Continuum (1.5 Liter Magnum) 2008
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Winemaker Notes
The 2008 Continuum is wonderfully balanced and deeply sensual wine; we believe it is the finest wine we have ever made. The majority of the fruit, more than 70%, is from our Pritchard Hill estate vineyards and these higher elevation sites with their red rocky soils grow Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot and Merlot with real nerve, vitality and concentration. In general, the 2008 lots, especially those from Pritchard Hill had a wild, mineral power and texture which is readily apparent in the finished wine. The 2008 has great density and life; a powerful core of ripe fruit perfectly balanced by polished, supple tannins leading to a long, nuanced finish. Aromas of black plum, mulberry, and coffee spice lead to black cherry, bitter chocolate, tobacco and graphite flavors. A wine of exquisite power and elegance, its inherent harmony and balance make it delicious now, while assuring tremendous ageabilty.
For the fullest sensory experience we encourage decanting, allowing Continuum to breathe before serving. Decanting awakens the wine's more purely fragrant expression and enhances the suppleness on the palate.
71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Cabernet Franc, 7% Petit Verdot, 5% Merlot
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
A remarkable effort, offering riveting, expressive aromas of mocha, currant, mineral, herb, black licorice, tar and pebble, this is intense, structured, balanced, nuanced and firm, finishing with a gutsy richness and sophistication. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Merlot. Best from 2013 through 2023. 2,200 cases made.
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James Suckling
Sweet plums and raspberries. Forest floor character. Full body, with firm and silky tannins and a bright finish of dark fruits and citrus. Racy and refined. Dense and balanced. Closed still. Excellent potential from Tim Mondavi.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2008 Proprietary Red is a blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Cabernet Franc, 7% Petit Verdot and 5% Merlot, and 71% of the fruit this year came from the Continuum estate on Pritchard Hill. It has a deep garnet-brick color and reveals an earthy, spice box, bouquet garni and fruitcake-scented nose with wafts of balsamic, prunes and iron ore. Full-bodied with a good core of dried berries and mineral sparks in the mouth, it has a firm, chewy texture and finishes a little rustic.
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Wine Enthusiast
A Bordeaux blend, based on Cabernet Sauvignon. It's very rich and ripe, a with that will appeal to fans of the modern California style for its voluptuous berry, cherry, cassis, spice and cedar flavors. The tannins are soft and gentle. Delicious and complex, if not quite up to the 2007. Give it a good, long decant.
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Continuum is the culmination of four generations of the Mondavi family in wine. Tim and Marcia, along with their families, focused on finding an exceptional hillside site in pursuit of a wine that would rank among the greatest in the world. The Continuum estate is located on Pritchard Hill along the eastern ridge of Napa Valley, high above Oakville, Sage Mountain Vineyard is nested in nature, with rocky volcanic soils producing a small, precious crop. This site yields wine of power, depth, nuance and verve.
Tim Mondavi believes that wine is an artistic expression of man's harmony with nature and as such, the winegrowing practices at Continuum estate honor and support the vineyards through balancing the essence of classic techniques with modern day innovations and organic farming. Continuum's goal is to craft balanced wine of power, finesse and elegance - red wines that are expressions of the land, the people and the vintage.
Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.