“A trailblazer who subscribed to the ‘high-tide raises all ships’ philosophy, Mondavi didn’t just set out on his own but encouraged many other vintners to venture to the area, effectively planting the seed that would end up growing into more than 500 wineries. Despite the competition, Robert Mondavi Winery has stood alone by making some of the best Cabernet Sauvignons in the world.” - Maxim

Today we celebrate Appy Friday with something TRULY EXTRAORDINARY. Strap in for a little history less, Ops.

First of all, it’s no coincidence that the bottle you’re looking at is nearly identical to these.

In 1966, a modest man named Robert Mondavi founded a winery in Napa Valley, bound to change the course of American winemaking. 60 vintages later, per the San Francisco Chronicle, “Robert Mondavi has set the bar for all…”

They continue, “the renovation of Napa Valley’s famous Robert Mondavi Winery, which reopened this week after a three-year closure and renovation, and which likely cost hundreds of millions of dollars, is the most exhaustive, expensive, and beautiful transformation Wine Country has ever seen.”

To commemorate this momentous celebration, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Judgement of Paris, where the quiet California wine revolution spearheaded by Mondavi shocked first the French, and then the entire world, the winery blended their two legacy sites to release, from the incomparable 2023 harvest, a very small batch of extremely special 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.

This wine is not about price, it’s about PRIDE. The $105 you pay is a small price for the PRIZE of owning a part of history, celebrating one of the most renowned wine regions in the world.

In equal proportions, it combines the powerful finesse of To Kalon, arguably the most famous site in not just Oakville but the entire Napa Valley, with the filigreed tannins of Wappo Hill, where Robert Mondavi used to live, in the hillside tenderloin of Stags Leap District. While this presents an unfair advantage over other top Cabernets of the known universe, they HAD TO pull all stops to properly remind everyone that without Robert Mondavi, Napa Valley as we know it today would not be.

Per Maxim, “The result is a sense of humanity in every bottle, capturing not just a vintage but the hands and instincts that brought it to life. For those looking to experience that themselves, there’s no better way than to try the Robert Mondavi Winery 60th Anniversary Commemorative Cabernet…”

Very little was made. No idea how we got our hands on this one, we’re still scratching our heads.

96 Points – James Suckling “A terrific, one-time bottling of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from two distinct vineyards owned by Robert Mondavi. Deep and delicious, with black cherry, blackberry, creme de cassis and dark chocolate notes wrapped in a firm, polished texture and impressively rich, fine-grained tannins.”