All Products
Old Sparky Accolades
- 2021 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L —
-
2019 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L — 100 WA, 100 JD, 99 JS, 98 D, 97 WS
100 Pts. “A best-barrel selection made by Thomas Rivers Brown and bottled in magnums, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is truly great stuff. Full-bodied, rich, velvety and all-enveloping, it delivers near-endless waves of black cherries, red raspberries and complex but gentle spice notes. Long and mouthwatering on the finish, it seamlessly eliminates any gap between power and elegance, leaving scant possible reaction except Wow!”
100 Pts. “A selection put together by winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky is one of the true gems in the vintage, as well as a perfect wine. Thrilling black fruits, crème de cassis, tobacco, tapenade, and iron notes all emerge from the glass, and it's full-bodied and has a similar purity to the CCS release, with ultra-fine tannins and one hell of an incredible finish. Napa Valley Cabernet, or red wine for that matter, doesn't get any better. Give bottles 2-4 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following two decades or more.”
99 Pts. “Really deep, yet scented, with dark spices, minerals, flower extract, black tea, graphite, pine needle, sandalwood, incense and purple fruit. There is a linear quality to the immaculate tannins, which are dense, but delivered in a melted, chocolatey way, cutting through from the entry to the finish. So svelte and cocoa-powdery in the finish, giving it attractive savoriness. Very ripe and extremely long and precise. Drinkable now, but better after 2025. ”
98 Pts. “A barrel selection of the best lots from this Oakville vineyard, only offered in magnum and larger formats. Inspired by Fred Schrader's love of cigars, his wife Carol named the cuveé and also designed the label. A complete wine with loads of saturated black fruits, wild crushed herbs, three-dimensional pixelated tannins, tobacco spices, and a finish that goes for miles. Big, bold, and delicious; a real collector's item.”
97 Pts. “Pure, unadulterated cassis and plum puree notes pour through this large-scale but beautifully focused wine, with a twinge of singed apple wood and light anise, loam and sweet bay leaf flirtations through the very lengthy finish. Gorgeous. Best from 2024 through 2040.”
View Wine -
2018 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L — 100 WA, 100 JD, 99 JS, 96 WS
100 Pts. “Produced predominately from clone 4, as always, the “Old Sparky” label is a best barrel selection from Beckstoffer’s To Kalon vineyard in Oakville. The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard was aged in 100% new Darnajou and Taransaud French oak barrels for 18 months. Deep garnet-purple in color, it needs a little coaxing to begin to reveal fragrant notions of crushed black currants, mulberries, juicy red and black plums and lilacs with hints of dark chocolate, rose oil and tilled soil plus a waft of unsmoked cigars. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is rich yet not at all heavy, featuring loads of bright red fruit accents among the profound black berry and savory elements. Multilayered, shimmering with energy and beautifully perfumed, it has gorgeous, ripe, plush tannins and a lively backbone, finishing very long and mineral laced. Bottled in magnums, 418 nine-liter cases were made.”
100 Pts. “There are few vintages of Old Sparky that don’t merit a perfect rating, and the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky isn’t one of them. This flawless wine offers up a wild smorgasbord of aromas and flavors, with loads of creme de cassis, blueberries, scorched earth, lead pencil, violets, blood orange, tobacco. and flowery incense all developing with time in the glass. Deep purple-hued and incredibly full-bodied, it has ripe, silky tannins, perfect balance, and a finish that won’t 9uit. This magical wine stays weightless and elegant on the palate, never seeming heavy, cumbersome, or over the top, and it’s a wine that just begs to be drunk yet will evolve for decades. Hats off to winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown for yet another heavenly Napa Cabernet Sauvignon that could come from nowhere else in the world. Life is too short not to have experienced this cuvee!”
99 Pts. “A great expression of cabernet sauvignon. Full-bodied with notes of crushed berries and nuts. Well balanced, with great quality to the tannins and pleasant acidity. The structure and texture are in harmony, leading to a long, flavorful finish. Shows wonderful length and beauty. Goes on and on. Needs at least five years to mellow. Try after 2025.”
96 Pts. “Completely jam-packed, this is a well-endowed, muscular wine that brims with steeped black currant, fig and boysenberry flavors, supported in turn by beams of cocoa, warm earth, anise and smoldering tobacco. The dense, grippy, tar-edged finish has the energy for balance, with the fruit showing ample cut all the way through. For those who like them big. Best from 2023 through 2040.”
View Wine -
2017 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L — 100 JS, 98 JD, 96 WA, 95 WS
100 Pts. “Blueberries, dried violet petals and lavender with some rosemary on the nose. Full body and chewy, juicy character. Muscular and linear, yet formed and refined. Savory and salty undertone. Better after 2022.”
98 Pts. “If I had to pick a wine of the vintage at this point, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard would certainly be one of the top choices. Always a barrel selection (mostly clone 6 and clone 4), it offers extraordinary notes of exotic blue fruits, white flowers, graphite, wet stone-like minerality, and loads of violets. Possessing full-bodied richness and depth, it hits the palate with loads of fruit and texture as well as seamless tannins and integrated acidity. As with the other top wines here, it has that magical mix of richness and elegance that’s the hallmark of all great wines. Aged 20 months in 100% new oak, it’s worth hiding bottles for 4-5 years and it’s going to evolve for 20-25 years or more. Hats off to winemaker Thomas Brown for the talent to produce a wine of this quality in such a challenging vintage.”
96 Pts. “Very deep purple-black colored, the 2017 is redolent of raisin cake, hoisin, preserved plums and crème de cassis with a very provocative perfume of lilacs, cinnamon toast and camphor plus a touch of tilled soil. Full-bodied, the palate is pure seduction, with firm yet velvety tannins and the invigorating freshness lifting the background of all that rich, spicy black fruit, finishing very long.”
95 Pts. “Vibrant and intense, with raspberry, blackberry and plum reduction flavors that show excellent energy, laced with a graphite note that drives this to a long anise- and black-tea infused finish. Gorgeous fruit. Best from 2022 through 2038. 418 cases made.”
View Wine -
2016 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L — 100 WA, 100 JD, 95 WS
100 Pts. “The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky is very deep purple-black in color with a wonderfully pure nose of blackcurrant cordial, blackberry preserves and black cherry pie with nuances of dried bay leaves, dusty soil, garrigue and new leather plus touches of unsmoked cigars and pencil shavings. Full-bodied, concentrated and jam-packed with flavors, the palate is pure hedonism with a solid line of ripe tannins and great freshness, finishing very long.”
100 Pts. “My notes on the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard started with “Wow, what a nose” and finished with a few expletives. Based largely on the T6 Cabernet Sauvignon from To Kolan, with smaller amounts of the RBS, CCS, and Schrader, it’s a massive wine by any measure yet carries everything perfectly, with perfumed notes of crème de cassis, incense, flowers, and exotic spice, full-bodied richness, an expansive, mulit-dimensional texture, sweet tannins, and no sensation of weight or heaviness. It’s a monumental bottle of wine that made me want to downgrade every other wine I tasted for this report. It’s bottled only in magnum, so do your best to hold off for 6-7 years (good luck!) and it will keep for 3-4 decades. Bravo to the whole team at Schrader for a truly magical wine.”
95 Pts. “Features a large core of red and black currant, blackberry and plum compote flavors that are juicy and well-defined, backed by plush tannins that meld nicely through the finish. Light tobacco and violet hints skitter through for added range. Big yet sneakily long. Best from 2021 through 2035. 430 cases made.”
View Wine -
2015 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L — 100 JD, 97 WA, 96 WS, 96 JS
100 Pts. “A wine that got more than one expletive in my notes, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky is a barrel selection and is mostly clone 6 with smaller amounts of clone 4. Pure crème de cassis, blueberries, violets, white chocolate, and white flower notes all soar from this inky 2015 which is full-bodied, powerful, yet weightless and elegant. Its tannins are covered by a wealth of fruit, it has no hard edges, perfect integration of its fruit, tannin, acidity, and alcohol, and a finish that just won’t quit. This is a crazy good wine that couldn’t be any better.”
97 Pts. “A barrel selection coming from the best barrels of Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky has a deep garnet-purple color and savory/meaty nose of yeast extract, chargrill, sautéed herbs and smoked meat over a core of crème de cassis, cigar box, red currant jelly and wild blueberries plus a touch of powdered cinnamon. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with black fruit preserves, savory and baking spice layers, with a very firm backbone and very long, multilayered finish.”
96 Pts. “A masterpiece of complexity and elegance, exhibiting a firm, supple, dense core of loamy earth, licorice, currant, blackberry and jazzy oak notes without being weighty. Most impressive for its elegance and grace. Drink now through 2034.”
96 Pts. “A dense and very layered Sparky with lots of ripe varietal character such as currant bushes and dark fruit. Full-bodied, rich and powerful. Juicy and very flavorful. Attractive to drink now but needs at least two or three years to come together.”
View Wine -
2014 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L — 98 WA, 97 JS, 94 WS
98 Pts. “The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky, Fred Schrader’s favorite selection, is clone 4 from the To Kalon Vineyard aged in 100% new Darnajou and seems closest in personality and overall style to the CCS. This is a beautiful wine with great intensity and seems to be one of the superstars of this vintage. Smoky barbecue notes intermix with charcoal embers, blackberry, cassis, Christmas fruitcake, licorice and camphor. This is a complex 2014 that is showing beautifully at the moment and will continue to drink well for another 20 years.”
97 Pts. “This is really savory with so much meat, currant, mushroom and walnut-skin character. Full-bodied, layered and very powerful. A touch of heat on the finish, but the acid balances it out. Extreme intensity. Contrasty and fascinating.”
94 Pts. “A potent, open-throttle expression of powerful Cabernet, with tiers of dense, extracted dark berry, mocha, loamy earth, cedar and tobacco leaf flavors, leading to a strong, tannic finish. All the elements are in place for this to become a beauty with time. Best from 2021 through 2038.”
View Wine -
2013 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L — 100 WA, 98 JS, 96 WS
100 Pts. “The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky, which is essentially made from clone 4 from two separate blocks, clone 6 and clone 337, is another perfect wine from the Schraders. I suppose it’s a little boring to say, and perhaps I can be accused of creating unrealistic expectations on the part of readers, but this is as great as Cabernet can be. Tasting like a first-growth Pauillac, the wine is opaque purple and has a fabulous nose of lead pencil, spring flowers, blueberry and blackberry and the telltale cassis. There is also some licorice and sweet oak, the tannins are ripe, and the wine full-bodied. Built like a skyscraper, with an incredible finish (like most of these wines) going on for 50 seconds to a minute, this amazing wine should still be drinking splendidly well at age 25 or 30.”
98 Pts. “A wine with wonderful definition and length. Very fine-grained tannins. Full-bodied yet compacted. Shows blueberry, rosemary, lavender and stone character. Terra-cotta. Pretty blend of top To Kalon vineyard of Schrader. Shows balance and length.”
96 Pts. “Bold and powerful, with an explosive burst of juicy red and black fruits shaded by licorice, spice and oak details. Shows a wonderful sense of harmony and finesse. This is captivating, ending with firm tannins. Best from 2020 through 2036.”
View Wine -
2012 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L — 100 WA, 96 WS
100 Pts. “Another compelling, nearly perfect wine is the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer to Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky. This is Clone 4 and Clone 6, as well as Clone 337, blended together from the Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, aged in 100% new Darnajou barrels. For whatever reason, this wine seems to show more chocolate, espresso roast, barbecue smoke, dense blackberry and blueberry fruit and enormous body with not a touch of heaviness or astringency. This is a fabulous offering. It should drink well for 20-25 years.”
96 Pts. “Very tight, featuring a beam of spice-laced blackberry, currant, dried herb and jazzy oak. The laser focus is most evident on the finish, which slowly unravels to highlight this wine’s density, elegance and grace. The flavors reverberate in the end.”
View Wine -
2011 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L — 95 WA
95 Pts. “The 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky reveals lots of cassis, spring flower, graphite and spice characteristics along with good minerality. Medium to full-bodied and strikingly rich, it, too, is a great success for the vintage. It should drink well for 15 or more years.”
