Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/723381
76 / the tasting panel / september 2016 in Napa, when this place was being built," which she reminded everyone was a full two years before the Ag Preserve was established. "There was really a vision here. It was a demon- stration of what this valley could be, when we all thought it would be paved over for housing, like Santa Clara." She praised the Mondavis for having "saved Napa." Genevieve Janssens, who in 1989 assumed the role of Director of Winemaking for Opus One and in 1997 became Director of Winemaking at Mondavi, said that it was an incred- ibly emotional day for everyone. "Mr. Mondavi has been a great mentor, always inspires me, and I'm here to continue his job and the future is bright—I follow his vision." The festivities continued after Janssens spoke, with a plethora of food, music, dancing and, of course, wine. From current and library releases opened for the occasion, everyone had the chance to taste a bit of history and to bear first-hand witness to the ageability and finesse of true winemaking prowess. Of the current releases I tasted, the Robert Mondavi Winery 2015 "Harvest of Joy" Rosé, a 100% Valdiguié sourced from vineyards in Calistoga, is an energetic and refreshing wine, with pretty strawberry and red cherry aromas and flavors, along with a crushed stone mineral through-line. The Robert Mondavi Winery 2014 Fumé Blanc, Napa Valley boasts nice weight but with crisp, clean, ripe peach and pear flavors and terrific saline mineral- ity. And a commemorative bottling, the Robert Mondavi Winery 2013 "Maestro," Napa Valley was a beautiful plush wine, boasting black fruit, bright and juicy, with cigar box and tobacco spice. Long lines also formed for a taste of coveted juice from several six-liter bottles of past vintages and vary- ing appellation-designated wines, each showing kinetic energy and complexity of aromas and flavors. The Robert Mondavi Winery 1995 Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville District presented a dazzling soft texture but with good acidity and ample black fruit, with black olive and licorice notes and a long tobacco and cedar finish. The Robert Mondavi Winery 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon, Stag's Leap District was mesmerizing: unctuous, smooth and succulent fruit, with classic Stags Leap dusty notes, sweet black fruit, licorice and fine-grained tannins—just seamless. As the day wound down, I sidled up to an inside tasting room bar to soak in the cool central air. And though I was supposed to wait in line (out in the unforgiveable Oakville sun) to taste the Reserve wines, a tall, friendly man don- ning a Robert Mondavi Winery shirt introduced himself as Anton Pestun, said I looked thirsty and tasted me straight through all the Reserve wines. The Robert Mondavi Winery 2011 To Kalon Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve just lifted out of the glass with elegant perfumed notes—a cooler vintage that shows a lighter and more ethereal side of the Reserve wine. Lofty herbaceous notes cuddle up to dark cherry flavors while black fruits wash over the mid-palate, all bolstered by impec- cably fine-grained tannins—a constant of To Kalon—and a fabulous finish that is all exotic spices. The Robert Mondavi Winery 2012 To Kalon Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve showed pretty floral notes of rose petals and lilacs. Silky and seductive on the palate, its gener- ous blackberry and black cherry fruit perfectly integrated with sweet oak, tobacco spice and cinnamon and cigar box flavors. Notes of crushed stones and a long finish were augmented by hints of star anise. As I sipped and sniffed, he chatted away with a colleague who was off duty. She told Anton she was sorry he had to work. "Who's working?" he exclaimed, with a bright smile and laugh. I felt as though I had been let in on a not-so-secret secret. That the whole of Mondavi is greater than the sum of its parts is obvious to those who have worked and continue to work there. Robert knew this. He envisioned a place of passion, not a place of work, but he certainly arrived at the cross- roads of both. PHOTO COURTESY OF ROBERT MONDAVI WINERY Robert Mondavi's Legacy Tim Mondavi paid tribute to his father by quoting Hugh Johnson, who remarked that "Wine was a tranquil sea, content to rest on its laurels. . . until a pebble was thrown into it. And the ripples from that pebble spread throughout and awakened the entire world of wine. Oakville is where that pebble landed, and it was Robert Mondavi who threw that pebble." Robert Mondavi in the late 1960s at a tasting at Robert Mondavi Winery. Congressman Mike Thompson presents a framed copy of his remarks that were read into the Congressional Record to Robert Mondavi Winery VP and General Manager Glenn Workmann. Mark de Vere, MW (second from left), mingling with the crowd, including Patsy McGaughy of Napa Valley Vintners (right). PHOTO COURTESY OF ROBERT MONDAVI WINERY PHOTO COURTESY OF ROBERT MONDAVI WINERY