Reserve Unfiltered Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Near the end but perfection.

Past its prime

Dark tawny, opaque. Not showing it’s age at all. Bright fruit forward nose. Notes of currants, violets, moist dark earth, ripe plum, some menthol and some hoisin sauce. Still full of vigor in the mouth. A bit of a dry finish is the only fault I have with this. Drink now and over next 10 years.

Quite the treat! Wouldn’t hold it any longer.

Dark tawny, opaque. A little reddish amber in the rims. Great nose right out of the gate. Notes of plum, black cherry, currants, cedar floors and a little sweet cranberry. Silky smooth in the mouth. Tannins integrated but there is still great structure and mouth feel which builds with air. In a great window right now but bottles like this will go for at least 10 more years.

Very open, rich and complex, blackberry, tobacco, cedar, hints of savory herbs with a wonderful palate coating texture and density. The finish is long and persistent. Beautiful.

Monthly WTF wine group. Special event this month as Ben provided all ‘80s Napa cabs. A few of us chipped in and provided some whites/bubbly.

Pulled out randomly at the end of the night and ended up stealing the show. In my opinion, this tied the JPhelps for WOTN. This showed more fruit than the Phelps. Where the JPhelps went more Bordeaux, this was one of the rare Napa cabs to retain an insane amount of fruit at 31yrs young. Blind, I would have guessed late ‘90s/early ‘00s based on the red and black purity of fruit. What a treat.

Second bottle, just as good as the first

Elegant and refined. These old Mondavi’s are really special stuff

Really captures the epitome of mature Napa Cabernet for me. Baked red/black currants, plums, dried cherry, cigar, pipe tobacco, red apple skin, ash, worn leather. Acid is quite fresh, integrated oak, there’s a liveliness to it and it drinks relatively “light” and without corners.