View Wine -
2010 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L — 98 WA, 97 WS
98 Pts. “The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky, made from clone 4, 6 and 337, displays a dense opaque purple color as well as an incredible nose of graphite, cedarwood, incense, licorice, Christmas fruitcake, vanillin and abundant blackberry and black currant liqueur. Gorgeously rich and textured with a nearly endless finish, this super intense, full throttle wine needs 5-7 years of bottle age and should drink well over the following 25-30 years. It was aged 20 months in 100% new oak barrels.”
97 Pts. “Impeccably balanced, with powerful currant, dark berry, mocha, floral and understated cedar notes, this wine begs for cellaring as it is just beginning to reveal its depth and dimensions. Ends with chewy, gripping, ripe, flavorful tannins. Best from 2015 through 2032.”
View Wine
Accolades
Old Sparky Accolades
- 2021 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L —
-
2019 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L — 100 WA, 100 JD, 99 JS, 98 D, 97 WS
100 Pts. “A best-barrel selection made by Thomas Rivers Brown and bottled in magnums, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is truly great stuff. Full-bodied, rich, velvety and all-enveloping, it delivers near-endless waves of black cherries, red raspberries and complex but gentle spice notes. Long and mouthwatering on the finish, it seamlessly eliminates any gap between power and elegance, leaving scant possible reaction except Wow!”
100 Pts. “A selection put together by winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky is one of the true gems in the vintage, as well as a perfect wine. Thrilling black fruits, crème de cassis, tobacco, tapenade, and iron notes all emerge from the glass, and it's full-bodied and has a similar purity to the CCS release, with ultra-fine tannins and one hell of an incredible finish. Napa Valley Cabernet, or red wine for that matter, doesn't get any better. Give bottles 2-4 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following two decades or more.”
99 Pts. “Really deep, yet scented, with dark spices, minerals, flower extract, black tea, graphite, pine needle, sandalwood, incense and purple fruit. There is a linear quality to the immaculate tannins, which are dense, but delivered in a melted, chocolatey way, cutting through from the entry to the finish. So svelte and cocoa-powdery in the finish, giving it attractive savoriness. Very ripe and extremely long and precise. Drinkable now, but better after 2025. ”
98 Pts. “A barrel selection of the best lots from this Oakville vineyard, only offered in magnum and larger formats. Inspired by Fred Schrader's love of cigars, his wife Carol named the cuveé and also designed the label. A complete wine with loads of saturated black fruits, wild crushed herbs, three-dimensional pixelated tannins, tobacco spices, and a finish that goes for miles. Big, bold, and delicious; a real collector's item.”
97 Pts. “Pure, unadulterated cassis and plum puree notes pour through this large-scale but beautifully focused wine, with a twinge of singed apple wood and light anise, loam and sweet bay leaf flirtations through the very lengthy finish. Gorgeous. Best from 2024 through 2040.”
View Wine -
2018 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L — 100 WA, 100 JD, 99 JS, 96 WS
100 Pts. “Produced predominately from clone 4, as always, the “Old Sparky” label is a best barrel selection from Beckstoffer’s To Kalon vineyard in Oakville. The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard was aged in 100% new Darnajou and Taransaud French oak barrels for 18 months. Deep garnet-purple in color, it needs a little coaxing to begin to reveal fragrant notions of crushed black currants, mulberries, juicy red and black plums and lilacs with hints of dark chocolate, rose oil and tilled soil plus a waft of unsmoked cigars. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is rich yet not at all heavy, featuring loads of bright red fruit accents among the profound black berry and savory elements. Multilayered, shimmering with energy and beautifully perfumed, it has gorgeous, ripe, plush tannins and a lively backbone, finishing very long and mineral laced. Bottled in magnums, 418 nine-liter cases were made.”
100 Pts. “There are few vintages of Old Sparky that don’t merit a perfect rating, and the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky isn’t one of them. This flawless wine offers up a wild smorgasbord of aromas and flavors, with loads of creme de cassis, blueberries, scorched earth, lead pencil, violets, blood orange, tobacco. and flowery incense all developing with time in the glass. Deep purple-hued and incredibly full-bodied, it has ripe, silky tannins, perfect balance, and a finish that won’t 9uit. This magical wine stays weightless and elegant on the palate, never seeming heavy, cumbersome, or over the top, and it’s a wine that just begs to be drunk yet will evolve for decades. Hats off to winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown for yet another heavenly Napa Cabernet Sauvignon that could come from nowhere else in the world. Life is too short not to have experienced this cuvee!”
99 Pts. “A great expression of cabernet sauvignon. Full-bodied with notes of crushed berries and nuts. Well balanced, with great quality to the tannins and pleasant acidity. The structure and texture are in harmony, leading to a long, flavorful finish. Shows wonderful length and beauty. Goes on and on. Needs at least five years to mellow. Try after 2025.”
96 Pts. “Completely jam-packed, this is a well-endowed, muscular wine that brims with steeped black currant, fig and boysenberry flavors, supported in turn by beams of cocoa, warm earth, anise and smoldering tobacco. The dense, grippy, tar-edged finish has the energy for balance, with the fruit showing ample cut all the way through. For those who like them big. Best from 2023 through 2040.”
View Wine -
2017 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L — 100 JS, 98 JD, 96 WA, 95 WS
100 Pts. “Blueberries, dried violet petals and lavender with some rosemary on the nose. Full body and chewy, juicy character. Muscular and linear, yet formed and refined. Savory and salty undertone. Better after 2022.”
98 Pts. “If I had to pick a wine of the vintage at this point, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard would certainly be one of the top choices. Always a barrel selection (mostly clone 6 and clone 4), it offers extraordinary notes of exotic blue fruits, white flowers, graphite, wet stone-like minerality, and loads of violets. Possessing full-bodied richness and depth, it hits the palate with loads of fruit and texture as well as seamless tannins and integrated acidity. As with the other top wines here, it has that magical mix of richness and elegance that’s the hallmark of all great wines. Aged 20 months in 100% new oak, it’s worth hiding bottles for 4-5 years and it’s going to evolve for 20-25 years or more. Hats off to winemaker Thomas Brown for the talent to produce a wine of this quality in such a challenging vintage.”
96 Pts. “Very deep purple-black colored, the 2017 is redolent of raisin cake, hoisin, preserved plums and crème de cassis with a very provocative perfume of lilacs, cinnamon toast and camphor plus a touch of tilled soil. Full-bodied, the palate is pure seduction, with firm yet velvety tannins and the invigorating freshness lifting the background of all that rich, spicy black fruit, finishing very long.”
95 Pts. “Vibrant and intense, with raspberry, blackberry and plum reduction flavors that show excellent energy, laced with a graphite note that drives this to a long anise- and black-tea infused finish. Gorgeous fruit. Best from 2022 through 2038. 418 cases made.”
View Wine -
2016 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L — 100 WA, 100 JD, 95 WS
100 Pts. “The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky is very deep purple-black in color with a wonderfully pure nose of blackcurrant cordial, blackberry preserves and black cherry pie with nuances of dried bay leaves, dusty soil, garrigue and new leather plus touches of unsmoked cigars and pencil shavings. Full-bodied, concentrated and jam-packed with flavors, the palate is pure hedonism with a solid line of ripe tannins and great freshness, finishing very long.”
100 Pts. “My notes on the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard started with “Wow, what a nose” and finished with a few expletives. Based largely on the T6 Cabernet Sauvignon from To Kolan, with smaller amounts of the RBS, CCS, and Schrader, it’s a massive wine by any measure yet carries everything perfectly, with perfumed notes of crème de cassis, incense, flowers, and exotic spice, full-bodied richness, an expansive, mulit-dimensional texture, sweet tannins, and no sensation of weight or heaviness. It’s a monumental bottle of wine that made me want to downgrade every other wine I tasted for this report. It’s bottled only in magnum, so do your best to hold off for 6-7 years (good luck!) and it will keep for 3-4 decades. Bravo to the whole team at Schrader for a truly magical wine.”
95 Pts. “Features a large core of red and black currant, blackberry and plum compote flavors that are juicy and well-defined, backed by plush tannins that meld nicely through the finish. Light tobacco and violet hints skitter through for added range. Big yet sneakily long. Best from 2021 through 2035. 430 cases made.”
View Wine -
2015 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L — 100 JD, 97 WA, 96 WS, 96 JS
100 Pts. “A wine that got more than one expletive in my notes, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky is a barrel selection and is mostly clone 6 with smaller amounts of clone 4. Pure crème de cassis, blueberries, violets, white chocolate, and white flower notes all soar from this inky 2015 which is full-bodied, powerful, yet weightless and elegant. Its tannins are covered by a wealth of fruit, it has no hard edges, perfect integration of its fruit, tannin, acidity, and alcohol, and a finish that just won’t quit. This is a crazy good wine that couldn’t be any better.”
97 Pts. “A barrel selection coming from the best barrels of Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky has a deep garnet-purple color and savory/meaty nose of yeast extract, chargrill, sautéed herbs and smoked meat over a core of crème de cassis, cigar box, red currant jelly and wild blueberries plus a touch of powdered cinnamon. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with black fruit preserves, savory and baking spice layers, with a very firm backbone and very long, multilayered finish.”
96 Pts. “A masterpiece of complexity and elegance, exhibiting a firm, supple, dense core of loamy earth, licorice, currant, blackberry and jazzy oak notes without being weighty. Most impressive for its elegance and grace. Drink now through 2034.”
96 Pts. “A dense and very layered Sparky with lots of ripe varietal character such as currant bushes and dark fruit. Full-bodied, rich and powerful. Juicy and very flavorful. Attractive to drink now but needs at least two or three years to come together.”
View Wine -
2014 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L — 98 WA, 97 JS, 94 WS
98 Pts. “The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky, Fred Schrader’s favorite selection, is clone 4 from the To Kalon Vineyard aged in 100% new Darnajou and seems closest in personality and overall style to the CCS. This is a beautiful wine with great intensity and seems to be one of the superstars of this vintage. Smoky barbecue notes intermix with charcoal embers, blackberry, cassis, Christmas fruitcake, licorice and camphor. This is a complex 2014 that is showing beautifully at the moment and will continue to drink well for another 20 years.”
97 Pts. “This is really savory with so much meat, currant, mushroom and walnut-skin character. Full-bodied, layered and very powerful. A touch of heat on the finish, but the acid balances it out. Extreme intensity. Contrasty and fascinating.”
94 Pts. “A potent, open-throttle expression of powerful Cabernet, with tiers of dense, extracted dark berry, mocha, loamy earth, cedar and tobacco leaf flavors, leading to a strong, tannic finish. All the elements are in place for this to become a beauty with time. Best from 2021 through 2038.”
View Wine -
2013 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L — 100 WA, 98 JS, 96 WS
100 Pts. “The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky, which is essentially made from clone 4 from two separate blocks, clone 6 and clone 337, is another perfect wine from the Schraders. I suppose it’s a little boring to say, and perhaps I can be accused of creating unrealistic expectations on the part of readers, but this is as great as Cabernet can be. Tasting like a first-growth Pauillac, the wine is opaque purple and has a fabulous nose of lead pencil, spring flowers, blueberry and blackberry and the telltale cassis. There is also some licorice and sweet oak, the tannins are ripe, and the wine full-bodied. Built like a skyscraper, with an incredible finish (like most of these wines) going on for 50 seconds to a minute, this amazing wine should still be drinking splendidly well at age 25 or 30.”
98 Pts. “A wine with wonderful definition and length. Very fine-grained tannins. Full-bodied yet compacted. Shows blueberry, rosemary, lavender and stone character. Terra-cotta. Pretty blend of top To Kalon vineyard of Schrader. Shows balance and length.”
96 Pts. “Bold and powerful, with an explosive burst of juicy red and black fruits shaded by licorice, spice and oak details. Shows a wonderful sense of harmony and finesse. This is captivating, ending with firm tannins. Best from 2020 through 2036.”
View Wine -
2012 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L — 100 WA, 96 WS
100 Pts. “Another compelling, nearly perfect wine is the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer to Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky. This is Clone 4 and Clone 6, as well as Clone 337, blended together from the Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, aged in 100% new Darnajou barrels. For whatever reason, this wine seems to show more chocolate, espresso roast, barbecue smoke, dense blackberry and blueberry fruit and enormous body with not a touch of heaviness or astringency. This is a fabulous offering. It should drink well for 20-25 years.”
