The winter of 2014 was one of the driest on record in California and total rainfall in the Napa Valley was half of the average amount. However, heavy rains in late February and early March gave a much-needed drink of water to the vines as they were emerging from dormancy and about to begin bud break. The spring was warm and heat spikes were nearly non-existent during the growing cycle, which contributed to the overall quality of the 2014 vintage.

Working diligently in the vines to maximize phenolic maturity, the winemaking and vineyard teams met each critical timing requirement with precision. The vineyard responded and yielded opulent fruit with acidity, tannins, and complex aromatics that demonstrate a wine with strength and finesse. The 2014 is the hallmark of unlocking vineyards secrets and unleashing the wine’s potential in the fermentations and cellar. The wine was aged in 85% new French oak barrels for 18 months and 15% in neutral French oak barrels prior to blending.

A long and warm growing season provided dark fruits while the sustained heat further softened the classically bold tannins of Cabernet Sauvignon. The warm season was balanced by the night time fog of the Napa Valley calming the ripening giving this wine a unique equilibrium between tannin and dark fruit with a full, rich background. The natural farming practices coupled with the new vinicultural techniques where the vines are thinned and tipped at specific times to accentuate higher and earlier phenolic development created yet another exceptional vintage for our family vineyard.

The fruit’s rich flavors, fine tannins and balanced acidity enabled Rob Mondavi Jr. to craft Cabernet Sauvignon with unmatched richness, elegance and harmony. After the grapes were hand-harvested and clusters selected, they were de-stemmed and crushed into small 800 gallons wood tanks for fermentation. The wine was aged in French oak barrels (68% new) for 20 months before being blended with 5% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. The final blend shows harmony and flushness accenting notes of blackcurrant, boysenberries and subtle licorice notes. The texture and concentration are distinctly mountain Cabernet Sauvignon yet the balanced tannins and rich fruit demonstrate a deeper relationship with the vineyard that has unlocked flavors and depth beyond expectation.

A classic Napa Valley growing season and harvest provided an abundance of quality grapes from which winemakers had to choose in 2012. From spring bud break, through flowering, fruit set, and ripening, conditions were ideal. A consistent stretch of warm summer weather, without large heat spikes and with plenty of cool and foggy nights, ripened grapes to perfection before late rains appeared at the end of October.

The fruit’s rich flavors, ripe tannins and balanced acidity enabled Michael to craft M Cabernet Sauvignon with unmatched richness, elegance and harmony. After the grapes were gently hand-harvested and the individual clusters selected, they were de-stemmed and lightly crushed into small punch down tanks. After a five day cold soak period, the juice was fermented at 27-30°C. Extended post-fermentation maceration brings the total skin contact time to 28-32 days fully marrying the wine’s rich black fruit flavors and supple, sculpted tannins. The young wine was then moved to barrel for malolactic fermentation and 22 months of aging in French oak barrels (87% new). It was clarified with a light egg-white fining in barrel, using organic eggs, and spent 20 months in bottle prior to release.

Michael Mondavi’s grandfather taught him as a boy that all great winemakers, first and foremost, have respect for their soil.Making wine from the roots up, he said, is the only way to create a truly unique wine instilled with a sense of time and place. Years later, when Michael chose the vineyard site for , those words were not far from his mind. His daughter Dina named the vineyard Animo (“spirit” in Italian) because of the feeling of energy that permeated the site and clearly expressed its sense of place. This vineyard, high atop Atlas Peak on 15 acres of rocky, volcanic soil at an elevation of up to 1,350 feet, would carry on its terroir through the vines into the grapes and, ultimately, finish in the glass.

The 2010 growing season in Napa Valley was dramatic, but resulted in excellent quality fruit with great flavor concentration.

The fruit’s rich flavors, ripe tannins and balanced acidity enabled Michael to craft M Cabernet Sauvignon with unmatched richness, elegance and harmony. After the grapes were gently hand-harvested and the individual clusters selected, they were de-stemmed and lightly crushed into small punch down tanks. After a five day cold soak period, the juice was fermented at 27-30°C. Extended post-fermentation maceration brings the total skin contact time to 28-32 days fully marrying the wine’s rich black fruit flavors and supple, sculpted tannins. The young wine was then moved to barrel for malolactic fermentation. Due to the vintage conditions that resulted in ripe, massive tannins, it was determined to extend the wine’s time in French oak barrels (87% new) to 28 months in order to soften and mature the tannins for a perfect balance. Determined by taste, the 2010 M received seven rack and return movements. It was clarified with a light egg-white fining in barrel, using organic eggs, and spent 15 months in bottle prior to release.

3.95ph 5.05 TA 14.84% alc. by volume

Michael Mondavi’s grandfather taught him as a boy that all great winemakers, first and foremost, have respect for their soil. Making wine from the roots up, he said, is the only way to create a truly unique wine instilled with a sense of time and place. Years later, when Michael chose the vineyard site for M, those words were not far from his mind. His daughter Dina named the vineyard “Animo” (“spirit” in Italian) because of the feeling of energy that permeated the site and clearly expressed its sense of place. This vineyard, high atop Atlas Peak on 15 acres of rocky, volcanic soil, would carry on its terroir through the vines into the grapes and, ultimately, finish in the glass.

