Full golden yellow, bright tropical fruit nose with some drawn butter. Taste is an interesting mix of tart citrus fruits initially followed by a deep, rich flavor characteristic of many new-world chards. Nice, racy acidity and quite a long finish. Extremely interesting, and quite complex. Very fun.
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Dark in color with a neon yellow rim. Aromatically the wine has mod to mod + aromatic intensity (mild for SB) and is packed full of every tropical fruit you can imagine... carries definite new barrique notes of and spice, some minerality in there. No signs diacetyls or botrytis. On the palate the wine is dry has high acidity, some phenolic bitterness, and moderate + alcohol. Balanced wine with the acidity to hold up to the palate weight and huge fruit/moderate + alcohol, good length, great intensity, very good complexity. Some finesse in there, texturally a bit coarse, expression of place, well there if you can place this wine blind not being familiar with it I'd be amazed... I can't say the wine is 'outstanding' given its slight textural issues and lack of expression of place, but the wine offers a ton of flavor in a well balanced package that is a pleasure to drink... near its peak. UNIQUE.
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touch of exotic fruit on the nose but generally rather restrained. Tasted possibly of tangerine, pineapple with some vanilla creme and wood. Nice acidity in the background balanced out the fruit. Rich, nutty finish developed later. Went even better with food. Had some chicken and pesto pasta that brought out a slight minty quality to the wine.
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Mondavi To Kalon Fume Blanc just does it for me like no other. Had the '06 at the Winery(went back a second day JUST for this wine) and it rocked! This is my last bottle of '01, and it continues to be super tasty. It's all about this exotic tropical fruit and spice that you get in no other Calif SB. Coconut oil, banana creme, pineapple, lemon tart, grapefruit...creamy, yet cut with super mineral stone and lemon acidity. This 8 year old SB is fresh as ever, yet has some nice complexed age notes of hazelnut butter, baked apple, toasted marshmallow, marzipan. All still alive as ever.....fresh and tasty. Love this wine.....and the I BLOCK is even better!?!?!?!?
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I LOVED this wine... and 8-years of aging on this sauvignon blanc. Perhaps one of the best out of Napa that I have had and I say that with many in mind including Peter Michael, Cakebread, Quintessa's Illumination and Vineyard 29's version, among others. Perhaps the Ta Kalon Vineyard had something to do with the magic of this wine. It was fuller bdied than I expected, yet full of lemons, but not in a harsh way. I want more!And this was my last bottle.... :(
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6/17/2011 - ggolec wrote: 90 Points
Full golden yellow, bright tropical fruit nose with some drawn butter. Taste is an interesting mix of tart citrus fruits initially followed by a deep, rich flavor characteristic of many new-world chards. Nice, racy acidity and quite a long finish. Extremely interesting, and quite complex. Very fun.
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8/27/2010 - markjanes wrote: 89 Points
Dark in color with a neon yellow rim. Aromatically the wine has mod to mod + aromatic intensity (mild for SB) and is packed full of every tropical fruit you can imagine... carries definite new barrique notes of and spice, some minerality in there. No signs diacetyls or botrytis. On the palate the wine is dry has high acidity, some phenolic bitterness, and moderate + alcohol. Balanced wine with the acidity to hold up to the palate weight and huge fruit/moderate + alcohol, good length, great intensity, very good complexity. Some finesse in there, texturally a bit coarse, expression of place, well there if you can place this wine blind not being familiar with it I'd be amazed... I can't say the wine is 'outstanding' given its slight textural issues and lack of expression of place, but the wine offers a ton of flavor in a well balanced package that is a pleasure to drink... near its peak. UNIQUE.
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8/2/2010 - Fur in the glass wrote:
touch of exotic fruit on the nose but generally rather restrained. Tasted possibly of tangerine, pineapple with some vanilla creme and wood. Nice acidity in the background balanced out the fruit. Rich, nutty finish developed later. Went even better with food. Had some chicken and pesto pasta that brought out a slight minty quality to the wine.
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7/23/2009 - Mrbuzz wrote: 93 Points
Mondavi To Kalon Fume Blanc just does it for me like no other. Had the '06 at the Winery(went back a second day JUST for this wine) and it rocked! This is my last bottle of '01, and it continues to be super tasty. It's all about this exotic tropical fruit and spice that you get in no other Calif SB. Coconut oil, banana creme, pineapple, lemon tart, grapefruit...creamy, yet cut with super mineral stone and lemon acidity. This 8 year old SB is fresh as ever, yet has some nice complexed age notes of hazelnut butter, baked apple, toasted marshmallow, marzipan. All still alive as ever.....fresh and tasty. Love this wine.....and the I BLOCK is even better!?!?!?!?
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4/28/2009 - Herb K wrote:
I LOVED this wine... and 8-years of aging on this sauvignon blanc. Perhaps one of the best out of Napa that I have had and I say that with many in mind including Peter Michael, Cakebread, Quintessa's Illumination and Vineyard 29's version, among others. Perhaps the Ta Kalon Vineyard had something to do with the magic of this wine. It was fuller bdied than I expected, yet full of lemons, but not in a harsh way. I want more!And this was my last bottle.... :(
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