96 Pts. “Very tight, featuring a beam of spice-laced blackberry, currant, dried herb and jazzy oak. The laser focus is most evident on the finish, which slowly unravels to highlight this wine’s density, elegance and grace. The flavors reverberate in the end.”
View Wine -
2011 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L — 95 WA
95 Pts. “The 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky reveals lots of cassis, spring flower, graphite and spice characteristics along with good minerality. Medium to full-bodied and strikingly rich, it, too, is a great success for the vintage. It should drink well for 15 or more years.”
View Wine -
2010 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L — 98 WA, 97 WS
98 Pts. “The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky, made from clone 4, 6 and 337, displays a dense opaque purple color as well as an incredible nose of graphite, cedarwood, incense, licorice, Christmas fruitcake, vanillin and abundant blackberry and black currant liqueur. Gorgeously rich and textured with a nearly endless finish, this super intense, full throttle wine needs 5-7 years of bottle age and should drink well over the following 25-30 years. It was aged 20 months in 100% new oak barrels.”
97 Pts. “Impeccably balanced, with powerful currant, dark berry, mocha, floral and understated cedar notes, this wine begs for cellaring as it is just beginning to reveal its depth and dimensions. Ends with chewy, gripping, ripe, flavorful tannins. Best from 2015 through 2032.”
View Wine
Old Sparky Accolades
- 2021 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L —
-
2019 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L — 100 WA, 100 JD, 99 JS, 98 D, 97 WS
100 Pts. “A best-barrel selection made by Thomas Rivers Brown and bottled in magnums, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is truly great stuff. Full-bodied, rich, velvety and all-enveloping, it delivers near-endless waves of black cherries, red raspberries and complex but gentle spice notes. Long and mouthwatering on the finish, it seamlessly eliminates any gap between power and elegance, leaving scant possible reaction except Wow!”
100 Pts. “A selection put together by winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky is one of the true gems in the vintage, as well as a perfect wine. Thrilling black fruits, crème de cassis, tobacco, tapenade, and iron notes all emerge from the glass, and it's full-bodied and has a similar purity to the CCS release, with ultra-fine tannins and one hell of an incredible finish. Napa Valley Cabernet, or red wine for that matter, doesn't get any better. Give bottles 2-4 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following two decades or more.”
99 Pts. “Really deep, yet scented, with dark spices, minerals, flower extract, black tea, graphite, pine needle, sandalwood, incense and purple fruit. There is a linear quality to the immaculate tannins, which are dense, but delivered in a melted, chocolatey way, cutting through from the entry to the finish. So svelte and cocoa-powdery in the finish, giving it attractive savoriness. Very ripe and extremely long and precise. Drinkable now, but better after 2025. ”
98 Pts. “A barrel selection of the best lots from this Oakville vineyard, only offered in magnum and larger formats. Inspired by Fred Schrader's love of cigars, his wife Carol named the cuveé and also designed the label. A complete wine with loads of saturated black fruits, wild crushed herbs, three-dimensional pixelated tannins, tobacco spices, and a finish that goes for miles. Big, bold, and delicious; a real collector's item.”
97 Pts. “Pure, unadulterated cassis and plum puree notes pour through this large-scale but beautifully focused wine, with a twinge of singed apple wood and light anise, loam and sweet bay leaf flirtations through the very lengthy finish. Gorgeous. Best from 2024 through 2040.”
View Wine -
2018 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L — 100 WA, 100 JD, 99 JS, 96 WS
100 Pts. “Produced predominately from clone 4, as always, the “Old Sparky” label is a best barrel selection from Beckstoffer’s To Kalon vineyard in Oakville. The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard was aged in 100% new Darnajou and Taransaud French oak barrels for 18 months. Deep garnet-purple in color, it needs a little coaxing to begin to reveal fragrant notions of crushed black currants, mulberries, juicy red and black plums and lilacs with hints of dark chocolate, rose oil and tilled soil plus a waft of unsmoked cigars. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is rich yet not at all heavy, featuring loads of bright red fruit accents among the profound black berry and savory elements. Multilayered, shimmering with energy and beautifully perfumed, it has gorgeous, ripe, plush tannins and a lively backbone, finishing very long and mineral laced. Bottled in magnums, 418 nine-liter cases were made.”
100 Pts. “There are few vintages of Old Sparky that don’t merit a perfect rating, and the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky isn’t one of them. This flawless wine offers up a wild smorgasbord of aromas and flavors, with loads of creme de cassis, blueberries, scorched earth, lead pencil, violets, blood orange, tobacco. and flowery incense all developing with time in the glass. Deep purple-hued and incredibly full-bodied, it has ripe, silky tannins, perfect balance, and a finish that won’t 9uit. This magical wine stays weightless and elegant on the palate, never seeming heavy, cumbersome, or over the top, and it’s a wine that just begs to be drunk yet will evolve for decades. Hats off to winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown for yet another heavenly Napa Cabernet Sauvignon that could come from nowhere else in the world. Life is too short not to have experienced this cuvee!”
99 Pts. “A great expression of cabernet sauvignon. Full-bodied with notes of crushed berries and nuts. Well balanced, with great quality to the tannins and pleasant acidity. The structure and texture are in harmony, leading to a long, flavorful finish. Shows wonderful length and beauty. Goes on and on. Needs at least five years to mellow. Try after 2025.”
96 Pts. “Completely jam-packed, this is a well-endowed, muscular wine that brims with steeped black currant, fig and boysenberry flavors, supported in turn by beams of cocoa, warm earth, anise and smoldering tobacco. The dense, grippy, tar-edged finish has the energy for balance, with the fruit showing ample cut all the way through. For those who like them big. Best from 2023 through 2040.”
View Wine -
2017 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L — 100 JS, 98 JD, 96 WA, 95 WS
100 Pts. “Blueberries, dried violet petals and lavender with some rosemary on the nose. Full body and chewy, juicy character. Muscular and linear, yet formed and refined. Savory and salty undertone. Better after 2022.”
98 Pts. “If I had to pick a wine of the vintage at this point, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard would certainly be one of the top choices. Always a barrel selection (mostly clone 6 and clone 4), it offers extraordinary notes of exotic blue fruits, white flowers, graphite, wet stone-like minerality, and loads of violets. Possessing full-bodied richness and depth, it hits the palate with loads of fruit and texture as well as seamless tannins and integrated acidity. As with the other top wines here, it has that magical mix of richness and elegance that’s the hallmark of all great wines. Aged 20 months in 100% new oak, it’s worth hiding bottles for 4-5 years and it’s going to evolve for 20-25 years or more. Hats off to winemaker Thomas Brown for the talent to produce a wine of this quality in such a challenging vintage.”
96 Pts. “Very deep purple-black colored, the 2017 is redolent of raisin cake, hoisin, preserved plums and crème de cassis with a very provocative perfume of lilacs, cinnamon toast and camphor plus a touch of tilled soil. Full-bodied, the palate is pure seduction, with firm yet velvety tannins and the invigorating freshness lifting the background of all that rich, spicy black fruit, finishing very long.”
95 Pts. “Vibrant and intense, with raspberry, blackberry and plum reduction flavors that show excellent energy, laced with a graphite note that drives this to a long anise- and black-tea infused finish. Gorgeous fruit. Best from 2022 through 2038. 418 cases made.”
View Wine -
2016 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L — 100 WA, 100 JD, 95 WS
100 Pts. “The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky is very deep purple-black in color with a wonderfully pure nose of blackcurrant cordial, blackberry preserves and black cherry pie with nuances of dried bay leaves, dusty soil, garrigue and new leather plus touches of unsmoked cigars and pencil shavings. Full-bodied, concentrated and jam-packed with flavors, the palate is pure hedonism with a solid line of ripe tannins and great freshness, finishing very long.”
100 Pts. “My notes on the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard started with “Wow, what a nose” and finished with a few expletives. Based largely on the T6 Cabernet Sauvignon from To Kolan, with smaller amounts of the RBS, CCS, and Schrader, it’s a massive wine by any measure yet carries everything perfectly, with perfumed notes of crème de cassis, incense, flowers, and exotic spice, full-bodied richness, an expansive, mulit-dimensional texture, sweet tannins, and no sensation of weight or heaviness. It’s a monumental bottle of wine that made me want to downgrade every other wine I tasted for this report. It’s bottled only in magnum, so do your best to hold off for 6-7 years (good luck!) and it will keep for 3-4 decades. Bravo to the whole team at Schrader for a truly magical wine.”
95 Pts. “Features a large core of red and black currant, blackberry and plum compote flavors that are juicy and well-defined, backed by plush tannins that meld nicely through the finish. Light tobacco and violet hints skitter through for added range. Big yet sneakily long. Best from 2021 through 2035. 430 cases made.”
View Wine -
2015 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L — 100 JD, 97 WA, 96 WS, 96 JS
100 Pts. “A wine that got more than one expletive in my notes, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky is a barrel selection and is mostly clone 6 with smaller amounts of clone 4. Pure crème de cassis, blueberries, violets, white chocolate, and white flower notes all soar from this inky 2015 which is full-bodied, powerful, yet weightless and elegant. Its tannins are covered by a wealth of fruit, it has no hard edges, perfect integration of its fruit, tannin, acidity, and alcohol, and a finish that just won’t quit. This is a crazy good wine that couldn’t be any better.”
97 Pts. “A barrel selection coming from the best barrels of Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky has a deep garnet-purple color and savory/meaty nose of yeast extract, chargrill, sautéed herbs and smoked meat over a core of crème de cassis, cigar box, red currant jelly and wild blueberries plus a touch of powdered cinnamon. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with black fruit preserves, savory and baking spice layers, with a very firm backbone and very long, multilayered finish.”
96 Pts. “A masterpiece of complexity and elegance, exhibiting a firm, supple, dense core of loamy earth, licorice, currant, blackberry and jazzy oak notes without being weighty. Most impressive for its elegance and grace. Drink now through 2034.”
96 Pts. “A dense and very layered Sparky with lots of ripe varietal character such as currant bushes and dark fruit. Full-bodied, rich and powerful. Juicy and very flavorful. Attractive to drink now but needs at least two or three years to come together.”
View Wine -
2014 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L — 98 WA, 97 JS, 94 WS
98 Pts. “The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky, Fred Schrader’s favorite selection, is clone 4 from the To Kalon Vineyard aged in 100% new Darnajou and seems closest in personality and overall style to the CCS. This is a beautiful wine with great intensity and seems to be one of the superstars of this vintage. Smoky barbecue notes intermix with charcoal embers, blackberry, cassis, Christmas fruitcake, licorice and camphor. This is a complex 2014 that is showing beautifully at the moment and will continue to drink well for another 20 years.”
97 Pts. “This is really savory with so much meat, currant, mushroom and walnut-skin character. Full-bodied, layered and very powerful. A touch of heat on the finish, but the acid balances it out. Extreme intensity. Contrasty and fascinating.”
94 Pts. “A potent, open-throttle expression of powerful Cabernet, with tiers of dense, extracted dark berry, mocha, loamy earth, cedar and tobacco leaf flavors, leading to a strong, tannic finish. All the elements are in place for this to become a beauty with time. Best from 2021 through 2038.”
View Wine -
2013 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L — 100 WA, 98 JS, 96 WS
100 Pts. “The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky, which is essentially made from clone 4 from two separate blocks, clone 6 and clone 337, is another perfect wine from the Schraders. I suppose it’s a little boring to say, and perhaps I can be accused of creating unrealistic expectations on the part of readers, but this is as great as Cabernet can be. Tasting like a first-growth Pauillac, the wine is opaque purple and has a fabulous nose of lead pencil, spring flowers, blueberry and blackberry and the telltale cassis. There is also some licorice and sweet oak, the tannins are ripe, and the wine full-bodied. Built like a skyscraper, with an incredible finish (like most of these wines) going on for 50 seconds to a minute, this amazing wine should still be drinking splendidly well at age 25 or 30.”
