Surprisingly good! Smooth and well integrated. Maybe not at its peak, but still delicious. We were afraid it might have been over the hill, so we’ve been putting off opening it, but it did not disappoint. Decanted carefully, as there was a fair bit of sediment. We made sure to finish the bottle, because we didn’t think it would be as good on day 2!
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Very good. Gift from FIL who was cleaning out his cellar. Cedar/cigar box on the nose with some faint dark fruit. Medium to full bodied. Tannins fully integrated...they are there but very smooth. Blackberry jam with black peppery notes. Perfect steak wine...which is what I had with it! Well stored bottled have a few years of life left. Hard to believe this one is almost 20 years old. I bought a lot of Mondavi Napa cab in the 1999-2003 period and this vintage was the best to me.
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Deep ruby red color with a slight purple hue; a bit of sediment in the bottom of the bottle. Wonderful aromas of dried dark fruit, cedar and a bit of earth. On the pallet, more dark red fruit (dried tart cherry, blackberry, dark currant), as well as wood (cedar, toasted oak) and a bit of spice in the background. This is a medium- to full-bodied wine with a long, lingering finish with well-integrated fine grained tannins. Sad that this is my last 2001! Still have a '99, '02 and '03 in the cellar, as well as a good selection of more recent vintages.
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Really good. Sort of a funky smell out of the bottle, but once that blew off some good earth tones. On the palate it was well balanced. Fruit was a little understated when compared to leather and earth, but had a nice mouth feel and there was enough berry to hold up. Tannins have faded and erfect time to drink.
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Tasted blind. Soulful nose of oil paints, ripe forest berries, blackberries, and river rock. Luscious blackberry flavors. Spicy undertones, good oak integration. Vibrant, tingling, and dynamic. The fruit did begin to fade, so I would recommend drinking in the near future. I guessed Central Italy.
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Tasted blind. Some iodine, garrigue, sour strawberry, cherry, clove, cocoa. Briary, crunchy, cool & fresh palate. Fine and well-made. A little sweetness made me think maybe a Cali Zinfandel or even a Pinot. I don't get much Cabernet signature here but it's pretty enjoyable nonetheless.
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From magnum. Good ruby appearance. Red berries, currants, conifer, and spice bouquet. Tasty, cherry palate possesses a mid-to-full body, smooth texture, and good complexity. Develops a hint of oyster shell before tensing up on the mineral finish. Youthful for its age. Perfect food wine.
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Happily lost track of this one so still have one. Don't usually keep them around but rather use as barbecue wines etc. Had this after a 95 Clinet. The Bordeaux was the WOTN for my wife and I, but the inexpensive Napa was remarkable. Typical California feel in the mouth, but not the excess,of fruit. Will make a point to keep these longer.
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Holding up well enough. Although the fruit's faded somewhat over the years this bottle still has a nice nose of berries and forest floor that leads to a a medium bodied midpalate of faded fruit/plums/resolved tannins ending in a smooth albeit brief finish. Drink up sooner than later.
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I was a little worried about opening this...now I am worried that this was my last bottle. Classically fashioned medium weight cab. Drinking beautifully and fantastic with food. Will be on the lookout for more.
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Had with a chateaubriand roast with a meddley of roasted veggies and steamed potatos. A real miss on this bottle. Nice nose. No fruit on the palatte. Long finish. Not unpleasant but I've had much better bottles. Should pull another and make sure it's not over the hill. Good, but nothing special.
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We had this will grilled beef tenderloin. Although the wine poured dark and fresh (no hints of brown at all), I thought that it didn't taste as good as our other bottles. Very typical Cab nose and palate, but I tasted more cedar this time than the other bottles.
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I was worried about this wine in my cellar for some time--probably because I paid $ 15 for this at, of all places, Target (the one and only bottle I've ever purchased there). It exceeded my expectations by a long shot. Still a dark ruby purple color on this one. It was giving up little bouquet, a tad more with some coaxing. But wow did it deliver on the palate. Several layers of dark red fruits--black cherry, cassis came to mind--rolled across the palate. No noticeable tannins, just good, balanced and structured wine that was amazingly complex for what I paid for it. A very nice surprise from 2001. Drink now or hold for 5 more hears.
