For as long as I have known about wine, I have known that the Mondavi Family of Napa Valley was the standard by which all others aspired, in making great Cabernet Sauvignon. So it was with high expectation and a twinge of nervous energy that I sat down with a family member, Peter Mondavi Jr. He has a major role in the family-owned Charles Krug Winery near St. Helena.Charles Krug has a long history of winemaking in Napa Valley, being the first winery to open its doors in 1861. Fast-forward to 1943 when the Mondavi Family purchased the property, with Peter Sr. and Robert Mondavi jointly building the brand, with Cabernet as its signature wine.In 1966, Robert opened his own winery in nearby Oakville, and Peter Sr. turned to his sons Peter Jr.and Marc to carry the load of quality winemaking and marketing. Peter was in San Diego recently to conduct a "Vertical Tasting" of 7 of his vintage Cabs. "I'm looking forward to sharing some of our older vintages, from our current 2006 all the way back to 1980," he said. I reminded him that it woudl be like a historic footprint of the rise of Cabernet to the grandeur that it enjoys today. "Well, that may be true," he agreed. "But the real education will be in the tasting of the wines that have evolved over time, how the age enhances that taste so that the experience of the wines becomes the best teacher. Definitely Cab is king of the valley and it will be for decades to come."After the session, Peter aksed the assembled for a show of hands as to which vintage was their favorite and it was the 1995, followed closely by the 2004. The current release, 2006, also did well with its classy and opulent flavor of chocolate and espresso at the finish, preceded by notes of blackberry and licorice.Charles Krug is achieving more balanced flavor with lower "PH" sugar content in the grapes, resulting in less alcohol and pairing better with food. It is now a sustainable practicing vineyard with sensitivity to the environment, using only natural additives.
