Call them ultra-premium, call them iconic, the top wines in the Constellation Brands’ portfolio of Napa Valley wines all sit at the top of the heap.
Perhaps the most famous name among them is that of the Robert Mondavi Winery. Robert Mondavi, who died in 2008, was not just Napa aristocracy, he was a visionary who did more than anyone to establish Napa at the pinnacle of world winemaking. France even awarded him the Legion d’Honneur. When Constellation Brands acquired Robert Mondavi Winery in 2004 it paid a cool US$1.4 billion.
Then there are other names in the portfolio: To Kalon Vineyard Company, Double Diamond and Schrader Cellars – all very illustrious. In particular, the To Kalon vineyard (its name means, the ‘highest good” in ancient Greek) was Robert Mondavi’s first and provides exceptional grapes for others in the portfolio.
Jason Smith, vice president of Constellation Brands’ Icon Portfolio
Jason Smith, vice president of Constellation Brands’ Icon Portfolio since August 2021, is in London at the monumental Chancery Rosewood hotel, the former US Embassy in Grosvenor Square, for the new global releases. For Mondavi and To Kalon, this is for the 2022 vintage, and for the other two it’s 2023.
Smith comments: “We are at such a high level of quality we can’t make big changes year by year, but we can make incremental improvements.” And, of course, the two years were very differently climatically. The year 2022 was one of the hottest on record, around 49°C on occasion out in the vineyards. At that level the grapes stop even ripening, apparently, and the result is a soft, fruit-forward flavour profile.
The 2023 harvest was an “almost night-and-day contrast”, says Smith. The coolest for 15 years, the season lasted much longer. That added a lot of complexity to the wines.
We kick off at the comparatively modest end of the range with the Double Diamond Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville 2023 (ABV 14.8%, £90 a bottle retail). Half new and half old French oak-aged, this is approachable with a good, freshness. Smith assures us that because of that cool weather in 2023, this is particularly worthy of ageing.
It’s quite a step up to the Robert Mondavi Winery To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 (ABV 15%, £180). This is the flagship wine of the famed winery with around 12,000 bottles a year produced, comprising 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 7% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Exclusively sourced from the To Kalon vineyard, this is aged 20 months in 98% French oak. Notes of blackcurrant with excellent complexity are already evident. Fine-grained tannins and a lively long finish sit alongside a savoury ripeness.
Next is To Kalon Vineyard Company Eliza’s 2022 (ABV 15%, £350), a cuvée which is a blend of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. It boasts super structured tannins and an impressive acid tension. The Cabernet Franc brings exotic spice notes and floral aromas, and the Cabernet Sauvignon provides weight, structure, and a deep, rich, black fruit character. The finish is long and persistent. A palpable hit!
With the Schrader Monastery Block To Kalon Vineyard 2023, (ABV 15%, £650), well-drained, gravelly soils deliver a traditional character with rich black fruit, floral notes and marked minerality.
We conclude with the Schrader Heritage Clone 2023 (ABV 15%, £650). This is a bit tight still but the quality is already shining through. Made from a single block in the To Kalon vineyard, it’s made from tiny clusters of exceptional fruit. Rich with a vibrant acidity there are notes of ripe cherries, chocolate and mandarin.
The Constellation Brands’ Icon Portfolio wines are distributed in the UK either by Fine & Rare, Hedonism, and the Wine Treasury, or The Great Wine Company.
