2011 Pinot Noir Reserve Victoria
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Tasting notes
Sweet red berries, mint, freshly cut roses and cinnamon lift from the glass in Mondavi's 2011 Pinot Noir Reserve. A crystalline, intensely perfumed Pinot, the 2011 Reserve is beautifully delineated in the glass, and a great example of the focus of the year. The 100% new French oak barrels are barely noticeable at all. The mid-weight, gracious style is all about balance, and there is plenty of that in this impeccable Pinot. This is a great showing from Mondavi.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The dark ruby-colored 2011 Pinot Noir Reserve offers up a classy, noble and refined bouquet of sweet cherries, a touch of new oak, underbrush and a floral character. With good weight, richness and more power than one normally sees in a 2011 red, this fruit-forward, pretty Pinot is ideal for drinking over the next 5-6 years. Tel. (888) 766-6328
(14.5% alcohol, compared to 13.5% for the entry-level pinot): Bright full red. Pungent aromas of raspberry, red cherry, spices, minerals and wild herbs. A step up in density and sweetness from the basic bottling, without any loss of verve. Lovely mineral and spice high notes give this sappy pinot definition and energy. Chewy but weightless wine with a long, ripe, perfumed finish that really dusts the palate with flavor. This very youthful, tightly coiled pinot should gain in complexity over the next several years. For many years, Mondavi couldn't quite crack the pinot code, but this wine is an essence of the variety.
About the producer
Robert Mondavi is a name known the world over. The ambitious businessman created his eponymous winery in 1966 to produce world-class wines in Napa, pioneering quality winemaking and becoming a champion for the region.