7/00. Acquired from NYC Apr-95 for $59.
For some reason, most of the (relatively few) American wines I had owned were in the 1991 vintage. I was more impressed with them than with the few bottles I tasted from the 1990 or 1993 vintage.
I think I have tasted four or five different vintages of the Robert Mondavi 'Special Reserve'. Compared to some recent California cult wines, it is a wine that is reasonably priced and almost always of the highest quality.
COLOR: Full darkish red. Little clearing around the rim. Some sediment left on the bottle.
NOSE: Deep aromas of fresh (black) forest-fruit mingle nicely with complex bouquet of moderately oaky elements. Forward, stylish and beautifully harmonized. Excellent nose!
TASTE: On the palate this wine is simply wonderful. Focused, slightly sweetish fruit surrounded by multi-dimensional flavors. Complex and balanced flavors rather than a blockbuster fruit bomb. Excellent winyness, good (though not excessive) concentration, fantastic grip and backbone, and above all - extremely tasty.
LENGTH: Medium long aftertaste that carries forward the complexity of the fruit.
TEXTURE & BALANCE: Full bodied fine-textured brilliant wine. Beautiful balance between the fruit, winyness, acidity and the soft tannins. This wine has reached the prime of its maturity. Plenty of vigor and youthfulness, yet fully expressive and already well integrated.
OVERALL: Superb! Really well crafted nectar. The best Mondavi SR I have tasted. Certainly better than the 1990 (of which I have had four bottles).

MARK: 18.5/20.

BUY MORE? Yes.

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Copyright 1996-2003.
Jacob "Yak" Shaya.