98 Pts. “A wine with wonderful definition and length. Very fine-grained tannins. Full-bodied yet compacted. Shows blueberry, rosemary, lavender and stone character. Terra-cotta. Pretty blend of top To Kalon vineyard of Schrader. Shows balance and length.”
96 Pts. “Bold and powerful, with an explosive burst of juicy red and black fruits shaded by licorice, spice and oak details. Shows a wonderful sense of harmony and finesse. This is captivating, ending with firm tannins. Best from 2020 through 2036.”
View Wine -
2012 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L — 100 WA, 96 WS
100 Pts. “Another compelling, nearly perfect wine is the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer to Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky. This is Clone 4 and Clone 6, as well as Clone 337, blended together from the Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, aged in 100% new Darnajou barrels. For whatever reason, this wine seems to show more chocolate, espresso roast, barbecue smoke, dense blackberry and blueberry fruit and enormous body with not a touch of heaviness or astringency. This is a fabulous offering. It should drink well for 20-25 years.”
96 Pts. “Very tight, featuring a beam of spice-laced blackberry, currant, dried herb and jazzy oak. The laser focus is most evident on the finish, which slowly unravels to highlight this wine’s density, elegance and grace. The flavors reverberate in the end.”
View Wine -
2011 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L — 95 WA
95 Pts. “The 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky reveals lots of cassis, spring flower, graphite and spice characteristics along with good minerality. Medium to full-bodied and strikingly rich, it, too, is a great success for the vintage. It should drink well for 15 or more years.”
View Wine -
2010 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L — 98 WA, 97 WS
98 Pts. “The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky, made from clone 4, 6 and 337, displays a dense opaque purple color as well as an incredible nose of graphite, cedarwood, incense, licorice, Christmas fruitcake, vanillin and abundant blackberry and black currant liqueur. Gorgeously rich and textured with a nearly endless finish, this super intense, full throttle wine needs 5-7 years of bottle age and should drink well over the following 25-30 years. It was aged 20 months in 100% new oak barrels.”
97 Pts. “Impeccably balanced, with powerful currant, dark berry, mocha, floral and understated cedar notes, this wine begs for cellaring as it is just beginning to reveal its depth and dimensions. Ends with chewy, gripping, ripe, flavorful tannins. Best from 2015 through 2032.”
View Wine
Colesworthy Accolades
- 2021 Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy 1.5L —
-
2019 Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy 1.5L — 99 JD, 98, WA, 98 JS, 95 WS
99 Pts. “Almost pure perfection in a glass, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard comes from a more rocky vineyard located on the west side of St. Helena. Black fruits, savory herbs, flowers, and crushed rock notes give way to a full-bodied, flawlessly balanced, seamless 2019. It has the ripe yet elegant style of the vintage (as well as the vineyard), ultra-fine tannins, no hard edges, and a gorgeous finish.”
98 Pts. “The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy is a barrel selection. All Clone 337, all new French oak, all Thomas Rivers Brown, it's a full-bodied, concentrated effort, loaded with intense black cherries and cassis and with a subtle touch of cigar wrapper for savory complexity. It's tannic, but those tannins are ripe and silky-dusty in texture, lingering for what seems like minutes on the long, mouthwatering finish.”
98 Pts. “Deep, yet perfumed on the nose, with a fine touch of lard, graphite and lavender that follows through to a full-bodied palate with a tart black-cherry quality to the mid-palate. Immaculate tannins here and extremely long. Drink after 2025.”
95 Pts. “Delivers inviting warm cassis and crushed plum notes, while subtle lilac and violet accents flitter in the background. Shows subtle alder smoke, savory and mineral accents that enhance the fruit through the lengthy finish. A confidently suave Cabernet. Best from 2023 through 2037.”
View Wine -
2018 Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy 1.5L — 98 JD, 98 JS, 97 WA, 95 WS
98 Pts. “A tour de force from this team, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy is a barrel selection from this site and I believe it’s brought up all in new Darnajou barrels. It’s a quintessential 2018 with its more reserved, elegant, yet incredibly concentrated style, and like its sibling, it has a beautiful, savory style that includes a wealth of red and black fruits as well as espresso, tobacco leaf, cedar pencil, and dried flowers. It’s actually more reserved and backward than the straight single vineyard release and is full-bodied and flawlessly balanced, with massive tannins, integrated acidity, and a great, great finish. Like a lot of top 2018s from Napa, there’s a more Bordeaux’esque quality to this wine. The tannins are firm and present, there’s plenty of edge and cut, and it delivers a beautiful sense of weightlessness on the palate. Forget bottles for 5-7 years and enjoy over the following 25-30 years.”
98 Pts. “This is fabulous on the nose with raspberries, blackberries, flowers and crushed stones. Violets, too. Full-bodied with fine, creamy tannins that are so polished and beautiful. It goes on for minutes with a tile, berry and floral aftertaste. Drink after 2022.”
97 Pts. “Schrader’s “Colesworthy” comes from Beckstoffer’s Las Piedras vineyard, produced from 337 clone grown on the C block. The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and was aged in 100% new Darnajou and Taransaud French oak barrels for 18 months. Deep garnet-purple in color, it is youthfully mute to begin, needing some swirling before it explodes with exuberant black cherries, cassis, blackberry pie with sautéed herbs scents, plus a hint of fragrant earth. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is chock-full of freshly crushed red and black fruit flavors, delivering wonderful vibrancy and finishing long and lively. Bottled in magnums, 118 nine-liter cases were made.”
95 Pts. “A rich and showy version, with really seductive plum sauce, steeped blackberry and warmed cassis notes all working in unison, draping wonderfully over a buried loamy spine. Echoes of smoldering tobacco and melted licorice linger at the very end. Accessible now, as this is primarily fruit-driven. Drink now through 2035.”
View Wine -
2017 Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy 1.5L — 99 JS, 98 JD, 96 WA
99 Pts. “This is a phenomenal red with blue fruit that turns to plums, raw meat, dust and rust. Some dried flowers. Full-bodied, yet very tight and racy with dark-berry, plum and dark-chocolate character. Dried chili pepper, too. Complex and satisfying. Drink after 2022.”
98 Pts. “A barrel selection from this great vineyard outside of St. Helena, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy is cut from the same cloth as the straight LPV cuvée yet has just a touch more finesse, mid-palate, depth, and length. All Cabernet Sauvignon aged 20 months in 100% new Darnajou barrels, its dense purple color is followed by pure cassis and blueberry fruits, and it shows more spring flowers, violets, and sappy herbs with time in the glass. There’s plenty of background oak as well as tannins, so hide bottles for a solid 4-5 years if you can. It’s another incredibly ageworthy 2017 that will keep for 20-25 years or more.”
96 Pts. “Very deep purple-black colored, the 2017 struts confidently out of the glass with classic blackcurrants, cedar chest and pencil lead notes, giving way to suggestions of rose hip tea, fragrant earth and toasted nuts plus a waft of redcurrant jelly. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has impressive freshness and ripe, finegrained tannins supporting the bright, crunchy red and black fruit layers, finishing long with bags of energy.”
View Wine -
2016 Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy 1.5L — 100 JD, 97 WA, 94 WS
100 Pts. “A barrel selection released only in magnum, similar to the Old Sparky release, yet only from the Las Piedras Vineyard, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Colesworthy Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard is another perfect wine from this team, and it's one of those wine where I wish I could pour ever reader a taste. Offering up thrillingly pure notes of crème de cassis, perfectly ripe blueberries, chocolate, and a crazy, liquid rock-like minerality, it hits the palate with a full-bodied, powerful style that carries tons of richness and depth, yet still just glides over the palate with no sensation of weight or heaviness. It’s certainly one of the greatest Napa Cabernet Sauvignons I’ve ever tasted. As with the base Las Piedras Vineyard, do your best to hold off for a few years.”
97 Pts. “Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy opens with ripe, rich, bold crème de cassis, preserved plums and baked blueberries scents with hints of cumin seeds, star anise, mincemeat pie, mocha and new leather with wafts of tobacco, cedar and black tea. The full-bodied palate is very firm and muscular with bags of black fruits and spices, finishing very long.”
94 Pts. “A ripe, showy style, with warm waves of cassis, plum sauce and raspberry pâte de fruit taking center stage, laced with singed apple wood, sweet tobacco and anise notes. The finish delivers a bold kick of energetic fruit and a creamy dollop of toast. Best from 2020 through 2034. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 129 cases made.”
View Wine -
2015 Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy 1.5L — 100 JD, 98 JS, 97 WA, 93 WS
100 Pts. “Lastly, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy is a barrel selection from the Las Piedras Vineyard in St. Helena. It takes the classic LPV release and ratchets up the intensity without any additional sense of weight or heaviness. With incredible cassis, liquid violets, white flowers, and a distinct earthy, loamy minerality, this beauty has insane purity of fruit, a huge, layered, full-bodied style on the palate, sweet tannin, and a blockbuster finish. Don't miss it!”
98 Pts. “There is brightness and intensity on the nose and palate with fantastic depth of blue fruits such as blueberries and blackberries. Oyster shell, too. Full-bodied, layered and beautiful. So much intensity and focus. High fidelity character.”
97 Pts. “Coming from the Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard, block C that is planted to clone 337, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy has a very deep purple-black color and incredibly primary nose of blackcurrant cordial, blueberry pie and preserved plums with wafts of licorice, charcoal, mulberries and baking spices plus a hint of red roses. Medium to full-bodied, very firm and very finely crafted, the palate features wonderfully ripe tannins and great freshness, harnessing the bold, primary flavors and restraining the very long, very youthful finish. 128 cases produced.”
93 Pts. “Creamy, vanilla-infused oak joins rich dark berry, dark chocolate, spicy cedar and melted licorice flavors before a dash of crushed rock folds in. Long and lingering, young and energetic. Best from 2021 through 2033.”
View Wine -
2014 Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy 1.5L — 100 JS, 94 WA, 94 WS
100 Pts. “This is phenomenal with blackberries and blueberries, not to mention quite incredible stones and black tea. What a nose. Full-bodied and so tight and dense — yet agile and austere with so much going on. Fantastic balance. One of the best Schraders ever made. Better in four or five years, yet wonderful now.”
94 Pts. “Slightly less impressive, but still a brilliant wine, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Colesworthy comes across as more backward and closed with a Graves-like minerality. This also hails from the Las Piedras Vineyard and was aged 20 months in 100% new Darnajou. This was the most reserved of all of the 2014s from Schrader, will probably benefit from several years of bottle age, and keep for 15 or more years.”
94 Pts. “Slow to unfold, but does so in an impressive manner, gradually building intensity and depth around a core of gravel-laced dark berry, herb, licorice and spicy oak notes. Best from 2021 through 2036. 117 cases made.”
View Wine -
2013 Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy 1.5L — 98+ WA, 98 JS, 96 WS
98+ Pts. “Close to perfection is the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy, which is clone 337. This is aged in 100% new Darnajou and soaks up the new oak beautifully. Notes of lead pencil shavings, forest floor, vanilla, blackberry and cassis jump from the glass of this opaque purple, full-bodied, magnificent Cabernet Sauvignon, which is super-rich, fabulously pure and just a killer wine on the palate.”
98 Pts. “The magnum-only wine shows the best of Las Piedras. So much iodine, blackberry, black currant, licorice, stone and lavender character. Seamless and ultra-fine. A wine with a great future. Better in 2022 but fascinating to tasting.”
96 Pts. “Combines power and concentration with finesse and nuance, showing extracted blackberry, licorice, graphite, crushed rock and savory herb notes. Finishes with a powerful aftertaste that reverberates with flavor. The spicy, toasty oak adds texture and nuance. Best from 2020 through 2035.”
View Wine -
2012 Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy 1.5L — 95 WA, 94+ WS
95 Pts. “A selection of the best barrels of this wine, representing only 110 cases or basically 41/2 barrels, is the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy. This is largely Clone 337, aged 20 months in 100% new Darnajou. This is deep, rich, full, backward and not quite as easy to access as its sibling, although at some point the Schraders and Thomas Brown thought these were the best barrels from Las Piedras. It seems to share much of its siblings opaque purple color, lots of coffee, blackberry and cassis fruit, charcoal and graphite, but seems to also require more bottle age to round into shape. Forget it for 3-4 years and drink it over the following 20-25 years.”
