Mondavi Cab Returns
Bottom Line: Solid Cab, but not one to live up to the hype. That shouldn't stop you from putting a couple in the cellar for 2015. $25-ish
The Rest Of The Story: (Disclosure: This wine was received as a press sample.) The 2007 vintage is being lauded - and rightly so - for impressive power and structure for Cabs in particular and for northern California in particular. So far, the wines are living up to the hype, so this was a highly anticipated bottle.
After giving it a few hours decanted, what we found was refined, smooth, and as good an example of Napa Cabernet as you're going to find. Lovely balance, restrained fruit, present acids, and all the right signs for longevity. My only complaint about this wine is that it doesn't quite live up to the 2007 vintage's well-deserved hype. Not does it have a wow factor to it. (Okay, that's two complaints.) Put another way, I'm not compelled (at least by this wine) to sing a sonata outside Genevieve Janssen's window.
All that said, solid Cab. And it makes an impressive partner with dinner. Enjoy.