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To celebrate Robert Mondavi's life, we popped this one open with grilled steak and toasted one of our USA wine icons. It's not as big as I thought it might be ... more subtle, but very taste friendly both without and with food. Red to darker fruit on the nose and palate and balanced acid and tannins. It's holding up quite well and I'm looking forward to my future bottles!
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Decanted, fair amount of sediment. Still drinking quite nicely. Nose of plum and prune, with just a hint of tomato. On the palate there were ample tannins, some oak and more dark raisinous fruit flavors. Would purchase again.
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Solid bottle of wine for sure. This bottle seemed to be a little more fruit forward than the other (less earth and leather). Traditional dark fruits, but nothing too complex. Nice, lingering finish.
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Simple yet refined qualities here. A middle of the road California Cab with medium weight. Hit's most of the major notes with good depth of colour, fresh scents of tobacco and cassis followed by a strong bouquet of cherries. Well balanced with lingering tannins and a srtong finish. Lacks some finesse but I'm not complaining. Would by again if I could find any of this vintage.
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A good QPR. Cherry, some light tannins, good acidity, medium/heavy palate, and a moderate finish. Not bad, but could use a bit more tannins to balance out the dark fruit.
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Nice bottle of wine. Dark ruby/purple color. Great nose of very dark black fruits, some eucalyptus, leather and a little sweaty socks for the first hour or so. Very full bodied and viscous on the palate with lots of black currants, chocolate and black cherry with some subtle vanilla and oak. Tannins remain firm, but well integrated. Drinking now, but will for some time to come. Coats the entire palate and the finish lingers a long time. Just a touch of heat to hold the score in check. Finished the bottle almost 2 days after opening and still in great shape... good sign!
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nice color, deep ruby and nice hue. nose of barnyard. disappointing. on the palate still can taste smell the barnyard. does not mesh with the other notes. hope this is an aberration.
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Very nice, dark purple, nicely concentrated with notes of cherrys, plums and oak on the nose, nicely balanced, complex with a medium-long finish (89 Points).
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Lots of character here for the non-reserve bottling. Forward fruit, classic cassis with plenty of tasty vanilla. Oak is strong but fairly well integrated. Tannins are still not quite soft, but the wine is very drinkable now and should be really good for at least 5 years if not longer.
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Thought I would give one a try since it had been a while. 10 more to go... dark ruby red color. Black cherry and leather on the nose. While leather in many cases can be nice, this leather was slightly off, with a musty note to it. Full bodied on the palate with a touch of heat and jamminess (which I do not like), but the wine does really coat the palate with a nice, lingering finish. Trying to be a really nice bottle of wine, but it is just a little off balance.
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Drinking this consistently wonderful wine and looking at the other relatively lower scores makes me want to believe that I got lucky with these specific bottles. Absolutely powerful fragrance that literally fills the room with cabernet floral. Exceptional body and deep meaty fruit flavours. Impressive.
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Decanted 2 hours. Slightly closed nose. Very polished and rich on the palate, I think this still might open up given more time. Still, a very enjoyable and balanced wine.
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Decided to open this bottle against my better judgment. What I found was a mature nose of cedar and tabacco, followed by cassis and a hint of mint. On the palate, the fruit was far more muted than I would have expected; nonetheless, I was able to coax out some black current and what tasted like baked bread. While the mouthfeel was fairly silky and smooth, the finish on this wine was very stemmy and bitter, as well as quite austere. I would like to say that this wine has not yet come out of its dumb phase, and given some of the favorable reviews by others on CT, there is a good chance that that might be the case. However, on this night, I would have to say that I was disappointed by this wine. Perhaps it will be better around 2009. 85-86 points.
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Dark berry colors, excellent nose of vanilla, citric and pepper. Almost a Shiraz like sensation to the taste - plenty of fruit and spice, and deep down, the cabernet finishes the flavors with flinty minerality. It is refreshing to see such a powerful cabernet come out of Napa under a big-name lable for a reasonable price.
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In a word... Balance. Nice nose of tobacco and black fruits - Silky mouthfeel with smooth tannins, good spice (tobacco/earth), some acid and black fruits throughout the midpalate/finish. (btw - I freely admit to enjoying this style of wine). I believe this still has aging potential - and may let my last bottle sit for 4-5 years...
