2016 Robert Mondavi "The Reserve - To Kalon Vineyard" Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon

This is a structured and layered red with currants, ripe berries and hints of chocolate and hazelnuts. Full body. Blueberry, chocolate and spice flavors. Shows focus and craftsmanship. Plus great vineyards.

There are few, if any, bigger names in Napa than Robert Mondavi. There are few, if any, more iconic vineyards in Napa than To Kalon. The two are synonyms with one another, together forging Napa Valley's path into the elite world of wine. This hallowed site encompassing the instantly recognizable, landmark winery, has long been considered some of the finest dirt on the planet for growing Cabernet Sauvignon. In fact, the vineyard long pre-dates Mondavi himself. The site was first planted to grapes in the 1870's. It went mostly fallow during prohibition and was then rejuvenated in the 1940s. Mondavi's fabled quote from 1966 still holds true today: "It was a vineyard with a distinguished history and a magical nature. Ideal soils, sunlight and rain—to my eye, the vineyard was a treasure." The less poetic side of the story is the well documented legal fights over To Kalon (the place, the name, and the right to use it). However, for me the proof is in the bottle. The quality of wine from this site is about as consistently spectacular as any vineyard on earth. If you're interested in an absolute archetypal "Napa Cabernet" I don't think there are any better wines than this to benchmark.