Remarkably Preserved and Burgundian Napa Valley Pinot Noir

Today’s Story: Robert Mondavi Winery

I just wrote about the 1981 Robert Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, so I will save you the duplicate reading today and jump right into the tasting notes on today’s 1980 Reserve Pinot Noir. If you missed my prior commentary on Robert Mondavi, however, feel free to pause and click the link above!

Today’s Wine: 1980 Reserve Pinot Noir

100% Pinot Noir; 13.8% ABV

The 1980 Reserve Pinot Noir is translucent medium garnet in color with slight bricking (though it’s really not too bad). The fill level was superb (about 1-2cm ullage), the cork was pristine, and there was hardly any sediment thrown. Though firing on all cylinders as a pop-and-pour, this only got more complex in the glass with a nose of tobacco, coffee grounds, worn leather, forest floor, earthy mushroom, underbrush, gravel, tar, grilled herbs, and black olive. There’s even some cherry, baked strawberry, and black raspberry clinging on for dear life. The palate showcases some of the more primary notes up front with black cherry, black raspberry, brambly red fruits, and red rose petal, but offers similar depth and complexity to the nose with further notes of cigar tobacco, leather, smoke, scorched earth, black truffle, wet gravel, garden herbs, cracked green peppercorn, and green underbrush. This is light-bodied with medium (+) acidity, medium (-) dusty tannins, and a long finish. There was one owner who purchased this upon release before us, and this wine is one I will remember for perhaps the rest of my life.

Price: Your guess is as good as mine, but looks like this was last available in auction a few years ago for about $50. If you are able to find a perfectly stored bottle of this with great provenance, I would buy it. This was an absolutely incredible bottle of wine that grew in the glass and drank like some of the top-tier aged Burgundy I’ve had. Absolutely mind-blowing experience.