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I was disappointed in seeing the Wine Spectator score after I bought the wine. However, I was completely blown away at how good this wine was. This is a great Cab for the price. This is a full-bodied wine with lots of fruit flavors. Had it with steak and they really paired well. Now I'm disappointed I only had 1 bottle.
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One of the best Napa Cabs to get in the low $20 range in my opinion. This is great to go with cheese or steak. Extremely smooth and full of flavor. Decanted for 1/2 hour and it really opened up. I highly recommend this wine to eat with or to relax with, you won't be disappointed.
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Lovely black currant, licorice, spice box and a hint of chocolate on the nose. Well structured and firm tannins create a great mouthfeel and lead to a very impressive finish.
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01 was a great napa valley year. This cab is a great bottle. It does not compare to the 95 ot 97 Cabs I have consumed from Mondavi, but this bottle never dissappoints. Nice full body Cab that goes great with red meat.
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Light Oak flavor and very full bodied with fruit flavors. Not very long lasting, but long and pleasant enough. Dark color and very good value for the taste. I'd highly recommend this now and later as this should only get better within a couple more years. Great wine to just sit a relax with or to enjoy with a nice steak.
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A very nice example of what to expect from a California Cabernet. Vibrant red and black fruits on the nose and palate with firm tannins and a medium length finish.
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Nose of cedar, red fruit. Flavors of raspberry, licorice, some spice - cloves, red pepper. Well balanced, nice acids. Medium finish. Went great with a nice rare rib steak and sweet potato salad.
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Either there is some bottle variation or this goes to show how different wine can taste on different nights. I really liked this the last time I drank it, but tonight, the oak was just overwhelming, masking the fruit.
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Opened at 11 pm after a long 4 day stretch of work without a single BBQ or bottle of wine over the holiday weekend... Good color. Ripe fruit. Smooth, lush, sweet. Not terribly complex, but easy drinking. Reminds me of Karl Lawrence for some reason - also similar to 01 Ch St Jean. Oak is well balanced and not overbearing. Medium finish, silky tannins. Real nice. I think this wine is finally coming around. Very good value at $19 and one to consume while waiting for others to age.
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Appearance: Dark violet; dense looking; slightly murky
Nose: Smoke, cedar, plum, dark cherry, and some honeyed oak.
Palate: Lush mouthfeel; thicker than other Mondavi's I have had. Full of cedar, smoke sweet oak, cherry, and cranberry. Good tannic structure that doesn't overpower, but somehow seems in balance to drink now or in the near term without worry.
Finish: Medium length; tart and full of tobacco. Dries the mouth out.
Comments: I thoroughly enjoyed this wine. Excellent with food. It improves with time in the glass or decanting. I haven't had much of the regular Mondavi to compare this to (1996,98-00) or any other Cab Release from them, but I did enjoy this wine. I would expect it to improve for at least 5 years, but without much experience this is just be a guess.
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Dark and dense in color, with sweet fruit on the nose. Lovely bouquet. Great, substantial mouthfeel. On first opening, a bit dry and stringent on the finish, but with some air, the sweetness of the fruit, mixed with leather. A great drinking cab.
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This wine was all about structure which would have been fine if there was some fruit to go with it but there was absolutely none to be found. I saved half the bottle for the next day in hopes some fruit would emerge but unfortunately not even a trace. I would not recommend this wine.
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On opening, nice fruity nose, but fairly tannic. After a couple hours of decanting, nose is reticent but the tannins have calmed down and the wine is very lush, with a lovely midpalate of cherry and a velvety, mouthcoating finish. 77 pts from Laube. WTF? If it had more front-end fruit, it would age beautifully. As it is, nice QPR for $25ish.
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Not sure where James Laube was when he tasted this one (WS-77). Immediately on opening it was dark and intense with a vibrant cherry colour. Initially lots of cassis and mint, but it quickly closed down and required significant aereation to get any sort of aroma back. On the palate though it is very ripe and sweet with lots of blackcurrant and blueberry fruit. There is significant dry tannins around to remind you of the wines youth as well as a juicy currant cherry acidity. Nice long well balanced finish. I don't drink many California cab's but this was lovely.
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Consumed at home with broiled flank steak. Bright disc. Opaque purple/ruby robe with ruby rim. Clean nose, showing moderately intense aromas of cassis, kirsch, spice, dry earth and a hint of chocolate. Full-bodied on the palate, with low-to-medium acidity, big, somewhat astringent tannins. The flavors are similar to the nose, with the earth elements stepping to the forefront. Medium, dry finish. Not much finesse at this point, but some short-term cellaring will quite possibly improve my impression.