94 Pts. “Notably elegant, with complex aromas of rich dark berry, shaded by dusty dried herb and cedar notes, all supported by firm, finegrained tannins. Gains depth and persistence, gliding along on the finish.”
View Wine
Colesworthy Accolades
- 2021 Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy 1.5L —
-
2019 Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy 1.5L — 99 JD, 98, WA, 98 JS, 95 WS
99 Pts. “Almost pure perfection in a glass, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard comes from a more rocky vineyard located on the west side of St. Helena. Black fruits, savory herbs, flowers, and crushed rock notes give way to a full-bodied, flawlessly balanced, seamless 2019. It has the ripe yet elegant style of the vintage (as well as the vineyard), ultra-fine tannins, no hard edges, and a gorgeous finish.”
98 Pts. “The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy is a barrel selection. All Clone 337, all new French oak, all Thomas Rivers Brown, it's a full-bodied, concentrated effort, loaded with intense black cherries and cassis and with a subtle touch of cigar wrapper for savory complexity. It's tannic, but those tannins are ripe and silky-dusty in texture, lingering for what seems like minutes on the long, mouthwatering finish.”
98 Pts. “Deep, yet perfumed on the nose, with a fine touch of lard, graphite and lavender that follows through to a full-bodied palate with a tart black-cherry quality to the mid-palate. Immaculate tannins here and extremely long. Drink after 2025.”
95 Pts. “Delivers inviting warm cassis and crushed plum notes, while subtle lilac and violet accents flitter in the background. Shows subtle alder smoke, savory and mineral accents that enhance the fruit through the lengthy finish. A confidently suave Cabernet. Best from 2023 through 2037.”
View Wine -
2018 Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy 1.5L — 98 JD, 98 JS, 97 WA, 95 WS
98 Pts. “A tour de force from this team, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy is a barrel selection from this site and I believe it’s brought up all in new Darnajou barrels. It’s a quintessential 2018 with its more reserved, elegant, yet incredibly concentrated style, and like its sibling, it has a beautiful, savory style that includes a wealth of red and black fruits as well as espresso, tobacco leaf, cedar pencil, and dried flowers. It’s actually more reserved and backward than the straight single vineyard release and is full-bodied and flawlessly balanced, with massive tannins, integrated acidity, and a great, great finish. Like a lot of top 2018s from Napa, there’s a more Bordeaux’esque quality to this wine. The tannins are firm and present, there’s plenty of edge and cut, and it delivers a beautiful sense of weightlessness on the palate. Forget bottles for 5-7 years and enjoy over the following 25-30 years.”
98 Pts. “This is fabulous on the nose with raspberries, blackberries, flowers and crushed stones. Violets, too. Full-bodied with fine, creamy tannins that are so polished and beautiful. It goes on for minutes with a tile, berry and floral aftertaste. Drink after 2022.”
97 Pts. “Schrader’s “Colesworthy” comes from Beckstoffer’s Las Piedras vineyard, produced from 337 clone grown on the C block. The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and was aged in 100% new Darnajou and Taransaud French oak barrels for 18 months. Deep garnet-purple in color, it is youthfully mute to begin, needing some swirling before it explodes with exuberant black cherries, cassis, blackberry pie with sautéed herbs scents, plus a hint of fragrant earth. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is chock-full of freshly crushed red and black fruit flavors, delivering wonderful vibrancy and finishing long and lively. Bottled in magnums, 118 nine-liter cases were made.”
95 Pts. “A rich and showy version, with really seductive plum sauce, steeped blackberry and warmed cassis notes all working in unison, draping wonderfully over a buried loamy spine. Echoes of smoldering tobacco and melted licorice linger at the very end. Accessible now, as this is primarily fruit-driven. Drink now through 2035.”
View Wine -
2017 Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy 1.5L — 99 JS, 98 JD, 96 WA
99 Pts. “This is a phenomenal red with blue fruit that turns to plums, raw meat, dust and rust. Some dried flowers. Full-bodied, yet very tight and racy with dark-berry, plum and dark-chocolate character. Dried chili pepper, too. Complex and satisfying. Drink after 2022.”
98 Pts. “A barrel selection from this great vineyard outside of St. Helena, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy is cut from the same cloth as the straight LPV cuvée yet has just a touch more finesse, mid-palate, depth, and length. All Cabernet Sauvignon aged 20 months in 100% new Darnajou barrels, its dense purple color is followed by pure cassis and blueberry fruits, and it shows more spring flowers, violets, and sappy herbs with time in the glass. There’s plenty of background oak as well as tannins, so hide bottles for a solid 4-5 years if you can. It’s another incredibly ageworthy 2017 that will keep for 20-25 years or more.”
96 Pts. “Very deep purple-black colored, the 2017 struts confidently out of the glass with classic blackcurrants, cedar chest and pencil lead notes, giving way to suggestions of rose hip tea, fragrant earth and toasted nuts plus a waft of redcurrant jelly. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has impressive freshness and ripe, finegrained tannins supporting the bright, crunchy red and black fruit layers, finishing long with bags of energy.”
View Wine -
2016 Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy 1.5L — 100 JD, 97 WA, 94 WS
100 Pts. “A barrel selection released only in magnum, similar to the Old Sparky release, yet only from the Las Piedras Vineyard, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Colesworthy Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard is another perfect wine from this team, and it's one of those wine where I wish I could pour ever reader a taste. Offering up thrillingly pure notes of crème de cassis, perfectly ripe blueberries, chocolate, and a crazy, liquid rock-like minerality, it hits the palate with a full-bodied, powerful style that carries tons of richness and depth, yet still just glides over the palate with no sensation of weight or heaviness. It’s certainly one of the greatest Napa Cabernet Sauvignons I’ve ever tasted. As with the base Las Piedras Vineyard, do your best to hold off for a few years.”
97 Pts. “Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy opens with ripe, rich, bold crème de cassis, preserved plums and baked blueberries scents with hints of cumin seeds, star anise, mincemeat pie, mocha and new leather with wafts of tobacco, cedar and black tea. The full-bodied palate is very firm and muscular with bags of black fruits and spices, finishing very long.”
94 Pts. “A ripe, showy style, with warm waves of cassis, plum sauce and raspberry pâte de fruit taking center stage, laced with singed apple wood, sweet tobacco and anise notes. The finish delivers a bold kick of energetic fruit and a creamy dollop of toast. Best from 2020 through 2034. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 129 cases made.”
View Wine -
2015 Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy 1.5L — 100 JD, 98 JS, 97 WA, 93 WS
100 Pts. “Lastly, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy is a barrel selection from the Las Piedras Vineyard in St. Helena. It takes the classic LPV release and ratchets up the intensity without any additional sense of weight or heaviness. With incredible cassis, liquid violets, white flowers, and a distinct earthy, loamy minerality, this beauty has insane purity of fruit, a huge, layered, full-bodied style on the palate, sweet tannin, and a blockbuster finish. Don't miss it!”
98 Pts. “There is brightness and intensity on the nose and palate with fantastic depth of blue fruits such as blueberries and blackberries. Oyster shell, too. Full-bodied, layered and beautiful. So much intensity and focus. High fidelity character.”
97 Pts. “Coming from the Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard, block C that is planted to clone 337, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy has a very deep purple-black color and incredibly primary nose of blackcurrant cordial, blueberry pie and preserved plums with wafts of licorice, charcoal, mulberries and baking spices plus a hint of red roses. Medium to full-bodied, very firm and very finely crafted, the palate features wonderfully ripe tannins and great freshness, harnessing the bold, primary flavors and restraining the very long, very youthful finish. 128 cases produced.”
93 Pts. “Creamy, vanilla-infused oak joins rich dark berry, dark chocolate, spicy cedar and melted licorice flavors before a dash of crushed rock folds in. Long and lingering, young and energetic. Best from 2021 through 2033.”
View Wine -
2014 Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy 1.5L — 100 JS, 94 WA, 94 WS
100 Pts. “This is phenomenal with blackberries and blueberries, not to mention quite incredible stones and black tea. What a nose. Full-bodied and so tight and dense — yet agile and austere with so much going on. Fantastic balance. One of the best Schraders ever made. Better in four or five years, yet wonderful now.”
94 Pts. “Slightly less impressive, but still a brilliant wine, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Colesworthy comes across as more backward and closed with a Graves-like minerality. This also hails from the Las Piedras Vineyard and was aged 20 months in 100% new Darnajou. This was the most reserved of all of the 2014s from Schrader, will probably benefit from several years of bottle age, and keep for 15 or more years.”
94 Pts. “Slow to unfold, but does so in an impressive manner, gradually building intensity and depth around a core of gravel-laced dark berry, herb, licorice and spicy oak notes. Best from 2021 through 2036. 117 cases made.”
View Wine -
2013 Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy 1.5L — 98+ WA, 98 JS, 96 WS
98+ Pts. “Close to perfection is the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy, which is clone 337. This is aged in 100% new Darnajou and soaks up the new oak beautifully. Notes of lead pencil shavings, forest floor, vanilla, blackberry and cassis jump from the glass of this opaque purple, full-bodied, magnificent Cabernet Sauvignon, which is super-rich, fabulously pure and just a killer wine on the palate.”
98 Pts. “The magnum-only wine shows the best of Las Piedras. So much iodine, blackberry, black currant, licorice, stone and lavender character. Seamless and ultra-fine. A wine with a great future. Better in 2022 but fascinating to tasting.”
96 Pts. “Combines power and concentration with finesse and nuance, showing extracted blackberry, licorice, graphite, crushed rock and savory herb notes. Finishes with a powerful aftertaste that reverberates with flavor. The spicy, toasty oak adds texture and nuance. Best from 2020 through 2035.”
View Wine -
2012 Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy 1.5L — 95 WA, 94+ WS
95 Pts. “A selection of the best barrels of this wine, representing only 110 cases or basically 41/2 barrels, is the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy. This is largely Clone 337, aged 20 months in 100% new Darnajou. This is deep, rich, full, backward and not quite as easy to access as its sibling, although at some point the Schraders and Thomas Brown thought these were the best barrels from Las Piedras. It seems to share much of its siblings opaque purple color, lots of coffee, blackberry and cassis fruit, charcoal and graphite, but seems to also require more bottle age to round into shape. Forget it for 3-4 years and drink it over the following 20-25 years.”
94 Pts. “Notably elegant, with complex aromas of rich dark berry, shaded by dusty dried herb and cedar notes, all supported by firm, finegrained tannins. Gains depth and persistence, gliding along on the finish.”
View Wine
RBS Accolades
- 2021 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard RBS —
-
2019 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard RBS — 97+ WA, 97 JD, 97 JS, 96 WS
97+ Pts “The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon RBS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is Clone 337, matured 18 months in 100% new Darnajou and Taransaud barrels. Marked on the nose by red berries, cherries and cedar, plus delicate cinnamon and clove shadings, this is a plush, concentrated full-bodied wine with a core of firmness to it and a long, lingering finish, both positive signs for aging. It's one of the more approachable Schrader wines this vintage, but it should easily go another two decades. ”
97 Pts “Lots of violets, flowery incense, cassis, and spice notes emerge from the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard RBS, a full-bodied, silky, elegant 2019 that shines just as much for its purity and balance as its richness and depth. Possessing good acidity, a lively, vibrant mouthfeel, supple tannins, and a great finish, it has plenty of up-front appeal yet should easily evolve for a solid 20 years if properly stored.”
97 Pts “Racy, dark nose with pulpy character. Dried lychee, lavender and sandalwood. This is quite juicy, ample and almost a bit ethereal, despite the color and high alcohol. There is a fine twist of salinity on the palate that runs smoothly with lots of purple flowers. Really immaculate. Almost soft texture. Drink or hold.”
96 Pts “Gushes with pure violet, plum and cassis notes, all flecked with hints of black tea, anise and sassafras. Driven, with a graphite underpinning providing a spine that stays in the background as the fruit stretches out. Approachable already but no rush at all. Drink now through 2038.”
