The Robert Mondavi Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1978 was
properly stored since release and had no cork issues. The fill was
still in the neck.

The wine is likely at a peak, but could last many more years. The
color is still fairly deep, and there is but little indication of age
around the rim. The balance is now nearly perfect. A few rough edges
have been nicely rounded with age, there is plenty of cassis fruit,
and acid and tannins are correct. At 13% alcohol, this is a rather
civilized wine, not one of the over-the-top, often over-oaked,
monsters so common in many premium CSs in the 1970s. I don't know
exactly where in Napa the grapes were grown, but the style of the wine
is different from say a Heitz Martha's vineyard of the 70s. It does
not have the herbal eucalyptus note of the Heitz and some other Napa
CSs. There is more of a cedar wood character.

This wine, and a few others from the 70s and earlier, prove that the
best Napa wines can last and improve for a very long time. They can
last as well as many Bordeaux reds including some first growths, but I
doubt if they will outlast the best of Bordeaux such as Latour 45 and
61, Mouton 45, Cheval Blanc 47 etc. However the best Napa CSs do have
a somewhat different taste profile from the Bordeaux reds.

On Oct 2, 3:10�pm, cwdjrxyz > wrote:
> The Robert Mondavi Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1978 was
> properly stored since release and had no cork issues. The fill was
> still in the neck.
>
> The wine is likely at a peak, but could last many more years. The
> color is still fairly deep, and there is but little indication of age
> around the rim. The balance is now nearly perfect. A few rough edges
> have been nicely rounded with age, there is plenty of cassis fruit,
> and acid and tannins are correct. At 13% alcohol, this is a rather
> civilized wine, not one of the over-the-top, often over-oaked,
> monsters so common in many premium CSs in the 1970s. I don't know
> exactly where in Napa the grapes were grown, but the style of the wine
> is different from say a Heitz Martha's vineyard of the 70s. It does
> not have the herbal eucalyptus note of the Heitz and some other Napa
> CSs. There is more of a cedar wood character.
>
> This wine, and a few others from the 70s and earlier, prove that the
> best Napa wines can last and improve for a very long time. They can
> last as well as many Bordeaux reds including some first growths, but I
> doubt if they will outlast the best of Bordeaux such as Latour 45 and
> 61, Mouton 45, Cheval Blanc 47 etc. However the best Napa CSs do have
> a somewhat different taste profile from the Bordeaux reds.

I recently posted on a 1978 Opus that seeme to fit the same
profile...more than likely fruit from the same sources but different
wine makers.

In article
>,
cwdjrxyz > wrote:

> The Robert Mondavi Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1978 was
> properly stored since release and had no cork issues. The fill was
> still in the neck.
>
> The wine is likely at a peak, but could last many more years. The
> color is still fairly deep, and there is but little indication of age
> around the rim. The balance is now nearly perfect. A few rough edges
> have been nicely rounded with age, there is plenty of cassis fruit,
> and acid and tannins are correct. At 13% alcohol, this is a rather
> civilized wine, not one of the over-the-top, often over-oaked,
> monsters so common in many premium CSs in the 1970s. I don't know
> exactly where in Napa the grapes were grown, but the style of the wine
> is different from say a Heitz Martha's vineyard of the 70s. It does
> not have the herbal eucalyptus note of the Heitz and some other Napa
> CSs. There is more of a cedar wood character.
>
> This wine, and a few others from the 70s and earlier, prove that the
> best Napa wines can last and improve for a very long time. They can
> last as well as many Bordeaux reds including some first growths, but I
> doubt if they will outlast the best of Bordeaux such as Latour 45 and
> 61, Mouton 45, Cheval Blanc 47 etc. However the best Napa CSs do have
> a somewhat different taste profile from the Bordeaux reds.

Thanks for the notes. I have one magnum of this left. Haven't decided if
I want to open it yet.