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3/6/2023 - beau poete Likes this wine:
Surprisingly good! Smooth and well integrated. Maybe not at its peak, but still delicious. We were afraid it might have been over the hill, so we’ve been putting off opening it, but it did not disappoint. Decanted carefully, as there was a fair bit of sediment. We made sure to finish the bottle, because we didn’t think it would be as good on day 2!
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12/25/2021 - karpiron Likes this wine:
Absolutely delicious.
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5/3/2021 - herbtcat Likes this wine: 96 Points
Sublime. Drink it now or in the next 3 years.
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6/6/2020 - tigerpaw75 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very good. Gift from FIL who was cleaning out his cellar. Cedar/cigar box on the nose with some faint dark fruit. Medium to full bodied. Tannins fully integrated...they are there but very smooth. Blackberry jam with black peppery notes. Perfect steak wine...which is what I had with it! Well stored bottled have a few years of life left. Hard to believe this one is almost 20 years old. I bought a lot of Mondavi Napa cab in the 1999-2003 period and this vintage was the best to me.
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12/14/2019 - ShowMeWine wrote: 95 Points
Fantastic bottle - smooth with a slight spicy finish - wish I had a case or two
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5/9/2019 - rosey wrote: flawed
Undrinkable
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8/7/2017 - Otis Wine Lover Likes this wine: 90 Points
Deep ruby red color with a slight purple hue; a bit of sediment in the bottom of the bottle. Wonderful aromas of dried dark fruit, cedar and a bit of earth. On the pallet, more dark red fruit (dried tart cherry, blackberry, dark currant), as well as wood (cedar, toasted oak) and a bit of spice in the background. This is a medium- to full-bodied wine with a long, lingering finish with well-integrated fine grained tannins. Sad that this is my last 2001! Still have a '99, '02 and '03 in the cellar, as well as a good selection of more recent vintages.
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6/26/2017 - david4061 wrote: 93 Points
Perfect. Well stored and in balance
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3/18/2017 - NJwineguy wrote: 88 Points
Nice finish. Overall fine
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4/30/2016 - david4061 wrote: 92 Points
Really good. Sort of a funky smell out of the bottle, but once that blew off some good earth tones. On the palate it was well balanced. Fruit was a little understated when compared to leather and earth, but had a nice mouth feel and there was enough berry to hold up. Tannins have faded and erfect time to drink.
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3/19/2016 - tmhouse wrote: 91 Points
Smooth and refined now. Drinking well so don't wait too long. Some complexity and nuance but not amazing. Enjoyable and recommended.
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10/29/2015 - Doc90 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Tasted blind. Soulful nose of oil paints, ripe forest berries, blackberries, and river rock. Luscious blackberry flavors. Spicy undertones, good oak integration. Vibrant, tingling, and dynamic. The fruit did begin to fade, so I would recommend drinking in the near future. I guessed Central Italy.
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10/25/2015 - andtheodor wrote: 90 Points
Tasted blind. Some iodine, garrigue, sour strawberry, cherry, clove, cocoa. Briary, crunchy, cool & fresh palate. Fine and well-made. A little sweetness made me think maybe a Cali Zinfandel or even a Pinot. I don't get much Cabernet signature here but it's pretty enjoyable nonetheless.
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3/4/2015 - Axelpeter wrote: 90 Points
18,sehr schöner "schlussspurt", recht helle Farbe, schlank,noch alles da, G: caremelige Kirsch-Süße, zum Schluss nicht kompliziert;
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8/23/2014 - xtype wrote: 90 Points
Yep, that one was worth holding. Right up there with Napa Cabs twist the price.
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8/16/2014 - Capitolhack Likes this wine: 91 Points
Holding up like a champ. Ready to drink now, but could go a few more years. Paired well with hanger steak.
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3/9/2014 - Baron Slick wrote: 90 Points
From magnum. Good ruby appearance. Red berries, currants, conifer, and spice bouquet. Tasty, cherry palate possesses a mid-to-full body, smooth texture, and good complexity. Develops a hint of oyster shell before tensing up on the mineral finish. Youthful for its age. Perfect food wine.
