I have had some very nice examples of cabernet from the 1980 vintage over the years,
which was not a great vintage, but which produced more than its share of fine, ageworthy wines.
The 1980 Mondavi Reserve cabernet is...
I have had some very nice examples of cabernet from the 1980 vintage over the years,
which was not a great vintage, but which produced more than its share of fine, ageworthy wines.
The 1980 Mondavi Reserve cabernet is more middle of the road in quality, but still a good wine,
as it offers up a deep and complex, albeit, slightly leathery bouquet of cassis, dried eucalyptus,
some tarry tones, a nice base of soil and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, fullbodied
and marred by a touch of brett, with a good core, still a bit of hard tannin and good length
and grip on the focused, but slightly ungenerous finish. I suspect this will always have a bit of a
tough edge to it from less than ideal ripening. But, not bad juice and a wine that I would much
prefer to drink over the overtly hot and more sickly syrupy-styled cabernets made here today.
2014-2030+.