2016 CCS


An incredible young wine, the 2016 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard CCS is another wonderful vintage of this benchmark Cabernet. Eminently approachable in its youth, this wine bursts from the glass with aromas of blackberry and cassis intermixed with subtle notes of graphite and pencil shavings. Well-structured yet approachable, this immense wine offers an astonishingly long, luxurious finish.

  • Vintage 2016
  • Alcohol 14.6%
  • Vineyard Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard
  • Appellation Oakville, Napa Valley
  • Varietal Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Clone Pure Clone 4
  • Cooperage Aged 20 months in rare Darnajou French oak barrels
  • Winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown
  • Tasting Notes

    An incredible young wine, the 2016 Schrader CCS is another wonderful vintage of this benchmark Cabernet. Eminently approachable in its youth, this wine bursts from the glass with aromas of blackberry and cassis intermixed with subtle notes of graphite and pencil shavings. Well-structured yet approachable, this immense wine offers an astonishingly long, luxurious finish.

  • Accolades

    100 Pts. “The most structured and backward in the lineup, yet with incredible potential, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon CCS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is a monumental bottle of wine that ticked all my boxes. Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged 20 months in 100% new Darnajou barrels, it reveals a deep purple color as well as a myriad of blueberry and cassis fruits, candied violets, spice box, and licorice, with just a hint of background oak and a lead pencil note. With a full-bodied, layered, thrilling texture, masses of ripe tannins, and a more focused and elegant style than usual for this cuvée, forget bottles for 4-5 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following 25+ years.”
    — Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

    98 Pts. “Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon CCS has exuberant notes of plum preserves, baked blackberries and warm cassis with notions of cedar, pencil lead, Indian spices and Sichuan pepper plus a touch of rose hip tea. Very firm and structured in the full-bodied mouth, the palate is laden with tightly wound black and blue fruit layers, lifted by an exciting line of freshness and finishing on a lingering perfumed note.”
    — Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate

  • Vineyard

    First planted in 1868 by viticultural and winemaking icon Hamilton Crabb, To Kalon Vineyard® has long been regarded as the source of Napa Valley’s finest Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. Within the prime vineyard blocks, an alluvial fan provides excellent and varied mineral deposits, and the rich soils are filled with marine sediment that gives our wines their distinctive profiles. The vines receive full sun and optimal heat during the day and are cooled by marine fog at night. These conditions allow the Cabernet Sauvignon planted in the vineyard to display its own unique character, and this celebration of individuality is the essence of Schrader ®.

  • Vintage

    The 2016 vintage was marked early in the growing season by rains that helped to recharge the suffering aquifers with much needed rain that helped to alleviate the drought. As the growing season began flowering presented itself with a small crop that was helped through the season by near perfect summer weather. These ideal conditions continued through harvest where we were able to pick at optimal concentration. The resulting wines from this vintage have intense concentration with a great natural balance that likens itself to the consistent growing season.