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10/4/2013 - capacious Likes this wine: 90 Points
Happily lost track of this one so still have one. Don't usually keep them around but rather use as barbecue wines etc. Had this after a 95 Clinet. The Bordeaux was the WOTN for my wife and I, but the inexpensive Napa was remarkable. Typical California feel in the mouth, but not the excess,of fruit. Will make a point to keep these longer.
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4/1/2013 - speed Likes this wine: 95 Points
Really fantastic. Nice aged velvety taste. Rich mouthfeel and great oak and tannin.
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11/16/2012 - MoreWinePlease wrote: 88 Points
Holding up well enough. Although the fruit's faded somewhat over the years this bottle still has a nice nose of berries and forest floor that leads to a a medium bodied midpalate of faded fruit/plums/resolved tannins ending in a smooth albeit brief finish. Drink up sooner than later.
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7/21/2012 - PolarBear22 wrote: 90 Points
Still a lot of fruit. Tasted more like a young cab, not 11 years old. Went great with grilled steaks. This aged wonderfully.
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4/28/2012 - MidLifeVices wrote:
Beautiful ruby colour, moderate fruit, could have used a bit more. Tannins were long gone and felt too 'soft' on the mouth.
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4/8/2012 - drunken sommelier Likes this wine:
Deep ruby red, blackberry, cassis, earthy, spice, pepper, leather, alcohol, plum, yeast. Well integrated tannins. Fantastic bottle!
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11/26/2010 - Dr_Bob wrote: 90 Points
great!
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9/30/2010 - smokie wrote: 92 Points
I was a little worried about opening this...now I am worried that this was my last bottle. Classically fashioned medium weight cab. Drinking beautifully and fantastic with food. Will be on the lookout for more.
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8/22/2010 - jrcambra wrote: flawed
Fish and rubber. Very sad, had this since release.
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12/28/2009 - rmicroys wrote: 84 Points
Had with a chateaubriand roast with a meddley of roasted veggies and steamed potatos. A real miss on this bottle. Nice nose. No fruit on the palatte. Long finish. Not unpleasant but I've had much better bottles. Should pull another and make sure it's not over the hill. Good, but nothing special.
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9/2/2009 - Parnelli wrote: 87 Points
Had it with grilled ribeye ... a very soft cab that is still tasting well.
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7/20/2009 - Parnelli wrote: 87 Points
We had this will grilled beef tenderloin. Although the wine poured dark and fresh (no hints of brown at all), I thought that it didn't taste as good as our other bottles. Very typical Cab nose and palate, but I tasted more cedar this time than the other bottles.
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3/9/2009 - thebonnydooner wrote:
seemed a little tired....
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2/9/2009 - Tory Griffin wrote: 89 Points
I was worried about this wine in my cellar for some time--probably because I paid $ 15 for this at, of all places, Target (the one and only bottle I've ever purchased there). It exceeded my expectations by a long shot. Still a dark ruby purple color on this one. It was giving up little bouquet, a tad more with some coaxing. But wow did it deliver on the palate. Several layers of dark red fruits--black cherry, cassis came to mind--rolled across the palate. No noticeable tannins, just good, balanced and structured wine that was amazingly complex for what I paid for it. A very nice surprise from 2001. Drink now or hold for 5 more hears.
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1/3/2009 - craigi wrote: 91 Points
drank along side a bunch of classic Silver Oak, and this was impressive. Well crafted wine with great balance. Better than expected.
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12/30/2008 - GregM100 wrote: 89 Points
Medium bodied with good nose upon opening. Found it to be a good QPR but nothing special
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11/2/2008 - ajr wrote: 87 Points
agree with 4/20/08 note. my previous note fortunately was not revisited. must have been an off bottle.
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10/19/2008 - bmarshall wrote: 87 Points
Solid Napa Can for sure, but not spectacular. Similar to my previous notes.
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7/6/2008 - bmarshall wrote: flawed
Unfortunately this was partially corked so I will not rate it. Nonetheless, it was a decent wine.
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5/18/2008 - Parnelli wrote: 88 Points
To celebrate Robert Mondavi's life, we popped this one open with grilled steak and toasted one of our USA wine icons. It's not as big as I thought it might be ... more subtle, but very taste friendly both without and with food. Red to darker fruit on the nose and palate and balanced acid and tannins. It's holding up quite well and I'm looking forward to my future bottles!
