sav. New World - eucalypt style. Lots of oak - a youch monolithic, but dense concentrated and long - could be Australian except for the french oak handling.
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2/28/1993 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 94 Points
Opaque mulberry with red/purple rim. Very intense nose of oak, blackberries, currants and mint. Same palate. Prominent but supple tannins. Long, smooth finish. Great wine (probably the best Mondavi Reserve I have ever tasted).
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9/2/1991 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 88 Points
MONDAVI TASTING (Walnut Creek, Ca.): Nice, young fruit, lots of wood and aid, welll balanced, needs time, maybe will develop.
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3/16/1991 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 90 Points
8 Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignons Tasted at the Mondavi Reserve Room (Robert Mondavi Winery Reserve Tasting Room): Open, fruity, huge fruity nose, big fruity taste, lots of acid, medium, soft tannins, needs time to peak.
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3/17/1990 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 83 Points
Robert Mondavi Sponsored Tasting of 3 Bordeaux and 4 Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignons. Was a real treat with a big, fruity nose and mouth but it lacked the structure and elegance of the 1987, needs 3 years to come together and then should nearly equal the 1987. My #4.
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1/24/1990 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 88 Points
With MPL and BLR at the office in MPL's office. Ruby-purple. Deep, seductive blackcurrant aroma. Fine. In the mouth, silky and elegant, with a black licorice character. Very oaky and tannic at this point, however. Needs lots of time; quite hard at this point, but has great potential. 5-12-14-7: 88/100.
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11/25/1989 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 89 Points
Tasting of 9 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserves which was repeated with a different wine group.
Dark red color, rich fruity nose, big, intense, balanced, mose California like of group, tannins, needs 5 years to age.
My #4 of 9.
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11/2/1989 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 84 Points
Tasting of 9 Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignons. Showed a dark red color in the glass which pointed toward a one dimensional fruity nose and in the mouth that was the most typical California cabernet of the first 4 wines tasted, 5 years of ageing to resolve the tannin, tasted 4 times in 8 months and always regret not buying the futures, will have to make do with the 7 bottles in the cellar. The 1987 is the twin of this wine but better. My #4.
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