With a legacy of crafting fine Napa Valley wines since 1966, Robert Mondavi has shaped the wine industry to become one of the "World's Most Famous Winemakers".
Robert Mondavi’s impact on the future of Napa Valley and interest in wine appreciation in America cannot be overstated. Renowned for his vision to create Napa Valley wines that would stand in the company of the world’s finest. He chose the just as famous To Kalon Vineyard in the heart of Oakville as the home for Robert Mondavi Winery. This true American first-growth vineyard has proved to produce some of the finest Cabernet Sauvignon wines in the world.
To Kalon Vineyard
In 1966 Mondavi discovered this gem of terroir -
“Walking through To Kalon, admiring its contours and vines, smelling the richness of its soil, I knew this was a very special place. It exuded an indefinable quality I could not describe, a feeling that was almost mystical.”
To Kalon Vineyard is recognized as one of the finest "Grand Cru" vineyards of the world. Ancient Greek for “the highest beauty,” it provides grapes for a world-class Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve.
Two roadside signs between highway 29 and the west hills of Oakville signal, but like all mythic places its exact shape is hard to define. The vineyard boasts well-drained gravelly and sandy loam soils, which are ideal for growing premium grapes. These soils limit vine vigor, encouraging concentrated flavors in the fruit. Oakville's warm days and cool nights create a perfect balance for ripening grapes, allowing them to develop rich, complex flavors while retaining acidity.
2 Bottles of Each Vintage In A Special Edition Wood Case
50th-Anniversary Bottling! A beautifully polished wine, with a dense ruby/purple color, it is still tightly knit and showing high-quality oak. The wine is full-bodied and rich, with outstanding depth, ripeness and purity. There is plenty of backbone and tannin for 25-30 years of cellaring. The wine shows notes of chocolate and plenty of blackcurrant fruit and blackberry.
2014
The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve To Kalon is a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot. Deep ruby/purple-colored, notes of sweet crème de cassis, blackberry, charcoal and toast are present in the subtle but intense aromatics. The wine is full-bodied and classically crafted, building incrementally on the palate and displaying full-bodied richness, sweet tannin, and a potential to age for 25-30 + years. This is a beauty.
2015
The fifth vintage of this iconic vineyard-designate reserve comes in at 14.5% ABV and comprises 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cab Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. Although I’m inspired to write a sonnet after tasting it, I attempted to translate my notes into these succinct descriptives: Toffee-cedar and plum preserves accent the nose with an undertone of leather and coffee as the satiny entry leads to a dustier mid-palate. Tannins wrap the tongue with fleshy dark chocolate and dense blueberry oak.