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4/20/2008 - MagnumGourmet wrote:
Decanted, fair amount of sediment. Still drinking quite nicely. Nose of plum and prune, with just a hint of tomato. On the palate there were ample tannins, some oak and more dark raisinous fruit flavors. Would purchase again.
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3/10/2008 - bmarshall wrote: 85 Points
Not bad, but somewhat jammy and over the top. Dark fruits and licorice on the palate. Not too complex.
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3/8/2008 - jjlobi wrote: 86 Points
Rather disappointing. Did not find this one flavorful. Unexciting.
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1/18/2008 - idrinkvino wrote: 92 Points
For the first time this wine reminded me of a solid Bordeaux, with raisons, dark plums and pencil lead flavours.
Excellent
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12/28/2007 - bmarshall wrote: 88 Points
Solid bottle of wine for sure. This bottle seemed to be a little more fruit forward than the other (less earth and leather). Traditional dark fruits, but nothing too complex. Nice, lingering finish.
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12/18/2007 - rpfarwell wrote: 88 Points
Dark fruit onthe nose. Medium weight taste - less fruity. fairly smooth. Nice wine for the price
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11/25/2007 - kingofwine wrote: 90 Points
Simple yet refined qualities here. A middle of the road California Cab with medium weight. Hit's most of the major notes with good depth of colour, fresh scents of tobacco and cassis followed by a strong bouquet of cherries. Well balanced with lingering tannins and a srtong finish. Lacks some finesse but I'm not complaining. Would by again if I could find any of this vintage.
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11/16/2007 - Barbara B wrote: 87 Points
Marchesi de' Frescobaldi (Parco dei Principi, Rome): Nice, New Worldly, fruity and oaky, soft and rich Cab Sauv. Very nicely made.
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11/4/2007 - cofidis2 wrote: 88 Points
A good QPR. Cherry, some light tannins, good acidity, medium/heavy palate, and a moderate finish. Not bad, but could use a bit more tannins to balance out the dark fruit.
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9/27/2007 - bmarshall wrote: 90 Points
Nice bottle of wine. Dark ruby/purple color. Great nose of very dark black fruits, some eucalyptus, leather and a little sweaty socks for the first hour or so. Very full bodied and viscous on the palate with lots of black currants, chocolate and black cherry with some subtle vanilla and oak. Tannins remain firm, but well integrated. Drinking now, but will for some time to come. Coats the entire palate and the finish lingers a long time. Just a touch of heat to hold the score in check. Finished the bottle almost 2 days after opening and still in great shape... good sign!
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9/26/2007 - ajr wrote: 84 Points
nice color, deep ruby and nice hue. nose of barnyard. disappointing. on the palate still can taste smell the barnyard. does not mesh with the other notes. hope this is an aberration.
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9/2/2007 - bmarshall wrote: 90 Points
Better bottle than the last one. Dark fruits, oak and leather (but not too much). Lingering, supple finish.
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8/24/2007 - Tarrant wrote: 89 Points
Very nice, dark purple, nicely concentrated with notes of cherrys, plums and oak on the nose, nicely balanced, complex with a medium-long finish (89 Points).
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8/11/2007 - robmatic wrote: 91 Points
Lots of character here for the non-reserve bottling. Forward fruit, classic cassis with plenty of tasty vanilla. Oak is strong but fairly well integrated. Tannins are still not quite soft, but the wine is very drinkable now and should be really good for at least 5 years if not longer.
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8/11/2007 - idrinkvino wrote: 91 Points
This particular Modavi drinks better than some of the Mondavi Reserve years....
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6/3/2007 - bmarshall wrote: 85 Points
Thought I would give one a try since it had been a while. 10 more to go... dark ruby red color. Black cherry and leather on the nose. While leather in many cases can be nice, this leather was slightly off, with a musty note to it. Full bodied on the palate with a touch of heat and jamminess (which I do not like), but the wine does really coat the palate with a nice, lingering finish. Trying to be a really nice bottle of wine, but it is just a little off balance.
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5/19/2007 - Wrighty wrote: 91 Points
Decanter New World Fine Wine Encounter (Landmark Hotel, London, England): Soft nose with some herbs. Good crisp acidity.
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5/14/2007 - rpfarwell wrote:
Good!
