1994 Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

There are some bottles that linger in the cellar until you say to yourself, "Self, I should open that and see if it is still alive." Tonight I thought of the '94 Mondavi Reserve. Actually it was this morning so I could stand it upright and let the sediment settle. This one caught me by surprise. The color is still a deep red with no sign of bricking at all. It needed a bit of time in the glass to express itself. Then it showed a nose of dark, plummy aromas. On the palate the fruit was still intense, dark cherry and raspberry with a hint of licorice. The tannins were fully resolved, smooth, but still providing structure. The acidity was still in evidence, just enough to handle the New York Strips we served with it. A complex and profound wine. It finishes with a long and fairly intense finish.

Would it have been better 10 years ago? Maybe, but it would have definitely been different and the way it was tonight was plenty for me. Everything about this wine tonight said it had stood up to the last 24 years brilliantly. Will it continue this way for a few more years? Perhaps, but I would drink it over the next 2 or 3 years at most. I have one more bottle and it probably won't last more than another year. Tonight it was an "A".

Charlie