2007 Pinot Noir Reserve

Imagine my surprise when I inquired as to the alcohol level in the winery's unusually powerful and slightly warm 2006 Stag's Leap cabernet and was told by director of winemaking Genevieve Janssens that it was 16% on the label. This from a winery that not many years ago was criticized by some for bottling understated and even undernourished cabernets. In fact, said Janssens, even though the vine leaves had turned yellow during cool September and October weather, and some viticulturalists were saying "it's over," Mondavi waited to pick. In the end, the grape skins benefited from pronounced day/night temperature variation during early fall without dehydrating. Two thousand seven was another dry year, but warmer than 2006, according to Janssens. A heatwave during the end of August and first few days of September helped to bring the pinot noir and merlot to maximum ripeness. "Usually the harvest for these two varieties is squeezed between the sauvignon blanc and the bad weather, but not in 2007," she reported. Incidentally, Mondavi's basic chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, pinot noir and cabernet bottlings are prime examples of widely available California wines that offer excellent value.