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5/7/2007 - idrinkvino wrote: 91 Points
Dark fruit and dark chocolate. Excellent fragrance that fills the room. Always a pleasure.
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2/26/2007 - idrinkvino wrote: 92 Points
Drinking this consistently wonderful wine and looking at the other relatively lower scores makes me want to believe that I got lucky with these specific bottles. Absolutely powerful fragrance that literally fills the room with cabernet floral. Exceptional body and deep meaty fruit flavours. Impressive.
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2/7/2007 - vijayk416 wrote: 89 Points
Decanted 2 hours. Slightly closed nose. Very polished and rich on the palate, I think this still might open up given more time. Still, a very enjoyable and balanced wine.
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1/15/2007 - wood wrote:
Solid, consistent cab. Tannins were great, flavor decent
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1/14/2007 - hifiwine wrote: 90 Points
coming together a little, not bad, time to drink
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12/29/2006 - Paul Lin wrote: 85 Points
Decided to open this bottle against my better judgment. What I found was a mature nose of cedar and tabacco, followed by cassis and a hint of mint. On the palate, the fruit was far more muted than I would have expected; nonetheless, I was able to coax out some black current and what tasted like baked bread. While the mouthfeel was fairly silky and smooth, the finish on this wine was very stemmy and bitter, as well as quite austere. I would like to say that this wine has not yet come out of its dumb phase, and given some of the favorable reviews by others on CT, there is a good chance that that might be the case. However, on this night, I would have to say that I was disappointed by this wine. Perhaps it will be better around 2009. 85-86 points.
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9/25/2006 - idrinkvino wrote: 93 Points
Dark berry colors, excellent nose of vanilla, citric and pepper. Almost a Shiraz like sensation to the taste - plenty of fruit and spice, and deep down, the cabernet finishes the flavors with flinty minerality. It is refreshing to see such a powerful cabernet come out of Napa under a big-name lable for a reasonable price.
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9/11/2006 - dwmcubed wrote: 91 Points
In a word... Balance. Nice nose of tobacco and black fruits - Silky mouthfeel with smooth tannins, good spice (tobacco/earth), some acid and black fruits throughout the midpalate/finish. (btw - I freely admit to enjoying this style of wine). I believe this still has aging potential - and may let my last bottle sit for 4-5 years...
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8/30/2006 - rfras wrote: 91 Points
I was disappointed in seeing the Wine Spectator score after I bought the wine. However, I was completely blown away at how good this wine was. This is a great Cab for the price. This is a full-bodied wine with lots of fruit flavors. Had it with steak and they really paired well. Now I'm disappointed I only had 1 bottle.
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8/20/2006 - Big Steve wrote:
One of the best Napa Cabs to get in the low $20 range in my opinion. This is great to go with cheese or steak. Extremely smooth and full of flavor. Decanted for 1/2 hour and it really opened up. I highly recommend this wine to eat with or to relax with, you won't be disappointed.
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7/30/2006 - jacobp wrote: 91 Points
Lovely black currant, licorice, spice box and a hint of chocolate on the nose. Well structured and firm tannins create a great mouthfeel and lead to a very impressive finish.
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6/20/2006 - Bumperfender wrote: 95 Points
01 was a great napa valley year. This cab is a great bottle. It does not compare to the 95 ot 97 Cabs I have consumed from Mondavi, but this bottle never dissappoints. Nice full body Cab that goes great with red meat.
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5/5/2006 - johnwine wrote: 87 Points
This was a very delicious Cab which was at its peak. It shows the quality of Mondavi wine.
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3/27/2006 - Big Steve wrote: 89 Points
Light Oak flavor and very full bodied with fruit flavors. Not very long lasting, but long and pleasant enough. Dark color and very good value for the taste. I'd highly recommend this now and later as this should only get better within a couple more years. Great wine to just sit a relax with or to enjoy with a nice steak.
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3/16/2006 - drend wrote: 88 Points
Don't understand the WS 77 rating. This was a nice wine.
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2/28/2006 - mdstenner wrote: 88 Points
Not spectacular, but a very nice and satisfying wine. A little disjointed, but lots of black fruits, good tannin, and decent balance.
