ACCOLADES
95 Points "This brand-new offering from Mondavi is big, plush, and spicy. It's 100% cabernet sauvignon, aged in all-new French barrels that give maximum breadth, a velvety texture and chocolate accents over delicious black cherry flavors. Made from a single clone of cabernet grown on Wappo Hill. Cocoa, espresso, nutmeg, graphite, dark chocolate, blueberries, and cream emerge on the palate and linger in the finish. Drinkable now, but best from 2030."
- Jim Gordon, JamesSuckling.com, January 2025
94 Points "Sourced from a single block of Clone 8 at Wappo Hill, planted on a south-southeast-facing slope, this is the first time this clone has been bottled on its own. While Clone 8 is typically a higher-yielding selection, on this hillside site, it produces balanced clusters, which winemaker Kurtis Ogasawara sought to highlight in 2022. Aged for 20 months in 100% new French oak, this wine has greater density and a darker-fruited profile than the Stags Leap District blend, offering a profound tannin structure that builds like a towering skyscraper. The core of dark black and blue fruit is complemented by fragrant cedarwood, warming brown spices, and vibrant freshness, with a crunchy acid tension that gives it lift and precision. A well-built, powerful wine with excellent cellar potential, this marks a bold new expression from Mondavi, showcasing the intensity and depth of Clone 8 in Stags Leap District."
- Jonathan Cristaldi, Decanter, February 2025
COMPOSITION
ABV 15.0%
Vintage 2022
Varietal Cabernet Sauvignon
Appellation Stags Leap District, Napa Valley
100% Cabernet Sauvignon
VINEYARD
THE VINEYARD: Hills to the west and east of the Stags Leap District funnel breezes from the bay into the interior of the region, making this small but renowned AVA slightly cooler at night than other areas in Napa Valley. This subtle climate variation and the appellation’s soils result in wines with a beautiful and focused flavor profile. The fruit for this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon was sourced from the G Block of our Wappo Estate Vineyard. This block, planted to Clone 8, shined in 2022 and this bottling is the first-ever feature for this very special fruit.
THE VINTAGE: The 2022 growing season was mild, dry, and very pleasant through August. Temperatures surged for a week in August. Our grape-growing and winemaking teams worked nonstop to keep the vines healthy and happy until temperatures cooled. The fruit was harvested by hand. The wine spent 32 days on the skins to emphasize the natural color and flavors, then aged 20 months in French oak barrels (100% new).
TASTING NOTES
Aromas: Wild dark berry, red fruit, cinnamon, baking spice
Flavors: Black fruit, graphite, subtle salinity
Body: Bright and lively with a juicy palate and exceptionally long finish
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