Napa Valley, California

750ml

Cabernet Sauvignon

95 RP | 94 WE | 94 W&S | 94 V | 93 WS

“This is a beautiful 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve from Mondavi. The wine, a blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Cabernet Franc, has a youthful, opaque bluish/purple color and a classic nose of lead pencil shavings, crème de cassis, licorice, and subtle, toasty French oak. Some chocolate also makes an appearance. Approachable, this full-bodied, beautifully concentrated and handsome Cabernet Sauvignon strikes me as one of the superb efforts the Mondavi Winery has produced, and should age effortlessly for another 20+ years. Once again, the vintage’s incredible freshness, vibrancy and precision are well displayed in this wine and, as I have indicated so many times in this horizontal, this is a striking characteristic in the manner the 2005s have evolved.”