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12/13/2005 - hifiwine wrote: 83 Points
not to good right now
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10/4/2005 - Kirk Grant wrote: 89 Points
A very nice example of what to expect from a California Cabernet. Vibrant red and black fruits on the nose and palate with firm tannins and a medium length finish.
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9/4/2005 - trankin wrote: 89 Points
Nose of cedar, red fruit. Flavors of raspberry, licorice, some spice - cloves, red pepper. Well balanced, nice acids. Medium finish. Went great with a nice rare rib steak and sweet potato salad.
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7/10/2005 - SGates wrote: 88 Points
Very pleased with this for a Napa Cab priced under $20. Flavors were very rich and it had a nice finish. Mild cherry and plum flavors.
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7/7/2005 - Tom E wrote: 87 Points
Either there is some bottle variation or this goes to show how different wine can taste on different nights. I really liked this the last time I drank it, but tonight, the oak was just overwhelming, masking the fruit.
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7/5/2005 - Dteng wrote: 90 Points
Opened at 11 pm after a long 4 day stretch of work without a single BBQ or bottle of wine over the holiday weekend...
Good color.
Ripe fruit. Smooth, lush, sweet. Not terribly complex, but easy drinking. Reminds me of Karl Lawrence for some reason - also similar to 01 Ch St Jean.
Oak is well balanced and not overbearing. Medium finish, silky tannins.
Real nice.
I think this wine is finally coming around. Very good value at $19 and one to consume while waiting for others to age.
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5/9/2005 - cck wrote:
Had this compared to the 2002 Mondavi Napa Cab. The group much preferred the '01. It offered better structure and greater length than the '02.
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4/28/2005 - jamesbadd wrote: 88 Points
Appearance: Dark violet; dense looking; slightly murky
Nose: Smoke, cedar, plum, dark cherry, and some honeyed oak.
Palate: Lush mouthfeel; thicker than other Mondavi's I have had. Full of cedar, smoke sweet oak, cherry, and cranberry. Good tannic structure that doesn't overpower, but somehow seems in balance to drink now or in the near term without worry.
Finish: Medium length; tart and full of tobacco. Dries the mouth out.
Comments: I thoroughly enjoyed this wine. Excellent with food. It improves with time in the glass or decanting. I haven't had much of the regular Mondavi to compare this to (1996,98-00) or any other Cab Release from them, but I did enjoy this wine. I would expect it to improve for at least 5 years, but without much experience this is just be a guess.
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3/23/2005 - Tom E wrote: 90 Points
Dark and dense in color, with sweet fruit on the nose. Lovely bouquet. Great, substantial mouthfeel. On first opening, a bit dry and stringent on the finish, but with some air, the sweetness of the fruit, mixed with leather. A great drinking cab.
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12/29/2004 - RussW wrote:
This wine was all about structure which would have been fine if there was some fruit to go with it but there was absolutely none to be found. I saved half the bottle for the next day in hopes some fruit would emerge but unfortunately not even a trace. I would not recommend this wine.
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12/28/2004 - basis wrote: 88 Points
On opening, nice fruity nose, but fairly tannic. After a couple hours of decanting, nose is reticent but the tannins have calmed down and the wine is very lush, with a lovely midpalate of cherry and a velvety, mouthcoating finish. 77 pts from Laube. WTF? If it had more front-end fruit, it would age beautifully. As it is, nice QPR for $25ish.
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12/3/2004 - thebonnydooner wrote: 90 Points
Not sure where James Laube was when he tasted this one (WS-77). Immediately on opening it was dark and intense with a vibrant cherry colour. Initially lots of cassis and mint, but it quickly closed down and required significant aereation to get any sort of aroma back. On the palate though it is very ripe and sweet with lots of blackcurrant and blueberry fruit. There is significant dry tannins around to remind you of the wines youth as well as a juicy currant cherry acidity. Nice long well balanced finish. I don't drink many California cab's but this was lovely.
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11/16/2004 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 87 Points
Consumed at home with broiled flank steak. Bright disc. Opaque purple/ruby robe with ruby rim. Clean nose, showing moderately intense aromas of cassis, kirsch, spice, dry earth and a hint of chocolate. Full-bodied on the palate, with low-to-medium acidity, big, somewhat astringent tannins. The flavors are similar to the nose, with the earth elements stepping to the forefront. Medium, dry finish. Not much finesse at this point, but some short-term cellaring will quite possibly improve my impression.
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