The 15-acre Animo Vineyard sits high along the rugged Atlas Peak, on the eastern ridge of Napa Valley. Soils here are volcanic, thin and rocky, and Cabernet Sauvignon is this area’s signature variety.
Mondavi hand-harvests the fruit, de-stems, ferments in stainless, then ages the wine 20 months in mostly new French oak. The result is deep garnet and deeply perfumed, like inhaling a red tree fruit orchard spangled with violets: sweet currant, cassis, blackberries, plum skin. The attack is beautifully juicy, a shock of red and blue fruits segueing to supple, finely corrugated tannins.
This is food-loving Napa Cab with great refreshment. Pair it with rare beef, aged cheeses, game.
14.3% abv | $85 (sample)
Does the label indicate the Atlas Peak origins? Wines from there are so different from the Napa Valley floor that it is good to know the more specific site information.
Hi, David,
The back label does mention the wine’s Atlas Peak origin, stressing the mountainous terrain and high elevation of the Animo vineyard. It’s very true that the terroir (and resulting wine) of valley and benchland vineyards is quite different from that of the hills.
Thanks, as always, for reading.
Meg