1990 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
Opened by Allred from magnum. Double decanted 3.5 hours before drinking. 2nd time I have had this wine (last being in 2007). 54% of the fruit came from the To Kalon vineyard. Drinking very well. The best Mondavi Reserve that I have had (others were the 1986, 1995, 1997 and 1999). Firm tannins with leather, plum and dried mushroom notes. Medium bodied. 93-94 points.
VM
Thanks for that note, I like this line.
Thanks for the great note and for bringing back fond memories. This the wine that started me down the rabbit hole. I drank my last bottle several years ago and it was still singing. Glad to hear yours was solid.
Cheers!
Thank you for the note- agree this is a great vintage for them.
In more recent vintages, the 2015 is an absolute knockout. It was stunning from release but started shutting down a few years ago. In time it will be one of the greatest I think. One to snap up if you find it.
Still the most underrated wines in the Valley. Slip these pre-96 Mondavi Reserves into a blind Bordeaux tasting of similar age and watch the surprises at the reveal.
Thanks for the note.
Cheers!
What happened since '96 vintage?
Nothing happened to the 1996 vintage. But the year following began the tectonic shift in Napa Cabernet towards hotter, higher alcohol wines. This is the now famous “Parker-ization” of Napa.
I wrote pre-1996 but should have written “1996 and prior” as the '96 vintage still reflects the classically styled Napa … which was far more Bordeaux-like than modern Napa which began with the 1997 vintage.
Starting with the '96 vintage they pulled a lot of the Tokalon fruit away from this bottling for another. I recall this as I was ticked off having bough '96 futures (as with many years prior) and felt bait and switched when they did this. I never bought it again or looked back. No clue what the percentage is now of Tokalon in the Reserve.
The evening I proposed to my wife, I opened a half bottle of the '90 Reserve at the celebratory dinner. That dinner was all half bottles (save for the bottle of '96 Veuve Grande Dame of which she drank the lion’s share, ha ha), and I sought out mags of all the wines I opened that night thinking I would someday recreate that dinner and invite friends to join. We eventually scrapped those plans but I still had this mag in the cellar so it seemed a fitting occasion to open it.
This was drinking very well. I love the Mondavi Reserves, having had quite a few from 1986 through the early '00s. It was excellent through the '90s but I think the '91 is probably my favorite vintage, followed perhaps by the '95. I also really enjoy the 2001, and for my palate, the “shift” came shortly afterwards in Napa (across the valley), around 2003-2005.
As to this mag, my note is similar to Jeff’s. We enjoyed this side-by-side with the '75 Beau Sejour Becot (an ex-Chateau mag), and this was clearly superior. It was paired with a garlic & rosemary infused beef tenderloin, roasted beets and parsnip puree.
Just to add to the timeline, I recently had the 2007 on two separate occasions and while there were some positive attributes, the overall style was far too rich and over the top for me, add in the 16% abv and it ultimately didn’t align with my tastes.
What did the wife think?
Very first wine i ever brought a case of - 2 left! Oh so good from back in the day! Paid $35/btl at winery!
She enjoyed it, as did everyone I think, as it showed very well out of magnum.
Of the 25 or so bottles opened that night, we only had one that was off (1975 Sterling cab sauv), and luckily I had a backup which was then opened and showed quite well. Most wines showed well, or at least well as one would have expected them to. The '75 d’Yquem, while excellent, underperformed based on expectations, but I think that was the only bottle to do so.
