Assorted Robert Mondavi & Flora Springs Cabernet Sauvignon Tasting Lot

“Tertiary, aged aromatics with notes of eucalyptus as well. The palate lifts with eucalyptus, green pepper, and mixed herbs from a core of truffle and cassis. This is the greenest and most herbal of the vintages tasted. The herbal lift offers a high contrast to the mushroom and dark fruit belly of the wine though the combination is pleasant. Firm, persistent structure with abundant, mouth-stimulating acidity and a gravelly minerality that carries through a long finish. (ECB) 17.5/20” (04/2016)

“Dark, rich, sleek and perfumed, a remarkably plush, complex, concentrated and youthful wine, with layers of currant, chocolate, blackberry, anise, sage and mineral, all sharply focused and long and persistent on the finish. *Cellar Selection, Ranked #3 Wine of 1994* (JL)” (01/2002)

“Since 1989, this winery has been producing 700 cases of Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. The 1991 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits a real jump in quality over the 1990. It reveals outstanding sweet cassis fruit, full body, layers of concentrated flavor, well-integrated acidity, ripe tannin, and an expansive, long, young, but highly promising future.” (06/1995)

“Healthy dark red. High-toned, fully mature aromas of currant, spicecake, balsamic vinegar and olive tapenade. A bit aggressive but still showing very good flavor intensity, with its modest sweetness balanced by brisk acidity. This high-toned, savory wine finishes salty and persistent, with good energy and firm tannins that avoid dryness. (ST)” (07/2018)

“A supple, graceful, yet potent and engaging young Cabernet, the proverbial iron fist in a velvet glove. Shows intense, minty bay leaf and dried currant and berry flavors that unfold gracefully, picking up a nice minerally edge as well as tannins that are firm yet graceful and refined. *Ranked #20 in Top 100 Wines of 2011, Highly Recommended* (JL)” (07/2011)

“A deeply flavored, impressive Cabernet, rich in fruit and magnificently structured. Hits it out of the park with ripe blackberries and cassis that finish sweet in toasty oak. The tannins are pure Oakville, soft and complex.” (09/2011)

“This is very well done with aromas of berries, fresh mint and licorice. Full body with a spicy palate as well as plenty of fruit and bright acidity. A balanced and well-integrated wine. This can age.” (06/2011)

“Good bright medium ruby. Aromatic, essence-of-Oakville nose offers black raspberry, cassis, loam, spices, licorice and menthol. Lush but fresh and delineated, with a medicinal minty quality to the cassis and graphite flavors. A bit tough for a 2008, but there's also good underlying sweetness and length here. The wine's serious tannic structure calls for a few years of patience. Will this fatten up in bottle? (ST) 91+?” (05/2011)