Try to give a guy the benefit of the doubt next time.
How’s this?
Benjamin, thanks flor clarifying. I had the same reaction John did. It’s nothing personal. From time to time over the years we have had people plug for a product without identifying themselves as being ITB. I think that’s therefore the most logical conclusion many long-time members of this forum would have drawn.
Again, no ill intent, and thanks for contributing.
Historically the Mondavi Reserve Cabernet was a blend of vineyards. I believe To Kalon always served as the core part of the blend, but I think they also may have incorporated grapes from other vineyards. Either way, the Reserve was never a vineyard designate. That changed starting with the 2011 vintage when, for the first time, they added “To Kalon Vineyard” to the Mondavi Reserve label.
It’s not clear whether this was actually a change in winemaking practice to truly make the reserve a vineyard designate wine or rather this was Mondavi exercising their trademark of the To Kalon Vineyard to add that designation to any wine. I’ve assumed that they do follow the vineyard designate rules since changing the label, but since they have the trademark I don’t think there is anything requiring them to do so.
Have to agree. That event looks like the worst of rich people in Napa.
I thought that was just my palate.
I don’t begrudge anyone on how they want to spend their money, but the jousting is kinda anomalous. I’m a relatively new Napa resident, but I haven’t seen jousting here. Not sure what they’re recreating in Florida. Maybe it’s like how Medieval Times has a jousting show, they’re trying to recreate Napa in the Middle Ages?
That was the EXACT moment I shut it off.
I don’t know WTF is wrong with you people. There’s a lot to scorn in that ridiculous video, but jousting ain’t it. Name one event you’ve ever been to that wouldn’t have been improved by a good round or two of jousting - High School graduation, Grandmother’s funeral, sister’s wedding, ribbon-cutting for the new city park, baptism of a new Corleone baby, harvest festival in your favorite wine region - see? You can’t! ![[berserker.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/8/8600bbd4810d342b8fbd4ffb62b4f0026275fd37.gif "berserker"){kind=small}
Even professional video gaming, which I understand is now a thing, would be better with a little Joust!
The only interesting thing about that video was the blond at the 1:39 mark.
I think context is everything- in a conversation regarding the To Kalon name, vineyard, trademark infringement, and Mondavi/Constellation being childish, a shameless marketing ad from Constellation regarding their new To Kalon Vineyard prefaced with a HST quote should have been clear. More time was spent crafting a holier-than-thou insult to a Newb than analyzing the content of my post.
Maybe it’s just wishful thinking but in my head this isn’t how rich people act. It struck me as the apex of “lifestyle marketing” towards people who want to believe they are rich. It’s very possible I’m wrong.
Benjamin, you state “context is everything” and yet you pasted in an email without even taking a moment of your time to provide context. Think about that for a minute.
Very good question. I know that mondavi used to have at least a half-dozen non-tokalon growers in their reserve program. From what I know that number is down to 2 or 3. One of which is MacDonald. Not sure if Detert is in the mix still. It would be interesting to know how much of their actual to kalon grapes is going into the reserve. My hunch is that it is probably at least 70 -80%. My concern is that with Schrader and now the To Kalon wine company cannibalizing the To Kalon grapes from the reserve cabernet program, and constellation pushing out Genvieve in favor of a winemaker from the finger lakes who wasn’t even trusted to make the cabernet during her last turn at mondavi a few years back, that mondavi may want to maintain the current production levels of the Reserve Cab, which means using non-tokalon grapes, and leveraging the trademark aspect of To Kalon.
I also want to add something to Roy’s thoughts. Mondavi up until the late 70’s focused on the Mondavi brand, and it is very true that Woodbridge is what truly made them money. However, it was about that that time, in the 80’s that I think the Mondavi brand began to lose it’s luster and not be viewed as a leader in Napa cabernet quality.
If Constellation prevails, which I really doubt will happen, their use of the To Kalon trademark will make them money, but it will be at the expense of the actual place that is To Kalon, much like the Inglenook example.
I hope the trademark is invalidated and that those that care are afforded the opportunity to put geographic boundaries on To Kalon so that it’s use on labels will always be synonymous with the highest quality (beauty).
There has been a Mondavi Reserve Cabernet with a To Kalon Vineyard designation since 1998, and perhaps older vintages. I’m not sure it was bottled every year, and I believe there was also a non-vineyard designated Reserve Cabernet produced along side the To Kalon Reserve Cabernet, at least in the earlier years.
Off topic, but just a gripe about Constellation’s treatment of shareholders. We are going to Sonoma/Napa for the first time in many years. I contacted Constellation regarding any perks for shareholders and they replied that there are none. As a former shareholder of Mondavi and Chalone, they treated shareholders with some perks showing some appreciation for us and encouraging brand loyalty. Yes I know I can sell, but it has been a decent investment since buying years ago. Just thinking they can treat investors better.
Scott, you are correct on that part. Mondavi did do a special To Kalon bottling from 97-01 and then again started up with the etched bottles in 2005 until today. The bottles do say To Kalon, although they don’t say reserve. The winery has always emphasized that the To Kalon bottlings, which were very small runs (at least for mondavi) of 500-1000 cases, used fruit from To Kalon.
Given that Mondavi also owns a huge chunk of premium land in Stags Leap off of Silverado Trail, it would stand to reason that the reserve really isn’t all that much To Kalon.
So not the 70 to 80% you said upthread yesterday?
Hey Alex, a good chunk of that Stags Leap vineyard was Sauvignon blanc, wasn’t it? At least the stuff right off the road. Nevertheless, they tore out a huge chunk of it last year to replant, so it won’t be producing for '18, '19, '20, '21 vintages.
Given that Mondavi also owns a huge chunk of premium land in Stags Leap off of Silverado Trail, it would stand to reason that the reserve really isn’t all that much To Kalon.
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I think it depends on the year. My understanding was that the 2013 Reserve, and even the Oakville, were 100% TK. Have no idea about other vintages, and like others, very suspicious going forward.