View Wine -
2018 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard RBS — 99 JD, 97 WA, 97 JS, 96 WS
99 Pts. “Another heavenly wine in the lineup is the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard RBS, which comes from Clone 337 and a handful of different blocks in the vineyard. This deep purple-hued beauty has an incredibly seamless, elegant, yet full-bodied style as well as killer notes of creme de cassis, blueberries, wildflowers, violets, white chocolate, and new saddle leather. Flirting with perfection, the tannin quality, purity of fruit, alance, and overall harmony here is just about off the charts. It makes you want to drink the whole bottle, but it should age effortlessly for 25+ years.”
97 Pts. “Schrader’s RBS comes from Beckstoffer’s To Kalon vineyard in Oakville, produced from 337 clone grown on blocks B1, B2 and E2. The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon RBS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in 100% new Darnajou and Taransaud French oak barrels for 18 months. Deep garnet-purple in color, it leaps from the glass with gregarious exotic spice scents—cumin seed, cloves and star anise—over a core of Black Forest cake, blueberry compote and black currant pastilles plus a waft of underbrush. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is completely coated with spicy, open-knit black fruit preserves flavors, marked by bright red-fruit accents. Supported by great tension and velvety tannins, it finishes on a lingering cinnamon toast note. 1,715 cases were made.”
97 Pts. “Aromas of red fruit, plums, herbs and dark chocolate with some bark and forest-floor notes. Full-bodied, yet very finely crafted and poised. Lots of fresh and dry herbs to the dark fruit at the finish. Lasts a long time. Try after 2024.”
96 Pts. “This is packed with steeped plum, blackberry and boysenberry fruit flavors, yet cuts a very focused line nonetheless, with a graphite underpinning keeping the fruit harnessed while licorice, alder and tar notes fill in on the back end. A muscular version that demands cellar time. Best from 2024 through 2038.”
View Wine -
2017 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard RBS — 96 JS, 96 JD, 95+ WA, 95 WS
96 Pts. “Lots of flowers, such as violets and lilacs on the nose, as well as blue fruit. Medium to full body and firm, silky tannins that are polished and refined. Tight and focused. Lovely finish. Drink now or hold.”
96 Pts. “More black fruits, tobacco, chocolate, and earthy notes emerge from the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard RBS, but it’s a similarly textured, sexy, opulent wine on the palate. All Cabernet aged 20 months in 95% new French oak, this full-bodied, concentrated 2017 has terrific tannins, a balanced, layered mouthfeel, and a great finish. It too is destined for 15-20 years of prime drinking.”
95+ Pts. “Very deep purple-black in color, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon RBS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is a little closed to begin, giving way to fragrant earth, tobacco leaf and charcoal scents opening out to notions of potpourri, baked plums and Black Forest cake with the cassis coming through after much coaxing. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a rock-solid backbone of firm, grainy tannins and fantastic freshness, lifting the fruit to a very long and mineral-laced finish.”
95 Pts. “Features a beautifully ripe, intense beam of creamed plum and cassis fruit, laced with licorice, violet and sassafras notes. A racy edge on the finish brings you back for another sip. Approachable now for the copious fruit, but this is sufficiently packed to merit cellaring. Best from 2021 through 2038. 2,289 cases made.”
View Wine -
2016 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard RBS — 97+ WA, 97 JD 95 WS
97+ Pts. “Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon RBS gives beautiful scents of lilacs and dried lavender over wild blueberries, chocolate-covered cherries, blackberry pie and eucalyptus with a touch of pencil shavings. Full-bodied and built like a brick house, it has a solid frame of grainy tannins and plenty of freshness to lift the densely packed, muscular fruit, finishing very long.”
97 Pts. “The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon RBS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard comes from another Beckstoffer-owned vineyard, purchased from Beaulieu in 1993. This larger site is located on the western side of Oakville, with the Beckstoffers owning a key tenderloin section encompassing just over 80 acres. This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon offers a sweet bouquet of black cherry cake, incense, crème de cassis, and chocolate. Beautifully concentrated, with terrific tannins and full-bodied richness and depth, it's another 2016 that will benefit from short-term cellaring.”
95 Pts. “Bold açaí berry, boysenberry and blueberry compote notes give this a showy profile, with freshness and definition to match, as anise, violet and black tea details chime in. Graphite hints gird the finish, achieving balance in the end. Best from 2021 through 2035. 1,112 cases made.”
View Wine -
2015 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard RBS — 98+ WA, 98 JD, 93 WS
98+ Pts. “Coming from the Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, blocks B1, B2 and E2 planted to clone 337, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon RBS has a very deep purple-black color and is a little reticent to begin, offering glimpses at crushed black berries, black cherries and black currants with touches of cedar chest, pencil lead, dark chocolate and dusty earth with a waft of cinnamon stick. Medium to full-bodied and tautly structured with rock-solid, firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness supporting the muscular fruit, it finishes on a lingering earthy note. Forget this one over the next 4-5 years, and drink it over the next 25+.”
98 Pts. “All from clone 337 and from three different blocks in the To Kolan Vineyard in Oakville, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard RBS is one of the larger production cuvee they make and there’s just over 1,000 cases in 2015. Crème de cassis, iodine, flowers, huge spice, and loads of dried herbs all emerge from this thrilling effort that has the full-bodied opulence of the vintage front and center. Despite it’s massive about of fruit, it stays light and graceful and is an undeniably sexy wine to drink over the coming two decades.”
93 Pts. “Features a plush texture and firm, fine-grained tannins, making for a tasty mix of flavors and structure, with the fruit surging through the core of blackberry and wild berry. Best from 2021 through 2032.”
-
2014 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard RBS — 96 WA, 96 JS, 94 WS
96 Pts. “The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon RBS is made from the same clone (337) as the Georges III, but comes from the To Kalon Vineyard in Oakville and not the Rutherford Georges III. This was aged in 85% new Darnajou and 15% new Taransaud. It has fabulous concentration, notes of incense, licorice, blackcurrants, blackberries, as well as spring flowers. The wine is juicy, savory and full-bodied, with wonderful underlying energy and freshness. This wine is a more forward style than we saw with the 2013s, and is best drunk over the next 16-20 years.”
96 Pts. “Lots of plum and walnut character in addition to hints of mushrooms and violets. Full-bodied, rich and layered with blueberry and blackberry flavors. Give it a few years to soften. Better in 2019.”
94 Pts. “Masters richness, with finesse and refinement. This is a beauty built of deep dark fruit and toasty, vanilla-scented oak, maintaining weight and focus while showing off flashes of elegance and polish. Most impressive on the finish, where the flavors linger. Drink now through 2032.”
View Wine -
2013 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard RBS — 99 JS, 98 WA, 93 WS
99 Pts. “This is shows complex aromas of chili, red tile and red currant aromas. Full-bodied, dense and powerful. It is so intense and rich yet remains agile and fresh. Austere tannins give this wine form and tension. Lively and captivating. Beautiful now but be patient. Better in 2021.”
98 Pts. “The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon RBS, also from clone 337, but in this case from the Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, shows an absolutely perfect 100-point nose of red, black and blue fruits, charcoal, graphite and forest floor. It hits the palate with a seamless integration of wood, tannin, acidity and alcohol and has tremendous opulence and palate presence in its full-bodied, long finish. On aromatics alone, it rates a perfect score, but I ended up being somewhat conservative I suppose. It should drink well for three decades as well.”
93 Pts. “A smoky, charry oak overlay adds flavor and aroma, rounding out the tannins in this robust, chunky effort, with extracted licorice, blackberry, anise, loamy earth and tobacco details. Very tight and backward, so patience is required. Best from 2020 through 2033.”
View Wine -
2012 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard RBS — 98 WA, 92 WS
98 Pts. “The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard RBS, which is also from Clone 337 but from different blocks on the Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, saw oak with 90% new Darnajou and 10% new Taransaud. This wine seems slightly more expansive, shares the black ruby/purple color with all of it siblings, and has a boatload of crème de cassis, incense, licorice, graphite and vanilla along with plenty of spice box and forest floor. This is a killer, full-bodied, super-duper, opulent Cabernet Sauvignon to drink over the next 20 years.”
92 Pts. “Taut, detailed and tightly wound, with a firm band of cedar, herb, green olive and gravelly earth, accented by dark berry and cedary oak. Tasted twice with consistent notes. Drink now through 2026.”
View Wine -
2011 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard RBS — 91 WA, 91 WS
91 Pts. “The 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard RBS is lighter than usual, but still very attractive, forward and endearing ... one of the positives in 2011. The color is a healthy dark ruby/purple and the wine is clean, with no herbaceous or mean green characteristics. This elegant, medium-bodied 2011 is ideal for drinking over the next 10-12 years.”
91 Pts. “Dense and powerful, with potent fresh earth and rocky, gravel pit touches, overshadowing the dried dark berry, licorice and spice notes. Ends with depth and length even as the tannins apply the brakes. Drink now through 2023.”
View Wine -
2010 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard RBS — 99 WA, 96 WS
99 Pts. “Flirting with perfection, the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard RBS from clone 337 was aged in new Darnajou barrels (80%) and the rest in new Taransaud barrels. There were 410 cases produced, which is several hundred cases less than the production in 2012. An unbelievable red wine, it boasts an inky/purple color as well as abundant notes of charcoal, white chocolate, toast, new saddle leather, blueberries, blackberries, creme de cassis and licorice. As the wine sits in the glass, some chocolaty, smoky elements also emerge. This virtually perfect Cabernet Sauvignon has been flawlessly made and should age effortlessly for 25-30+ years.”
96 Pts. “Combines power with finesse, though at this point the torque wins out, pushing this into overdrive. Tiers of spice, flowers and dark and red berry, with notes of licorice, flow before the tannins clamp down, giving the wine a chewy aftertaste. Ends with a teasing lift. Best from 2016 through 2030.”
View Wine
CCS Accolades
- 2021 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard CCS —
-
2019 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard CCS — 99 D, 98 WS, 98 WA, 98 JS, 98 JD
99 Pts. “From the C1 Block of Beckstoffer To Kalon, winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown has worked with these Clone 4 Cabernet vines since 2005. This is a block bottling like many of the Schrader wines. Lush, generous fruit but with structure – all the elements amplified but on equal proportions. Explosive nose of rich black fruits, black olive, dried wild herbs and baking spices. Incredibly textural with pixelated three-dimensional tannins finishing with pops of dried tobacco and purple-red florals. A joy to drink but among the most collectable and cellar worthy wines of the vintage. The 'CCS' on the label refers to the initials of proprietor Carol Colesworthy Schrader.”
98 Pts. “Throws off a range of sassafras, chaparral and anise aromas before yielding up a prodigious core of açaí berry, plum and blackberry compote. Offers a great power/purity interplay throughout, with tarry violet and loamy incense accents. While tannic through the finish, this also reveals a subtle ripple of acidity and a hint of iron. Terrific. Best from 2024 through 2040.”
98 Pts. “Sourced from Block C1 (planted to Clone 4), the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon CCS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, like all the other Schrader wines, matured in 100% new French oak from Darnajou and Taransaud. Hugely concentrated black cherries are joined by dried spices, slightly peppery notes and cedar on the nose, while the palate is full-bodied and plush yet firm at its core. It's a well-rounded, elegant example of Oakville Cabernet, nicely balanced, with attractive notions of blueberry and mint on the lengthy finish.”
98 Pts. “Aromas of mint, eucalyptus, crushed blackcurrants and lead pencil follow through to a full body with dark fruit and mint on the palate. Velvety tannins and a long finish. Fantastic structure. Savory. Minerally. Drinkable now, but this will age really beautifully. Try after 2026.”
98 Pts. “The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard CCS from the To Kalon Vineyard in Oakville is another heavenly wine in the lineup. I always find another level of purity in this cuvée, and the 2019 offers remarkably pure crème de cassis-like fruits as well as notes of white flowers, incense, toasted spice, and unsmoked tobacco. Full-bodied, deep, round, and plush on the palate, I love its tannins, it brings incredible richness while staying perfectly balanced and fresh, and it’s just already a joy to drink.”
View Wine -
2018 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard CCS — 100 JD, 97 WA, 97 WS, 96 JS
100 Pts. “Just pure gold, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard CCS is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from one of California’s greatest terroirs that was brought up in 100% new French oak. This dense purple-colored effort has a magical bouquet of pure creme de cassis, smoke tobacco, white flowers, crushed stone, truffle, and hints of chocolate. Possessing full-bodied richness, this beauty builds incrementally on the palate, showing lots of ripe, polished tannins, no hard edges, and a rare mix of power, structure, and elegance that’s something to behold. Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, or red wine for that matter, just doesn’t get any better. Hats off to winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown for yet another majestic, singular wine that’s as good as it gets.”