The 2009 growing season in Napa Valley was very mild early on, with cool temperatures slowly maturing the grapes up until dramatic rains in October forced winegrowers to decide between picking early or waiting out the rains. By carefully monitoring our Animo vineyard, we stayed patient and waited for the rains to subside and pick at optimum maturity. Whatever the vineyard block configuration, the most important aspect is to harvest these grapes at the height of ripeness and ideal flavor. Michael, with the assistance of his son Rob and Tony Coltrin, spent countless hours walking, tasting, and flagging small areas to be harvested - the end of a few rows, a circular plot in the middle of a vineyard block, even just one side of the vines in an area – in order to achieve the absolute peak of balance, ripeness, and flavor, resulting in as many as nine different picks.

The prized Crown Block, utilized for one exclusive barrel of M, is located on a small knoll in the corner of the vineyard. It takes several harvest days to provide the perfectly ripe and balanced fruit from this block.

The fruit’s rich flavors, ripe tannins and balanced acidity enabled Michael to craft an M Cabernet Sauvignon of unmatched richness, elegance and harmony. After the grapes were gently hand-harvested and the individual clusters selected, they were de-stemmed and lightly crushed into small punch down tanks. After a five day cold soak period, the juice was fermented at 27-30°C. Extended post-fermentation maceration brings the total skin contact time to 28-32 days fully marrying the wine’s rich black fruit flavors and supple, sculpted tannins. The young wine was then moved to barrel for malolactic fermentation. During its 22 months in French oak barrels (87% new) the wine was racked several times. Determined by taste, the M 2009 received seven rack and return movements. It was clarified with a light egg-white fining in barrel, using organic eggs, and spent 15 months in bottle prior to release. Stylistically reminiscent of the legendary Mondavi cabernets of the late 1960s and early 1970s, crafted by Michael, M is a prestigious wine reflecting the animo, or “soul,” of its maker: compelling, dynamic, and elegant.

Michael Mondavi’s grandfather taught him as a boy that all great winemakers, first and foremost, have respect for their soil. Making wine from the roots up, he said, is the only way to create a truly unique wine instilled with a sense of time and place. Years later, when Michael chose the vineyard site for M, those words were not far from his mind. He named the vineyard “Animo” (“soul” in Italian) because of his belief that it clearly expressed terroir (or sense of place). This vineyard, high atop Atlas Peak at an elevation of 1,350 feet on 15 acres of rocky, volcanic soil, would carry on its terroir through the vines into the grapes and, ultimately, finish in the glass.

After an early spring frost which significantly reduced yields, the 2008 vintage was known for its long cool growing season which produced flavorful grapes with rich concentration. Whatever the vineyard block configuration, the most important aspect is to harvest these grapes at the height of ripeness and ideal flavor. Michael, with the assistance of his son Rob and Tony Coltrin, spent countless hours walking, tasting, and flagging small areas to be harvested - the end of a few rows, a circular plot in the middle of a vineyard block, even just one side of the vines in an area – in order to achieve the absolute peak of balance, ripeness, and flavor, resulting in as many as fourteen different picks.

The prized Crown Block, utilized for one exclusive barrel of M, is located on a small knoll in the corner of the vineyard. It takes several harvest days to provide the perfectly ripe and balanced fruit from this block.

The fruit’s rich flavors, ripe tannins and balanced acidity enabled Michael to craft an M Cabernet Sauvignon of unmatched richness, elegance and harmony. After the grapes were gently hand-harvested and the individual clusters selected, they were de-stemmed and lightly crushed into small punch down tanks. After a five day cold soak period, the juice was fermented at 27-30°C. Extended post-fermentation maceration brings the total skin contact time to 28-32 days fully marrying the wine’s rich black fruit flavors and supple, sculpted tannins. The young wine was then moved to barrel for malolactic fermentation. During its 22 months in French oak barrels (87% new) the wine was racked several times. Determined by taste, the 2008 M received seven rack and return movements. It was clarified with a light egg-white fining in barrel, using organic eggs, and spent 15 months in bottle prior to release. Stylistically reminiscent of the legendary Mondavi cabernets of the late 1960s and early 1970s, crafted by Michael, M is a prestigious wine reflecting the animo, or “soul,” of its maker: compelling, dynamic, and elegant.

Michael Mondavi’s grandfather taught him as a boy that all great winemakers, first and foremost, have respect for their soil. Making wine from the roots up, he said, is the only way to create a truly unique wine instilled with a sense of time and place. Years later, when Michael chose the vineyard site for M, those words were not far from his mind. He named the vineyard “Animo” (“soul” in Italian) because of his belief that it clearly expressed terroir (or sense of place). This vineyard, high atop Atlas Peak at an elevation of 1,350 feet on 15 acres of rocky, volcanic soil, would carry on its terroir through the vines into the grapes and, ultimately, finish in the glass.