2009 Robert Mondavi Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
SKU #1112204
94
points
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Mondavi's 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is sumptuous and beautiful. Plums, mocha, cloves and pencil shavings are all woven together in this gorgeous, large-scaled Cabernet Sauvignon. All the elements are in the right place. Silky, nuanced tannins frame the voluptuous, caressing finish. A wine of centeredness and gorgeous precision, the 2009 is a true standout. The tannins need a few years to soften, but once that starts to happen, the 2009 should enjoy a long life. The blend is 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2029.
(12/ 2012)
94
points
Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar
(78% To Kalon fruit; as of the 2011 vintage, this wine will say To Kalon on the label; blended with 8.3% cabernet franc and 3.5% petit verdot): Saturated red-ruby. Currant, graphite, wild herbs, cedar and sexy oak on the nose, lifted by a floral topnote. A broad and very elegant midweight (I would not have guessed that it was carrying 15.2% alcohol), with lively cassis and floral flavors burnished by mellow oak tones. Lovely fine-grained, long cabernet with excellent lift. Winemaker Janssens notes that Mondavi will have replanted half of their To Kalon vines over the 2005-2015 period, but they have kept their oldest sauvignon blanc vines, which date back to the 1940s.
(5/ 2012)
92
points
Wine Spectator
Pure, rich and layered, with tiers of blackberry, wild berry, black licorice and mocha flavors. Impressive for its suppleness, yet this has a firm backbone as well, flexing its tannins on the finish. Best from 2013 through 2023
(9/ 2012)
90
points
Wine Enthusiast
Rich and concentrated in blackberry essence, black currant and mocha, this has smooth tannins and a long, complex, dry finish. Delicacy, not to mention ageability, is somewhat compromised by the heat of high alcohol, but still, it’s a flashy effort to drink over the next few years. The grapes come from the esteemed To Kalon Vineyard immediately behind the winery.
(11/ 2012)