Is Robert Mondavi Private Selection Cabernet good?
Robert Mondavi Private Selection Cabernet is a decent, smooth everyday red for about $12, but it is a separate, cheaper line from the Napa Mondavi bottles and tastes like a simple, fruity grocery Cab.
Robert Mondavi Private Selection Cabernet Sauvignon · Cabernet Sauvignon · Central Coast, California · nearly everywhere
- Alcohol
- About 13.5%
- Sweetness
- Dry, but soft and fruity
- Grapes
- Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, with splashes of Syrah, Merlot and other red grapes
- Made by
- Robert Mondavi Private Selection, owned by The Wine Group since 2025
- From
- Central Coast, California
- Price
- About $10 to $13
- Calories
- About 120 to 130 in a 5 oz glass (estimate, like most dry reds)
What it tastes like
Cherry, plum and vanilla, soft and easy. Medium-bodied and not very grippy, so it drinks easily on its own.
- Bodylight → big
- Sweetnessdry → sweet
- Zingsoft → zippy
- Gripsmooth → grippy
Is it worth $12?
It is fine for the price, nothing more. Columbia Crest Grand Estates and 14 Hands cost about the same and taste more like real Cabernet.
Who it’s for
For someone who wants a recognizable name and an easy red for weeknights. If you want something deeper or firmer, spend your $12 elsewhere.
How to serve it
Serve slightly cool, about 15 minutes in the fridge.
The backstory
Robert Mondavi put Napa Valley on the map in 1966, but this bottle is not from that winery. Private Selection is the budget line, made from Central Coast grapes and sold everywhere. Constellation Brands owned both for years, then sold Private Selection to The Wine Group (the Franzia and Cupcake people) in 2025 while keeping the Napa winery. A year of oak and a few blending grapes give it that soft vanilla-cherry taste.
How it compares
- Mondavi Private Selection Cab vs Josh Cabernet
Josh costs a few dollars more and tastes a little richer and rounder, so pick Josh for a dinner and Mondavi for a Tuesday.
- Mondavi Private Selection Cab vs Columbia Crest Cabernet
Same price, but Columbia Crest has more grip and tastes more like classic Cabernet, so pick it if you want a "real" Cab and Mondavi if you want soft and easy.
- Mondavi Private Selection Cab vs 14 Hands Cabernet
14 Hands is a touch bolder with darker fruit for about the same money, while Mondavi is the gentler, smoother sip.
What to eat with it
Questions people ask
- Is Robert Mondavi Private Selection the same as Robert Mondavi Napa?
- No. Private Selection is a separate, cheaper line made from Central Coast grapes, and since 2025 it is owned by a different company than the Napa winery. The Napa bottles cost two or three times as much.
- Is Robert Mondavi Private Selection Cabernet sweet?
- No, it is a dry red. The vanilla from the oak and the ripe cherry fruit can make it taste a little sweet, but there is very little actual sugar in it.
- What is the bourbon barrel version of Mondavi Private Selection?
- It is a separate bottle that spends time in barrels that used to hold bourbon, which adds extra vanilla, caramel and a toasty edge. If you like smooth, sweet-tasting reds, try it; if you like dry and classic, stick with the regular one.
- How many calories are in Robert Mondavi Private Selection Cabernet?
- Mondavi does not publish a number, but a 5 oz glass of a dry red at about 13.5% alcohol usually lands around 120 to 130 calories. A full bottle is roughly five glasses.
- How much is Robert Mondavi Private Selection Cabernet?
- Usually about $10 to $13 for a 750ml bottle, and it goes on sale often. Grocery stores, Target and big liquor chains all carry it.
If you like this, try
- Josh CabernetCabernet Sauvignon · about $15Good buy
- 14 Hands CabernetCabernet Sauvignon · about $11Good buy
- Dark Horse CabernetCabernet Sauvignon · about $9It's fine
Where Moxie recommends it
Last checked 2026-10-04. Moxie Vino isn’t affiliated with Robert Mondavi Private Selection; this is our honest take. Bottle photo: Robert Mondavi Private Selection.