Bruce Schoenfeld: Dusty and restrained, Mondavi’s 1995 Reserve Cabernet remains a successful wine. Almost entirely varietal Cabernet Sauvignon (92 percent, augmented by equal parts Merlot and Cabernet Franc), this wine has a ripeness that sits right at greatness. The wine is supple, muscular, and the turn from red to blue fruit, and the 13.5% ABV seems proper for the site in a cool, wet, and long vintage. And yet… there’s a lack of proportionality in the wine that makes it simple. It’s like a square that looks identical from all angles, rather than a more complex shape that offers up something different to contemplate with every turn. Drinkable enough, but forgettable enough, too.
Details
Wine expert | Bruce Schoenfeld |
Tastings year | 2016 |
Region | California |
Appellation | AVA |