97 Pts. “Schrader’s CCS comes from Beckstoffer’s To Kalon vineyard in Oakville, produced from clone 4 grown on the C1 block. It is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in 100% new Darnajou and Taransaud French oak barrels for 18 months. Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon CCS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard rolls effortlessly out of the glass with profound notions of baked plums, boysenberries, blackberry pie and cassis, leading to hints of mocha, tapenade and black truffles. Full-bodied, concentrated and with a rock-solid backbone of grainy tannins, it delivers muscular black fruit and savory flavors, leading to a long, earthy finish. 821 cases were made.”
97 Pts. “Vivid, with lush cassis, plum and boysenberry compote flavors rolling through, carried by substantial structure that pulls in warm earth, sweet tobacco, licorice root and sweet bay leaf notes. A violet echo weaves through on the finish as the fruit and earth notes meld. This is Oakville. Best from 2023 through 2040.”
96 Pts. “Fruity and relatively elegant. Toasted notes, nuts and vanilla, as well as blackberries. The palate is well balanced and velvety with subtle power. Full and flavorful. Finishes a tiny bit short, but should open with time. Drink after 2022.”
View Wine -
2017 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard CCS — 98 JD, 96 WS, 95 WA, 95 JS
98 Pts. “Another wine in the running for the wine of the vintage is the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard CCS, which, as always, is all Cabernet aged in new Darnajou barrels. This full-bodied, magical 2017 has incredibly polished, silky tannins as well as a mammoth-sized texture and mouthfeel. Loaded with notions of blueberries, white flowers, graphite, candied violets, and incense, it’s one of those wines that carries incredible richness and depth yet never seems heavy or cumbersome. The 2017 doesn’t get much better, and this beauty can be drunk today or cellared for two decade”
96 Pts. “Shows the juicy, forward fruit of the vintage, featuring engaging plum, blackberry and raspberry notes and a zip of roasted apple wood on the finish. Reveals solid underlying grip, with a bold graphite accent emerging steadily as this airs in the glass. Exhibits great latent vibrancy. Best from 2022 through 2040. 1,182 cases made.”
95 Pts. “Very deep purple-black colored, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon CCS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is little youthfully mute to begin, slowly unfurling to reveal boysenberries, wild blueberries and plum preserves scents with a savory undercurrent of bouquet garni, charcuterie and black olives plus wafts of black truffles and underbrush. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is laden with earth-laced black fruits, finishing with plenty of chew and loads of savory layers.”
95 Pts. “Blueberry, light tar and hot-stone aromas with hints of walnuts and violets. Medium to full body, firm and silky tannins and a chewy, focused finish. Refined and pretty for the vintage. Drink or hold.”
View Wine -
2016 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard CCS — 100 JD, 98 WA, 94 WS
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.”
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.”
94 Pts. “Features a deep well of dark currant, fig and blackberry paste flavors, shrouded for now in ganache and roasted vanilla notes. Shows tarry grip on the back end, with good latent energy and a finishing kick of fruit. Wait this out with some cellaring. Best from 2021 through 2034. 561 cases made.”
View Wine -
2015 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard CCS — 100 JD, 99 WA, 98 JS, 94 WS
100 Pts. “The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard CCS is the gem in the lineup and is a perfect wine in every sense. Possessing a deep purple color, awesome minerality in its graphite, blueberry, cassis, and spice-driven aromatics, full-bodied richness and a weightless, elegant yet powerful style that needs to be tasted to be believed, this heavenly 2015 glides over the palate and is as seamless and pure as they come. Ideally it will be given a few years of bottle and it’s capable of developing for 20+ years.”
99 Pts. “Coming from the Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, block C1 planted to clone 4, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon CCS has a very pretty nose of ripe plums, black cherries and mulberries with an undercurrent of violets, licorice, marmite toast and cigar box plus a touch of aged beef. Medium to full-bodied, the palate struts great finesse, with very fine, silt-like tannins supporting the nuanced black fruit layers, finishing very long and with great purity.”
98 Pts. “Wonderful blue fruits and stones with ink and blood undertones. Full-bodied, tight and very focused with super refined tannins. A long, flavorful finish. Great wine. Drink in 2021 but already gorgeous.”
94 Pts. “Marked by firm, ripe, dusty, loamy tannins that give this textural distinction, this will benefit from short-term cellaring. Tiers of spicy berry, loamy earth and smoky oak fold in nicely, adding to the experience. Best from 2021 through 2034.”
View Wine -
2014 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard CCS — 98 WA, 96 JS, 95 WS
98 Pts. “Another one of my favorites is the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon CCS, which is clone 4 from the To Kalon Vineyard in Oakville. This is aged in 100% new Darnajou and is one of the larger cuvées at 510 cases. Wonderfully sweet, velvety tannins, a big sweet nose of white flowers, blackberry and cassis along with cedar wood, charcoal and graphite are all present in this full-bodied opulent wine that also retains wonderful elegance. It finished at 14.6% alcohol and will drink beautifully now as well as over the next 15-20 years.”
96 Pts. “Complex aromas of crushed blueberries, flowers and cold crushed stones follow through to a full body, soft and silky tannins and a flavorful finish. Shows a fine line of tannins and acidity though the rich yet fresh fruit. Drink in 2021.”
95 Pts. “Jazzy aromas of melted dark chocolate and toasty oak are alluring, supported by deep, rich, extracted dark berry, herb and savory underbrush notes, making for a mouthcoating texture and a long, persistent finish that keeps the flavors lively. Drink now through 2033.”
View Wine -
2013 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard CCS — 100 WA, 99 JS, 94 WS
100 Pts. “There is something ethereal about the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon CCS, a wine that I tend to give more perfect scores to than of the other Schrader offerings. This is clone 4 from a special block of the Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard in Oakville, and it always seems to have these incredible, explosive aromatics ranging from blueberry to blackberry to cassis to spring flowers and lead pencil shavings. It's always one of the more seductive wines early on, with sweet, velvety tannins, a plush, succulent mouthfeel, full-bodied splendor and majestic texture. This is a killer effort of great intensity and presence. Drink it over then next 25-30 years.”
99 Pts. “So aromatic and floral with violet, lilac, and sage character. Full body, very cool. Lots of blue fruit. Hints of sweet tobacco, lemon grass and white pepper. Needs two or three years to open. Muscular. Better in 2023.”
94 Pts. “A robust and rustic youngster, undeniably powerful and deep, yet tightly wound and begging for cellaring and decanting. The dark red and black fruit is zesty, with minerally acidity, fine-grained tannins and a sense of refinement and elegance. Drink now through 2023.”
View Wine -
2012 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard CCS — 100 WA, 94 WS
100 Pts. “The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer to Kalon Vineyard CCS is Clone 4 from another block, and always seems to hit all the sweet spots on my palate. It’s aged 20 months in 100% new Darnajou barrels. The good news is there are 520 cases of it. Just a prodigious wine, this spectacular Cabernet Sauvignon is inky bluish/purple with a gorgeous nose of spring flowers, blueberry, blackberry and cassis fruit, a touch of background toast and graphite. It has a very full-bodied, multidimensional mouthfeel and a skyscraper-like finish. It is fabulously open, sexy and a total thrill to smell and taste. This should continue to drink well for two decades.”
94 Pts. “While big and chewy, this offers an intriguing mix of dark berry, plum and black cherry, shaded by black licorice, cedar and berry jam on the finish. The flavors push through gracefully on the finish.”
View Wine -
2011 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard CCS — 95 WA
95 Pts. “Usually my favorite cuvée, the Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard CCS is a beauty in 2011. Made in a showy, flamboyant style, it boasts a dense ruby/purple color as well as sweet notes of crème de cassis, violets, licorice, forest floor and new oak. This supple, round effort is one of the superstars of this challenging vintage. It should drink well for 10-15 years or longer.”
View Wine -
2010 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard CCS — 98 WA, 95 WS
98 Pts. “A wine that seems to hit all of the sweet spots on my palate is the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard CCS made from clone 4. It possesses about the same amount of alcohol as the other wines (14.5%), and is aged 20 months in 100% new oak, but it reveals an opulence, voluptuousness and a seamless haute couture fashion. There is something Pomerol-like in the 2010 CCS that I have not noticed in previous vintages. That may be due to the upfront, appealing, stunningly rich, voluptuous style. This is a Cabernet Sauvignon of great nobility and character that, despite its precociousness, should age for 25+ years.”
95 Pts. “Red and black, black and red, a wonderful mix of flavors cloaked in a shawl of chewy, loamy earth and spicy tannins. Backward, this begs for cellaring and is sure to offer a pleasant surprise sometime soon.”
View Wine - 2006 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard CCS —
Old Sparky Accolades
- 2021 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L —
-
2019 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L — 100 WA, 100 JD, 99 JS, 98 D, 97 WS
100 Pts. “A best-barrel selection made by Thomas Rivers Brown and bottled in magnums, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is truly great stuff. Full-bodied, rich, velvety and all-enveloping, it delivers near-endless waves of black cherries, red raspberries and complex but gentle spice notes. Long and mouthwatering on the finish, it seamlessly eliminates any gap between power and elegance, leaving scant possible reaction except Wow!”
100 Pts. “A selection put together by winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky is one of the true gems in the vintage, as well as a perfect wine. Thrilling black fruits, crème de cassis, tobacco, tapenade, and iron notes all emerge from the glass, and it's full-bodied and has a similar purity to the CCS release, with ultra-fine tannins and one hell of an incredible finish. Napa Valley Cabernet, or red wine for that matter, doesn't get any better. Give bottles 2-4 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following two decades or more.”
99 Pts. “Really deep, yet scented, with dark spices, minerals, flower extract, black tea, graphite, pine needle, sandalwood, incense and purple fruit. There is a linear quality to the immaculate tannins, which are dense, but delivered in a melted, chocolatey way, cutting through from the entry to the finish. So svelte and cocoa-powdery in the finish, giving it attractive savoriness. Very ripe and extremely long and precise. Drinkable now, but better after 2025. ”
98 Pts. “A barrel selection of the best lots from this Oakville vineyard, only offered in magnum and larger formats. Inspired by Fred Schrader's love of cigars, his wife Carol named the cuveé and also designed the label. A complete wine with loads of saturated black fruits, wild crushed herbs, three-dimensional pixelated tannins, tobacco spices, and a finish that goes for miles. Big, bold, and delicious; a real collector's item.”
97 Pts. “Pure, unadulterated cassis and plum puree notes pour through this large-scale but beautifully focused wine, with a twinge of singed apple wood and light anise, loam and sweet bay leaf flirtations through the very lengthy finish. Gorgeous. Best from 2024 through 2040.”
View Wine -
2018 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L — 100 WA, 100 JD, 99 JS, 96 WS
100 Pts. “Produced predominately from clone 4, as always, the “Old Sparky” label is a best barrel selection from Beckstoffer’s To Kalon vineyard in Oakville. The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard was aged in 100% new Darnajou and Taransaud French oak barrels for 18 months. Deep garnet-purple in color, it needs a little coaxing to begin to reveal fragrant notions of crushed black currants, mulberries, juicy red and black plums and lilacs with hints of dark chocolate, rose oil and tilled soil plus a waft of unsmoked cigars. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is rich yet not at all heavy, featuring loads of bright red fruit accents among the profound black berry and savory elements. Multilayered, shimmering with energy and beautifully perfumed, it has gorgeous, ripe, plush tannins and a lively backbone, finishing very long and mineral laced. Bottled in magnums, 418 nine-liter cases were made.”
100 Pts. “There are few vintages of Old Sparky that don’t merit a perfect rating, and the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky isn’t one of them. This flawless wine offers up a wild smorgasbord of aromas and flavors, with loads of creme de cassis, blueberries, scorched earth, lead pencil, violets, blood orange, tobacco. and flowery incense all developing with time in the glass. Deep purple-hued and incredibly full-bodied, it has ripe, silky tannins, perfect balance, and a finish that won’t 9uit. This magical wine stays weightless and elegant on the palate, never seeming heavy, cumbersome, or over the top, and it’s a wine that just begs to be drunk yet will evolve for decades. Hats off to winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown for yet another heavenly Napa Cabernet Sauvignon that could come from nowhere else in the world. Life is too short not to have experienced this cuvee!”
99 Pts. “A great expression of cabernet sauvignon. Full-bodied with notes of crushed berries and nuts. Well balanced, with great quality to the tannins and pleasant acidity. The structure and texture are in harmony, leading to a long, flavorful finish. Shows wonderful length and beauty. Goes on and on. Needs at least five years to mellow. Try after 2025.”
96 Pts. “Completely jam-packed, this is a well-endowed, muscular wine that brims with steeped black currant, fig and boysenberry flavors, supported in turn by beams of cocoa, warm earth, anise and smoldering tobacco. The dense, grippy, tar-edged finish has the energy for balance, with the fruit showing ample cut all the way through. For those who like them big. Best from 2023 through 2040.”
View Wine -
2017 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L — 100 JS, 98 JD, 96 WA, 95 WS
100 Pts. “Blueberries, dried violet petals and lavender with some rosemary on the nose. Full body and chewy, juicy character. Muscular and linear, yet formed and refined. Savory and salty undertone. Better after 2022.”
98 Pts. “If I had to pick a wine of the vintage at this point, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard would certainly be one of the top choices. Always a barrel selection (mostly clone 6 and clone 4), it offers extraordinary notes of exotic blue fruits, white flowers, graphite, wet stone-like minerality, and loads of violets. Possessing full-bodied richness and depth, it hits the palate with loads of fruit and texture as well as seamless tannins and integrated acidity. As with the other top wines here, it has that magical mix of richness and elegance that’s the hallmark of all great wines. Aged 20 months in 100% new oak, it’s worth hiding bottles for 4-5 years and it’s going to evolve for 20-25 years or more. Hats off to winemaker Thomas Brown for the talent to produce a wine of this quality in such a challenging vintage.”
96 Pts. “Very deep purple-black colored, the 2017 is redolent of raisin cake, hoisin, preserved plums and crème de cassis with a very provocative perfume of lilacs, cinnamon toast and camphor plus a touch of tilled soil. Full-bodied, the palate is pure seduction, with firm yet velvety tannins and the invigorating freshness lifting the background of all that rich, spicy black fruit, finishing very long.”
95 Pts. “Vibrant and intense, with raspberry, blackberry and plum reduction flavors that show excellent energy, laced with a graphite note that drives this to a long anise- and black-tea infused finish. Gorgeous fruit. Best from 2022 through 2038. 418 cases made.”
View Wine -
2016 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L — 100 WA, 100 JD, 95 WS
100 Pts. “The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky is very deep purple-black in color with a wonderfully pure nose of blackcurrant cordial, blackberry preserves and black cherry pie with nuances of dried bay leaves, dusty soil, garrigue and new leather plus touches of unsmoked cigars and pencil shavings. Full-bodied, concentrated and jam-packed with flavors, the palate is pure hedonism with a solid line of ripe tannins and great freshness, finishing very long.”
100 Pts. “My notes on the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard started with “Wow, what a nose” and finished with a few expletives. Based largely on the T6 Cabernet Sauvignon from To Kolan, with smaller amounts of the RBS, CCS, and Schrader, it’s a massive wine by any measure yet carries everything perfectly, with perfumed notes of crème de cassis, incense, flowers, and exotic spice, full-bodied richness, an expansive, mulit-dimensional texture, sweet tannins, and no sensation of weight or heaviness. It’s a monumental bottle of wine that made me want to downgrade every other wine I tasted for this report. It’s bottled only in magnum, so do your best to hold off for 6-7 years (good luck!) and it will keep for 3-4 decades. Bravo to the whole team at Schrader for a truly magical wine.”
95 Pts. “Features a large core of red and black currant, blackberry and plum compote flavors that are juicy and well-defined, backed by plush tannins that meld nicely through the finish. Light tobacco and violet hints skitter through for added range. Big yet sneakily long. Best from 2021 through 2035. 430 cases made.”
View Wine -
2015 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L — 100 JD, 97 WA, 96 WS, 96 JS
100 Pts. “A wine that got more than one expletive in my notes, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky is a barrel selection and is mostly clone 6 with smaller amounts of clone 4. Pure crème de cassis, blueberries, violets, white chocolate, and white flower notes all soar from this inky 2015 which is full-bodied, powerful, yet weightless and elegant. Its tannins are covered by a wealth of fruit, it has no hard edges, perfect integration of its fruit, tannin, acidity, and alcohol, and a finish that just won’t quit. This is a crazy good wine that couldn’t be any better.”
97 Pts. “A barrel selection coming from the best barrels of Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky has a deep garnet-purple color and savory/meaty nose of yeast extract, chargrill, sautéed herbs and smoked meat over a core of crème de cassis, cigar box, red currant jelly and wild blueberries plus a touch of powdered cinnamon. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with black fruit preserves, savory and baking spice layers, with a very firm backbone and very long, multilayered finish.”
96 Pts. “A masterpiece of complexity and elegance, exhibiting a firm, supple, dense core of loamy earth, licorice, currant, blackberry and jazzy oak notes without being weighty. Most impressive for its elegance and grace. Drink now through 2034.”
96 Pts. “A dense and very layered Sparky with lots of ripe varietal character such as currant bushes and dark fruit. Full-bodied, rich and powerful. Juicy and very flavorful. Attractive to drink now but needs at least two or three years to come together.”
View Wine -
2014 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L — 98 WA, 97 JS, 94 WS
98 Pts. “The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky, Fred Schrader’s favorite selection, is clone 4 from the To Kalon Vineyard aged in 100% new Darnajou and seems closest in personality and overall style to the CCS. This is a beautiful wine with great intensity and seems to be one of the superstars of this vintage. Smoky barbecue notes intermix with charcoal embers, blackberry, cassis, Christmas fruitcake, licorice and camphor. This is a complex 2014 that is showing beautifully at the moment and will continue to drink well for another 20 years.”
97 Pts. “This is really savory with so much meat, currant, mushroom and walnut-skin character. Full-bodied, layered and very powerful. A touch of heat on the finish, but the acid balances it out. Extreme intensity. Contrasty and fascinating.”
94 Pts. “A potent, open-throttle expression of powerful Cabernet, with tiers of dense, extracted dark berry, mocha, loamy earth, cedar and tobacco leaf flavors, leading to a strong, tannic finish. All the elements are in place for this to become a beauty with time. Best from 2021 through 2038.”
View Wine -
2013 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L — 100 WA, 98 JS, 96 WS
100 Pts. “The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky, which is essentially made from clone 4 from two separate blocks, clone 6 and clone 337, is another perfect wine from the Schraders. I suppose it’s a little boring to say, and perhaps I can be accused of creating unrealistic expectations on the part of readers, but this is as great as Cabernet can be. Tasting like a first-growth Pauillac, the wine is opaque purple and has a fabulous nose of lead pencil, spring flowers, blueberry and blackberry and the telltale cassis. There is also some licorice and sweet oak, the tannins are ripe, and the wine full-bodied. Built like a skyscraper, with an incredible finish (like most of these wines) going on for 50 seconds to a minute, this amazing wine should still be drinking splendidly well at age 25 or 30.”
98 Pts. “A wine with wonderful definition and length. Very fine-grained tannins. Full-bodied yet compacted. Shows blueberry, rosemary, lavender and stone character. Terra-cotta. Pretty blend of top To Kalon vineyard of Schrader. Shows balance and length.”
96 Pts. “Bold and powerful, with an explosive burst of juicy red and black fruits shaded by licorice, spice and oak details. Shows a wonderful sense of harmony and finesse. This is captivating, ending with firm tannins. Best from 2020 through 2036.”
View Wine -
2012 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L — 100 WA, 96 WS
100 Pts. “Another compelling, nearly perfect wine is the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer to Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky. This is Clone 4 and Clone 6, as well as Clone 337, blended together from the Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, aged in 100% new Darnajou barrels. For whatever reason, this wine seems to show more chocolate, espresso roast, barbecue smoke, dense blackberry and blueberry fruit and enormous body with not a touch of heaviness or astringency. This is a fabulous offering. It should drink well for 20-25 years.”
96 Pts. “Very tight, featuring a beam of spice-laced blackberry, currant, dried herb and jazzy oak. The laser focus is most evident on the finish, which slowly unravels to highlight this wine’s density, elegance and grace. The flavors reverberate in the end.”
View Wine -
2011 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L — 95 WA
95 Pts. “The 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky reveals lots of cassis, spring flower, graphite and spice characteristics along with good minerality. Medium to full-bodied and strikingly rich, it, too, is a great success for the vintage. It should drink well for 15 or more years.”
View Wine -
2010 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L — 98 WA, 97 WS
98 Pts. “The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky, made from clone 4, 6 and 337, displays a dense opaque purple color as well as an incredible nose of graphite, cedarwood, incense, licorice, Christmas fruitcake, vanillin and abundant blackberry and black currant liqueur. Gorgeously rich and textured with a nearly endless finish, this super intense, full throttle wine needs 5-7 years of bottle age and should drink well over the following 25-30 years. It was aged 20 months in 100% new oak barrels.”
97 Pts. “Impeccably balanced, with powerful currant, dark berry, mocha, floral and understated cedar notes, this wine begs for cellaring as it is just beginning to reveal its depth and dimensions. Ends with chewy, gripping, ripe, flavorful tannins. Best from 2015 through 2032.”
View Wine
Colesworthy Accolades
- 2021 Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy 1.5L —
-
2019 Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy 1.5L — 99 JD, 98, WA, 98 JS, 95 WS
99 Pts. “Almost pure perfection in a glass, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard comes from a more rocky vineyard located on the west side of St. Helena. Black fruits, savory herbs, flowers, and crushed rock notes give way to a full-bodied, flawlessly balanced, seamless 2019. It has the ripe yet elegant style of the vintage (as well as the vineyard), ultra-fine tannins, no hard edges, and a gorgeous finish.”
98 Pts. “The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy is a barrel selection. All Clone 337, all new French oak, all Thomas Rivers Brown, it's a full-bodied, concentrated effort, loaded with intense black cherries and cassis and with a subtle touch of cigar wrapper for savory complexity. It's tannic, but those tannins are ripe and silky-dusty in texture, lingering for what seems like minutes on the long, mouthwatering finish.”
98 Pts. “Deep, yet perfumed on the nose, with a fine touch of lard, graphite and lavender that follows through to a full-bodied palate with a tart black-cherry quality to the mid-palate. Immaculate tannins here and extremely long. Drink after 2025.”
95 Pts. “Delivers inviting warm cassis and crushed plum notes, while subtle lilac and violet accents flitter in the background. Shows subtle alder smoke, savory and mineral accents that enhance the fruit through the lengthy finish. A confidently suave Cabernet. Best from 2023 through 2037.”
View Wine -
2018 Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy 1.5L — 98 JD, 98 JS, 97 WA, 95 WS
98 Pts. “A tour de force from this team, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy is a barrel selection from this site and I believe it’s brought up all in new Darnajou barrels. It’s a quintessential 2018 with its more reserved, elegant, yet incredibly concentrated style, and like its sibling, it has a beautiful, savory style that includes a wealth of red and black fruits as well as espresso, tobacco leaf, cedar pencil, and dried flowers. It’s actually more reserved and backward than the straight single vineyard release and is full-bodied and flawlessly balanced, with massive tannins, integrated acidity, and a great, great finish. Like a lot of top 2018s from Napa, there’s a more Bordeaux’esque quality to this wine. The tannins are firm and present, there’s plenty of edge and cut, and it delivers a beautiful sense of weightlessness on the palate. Forget bottles for 5-7 years and enjoy over the following 25-30 years.”
98 Pts. “This is fabulous on the nose with raspberries, blackberries, flowers and crushed stones. Violets, too. Full-bodied with fine, creamy tannins that are so polished and beautiful. It goes on for minutes with a tile, berry and floral aftertaste. Drink after 2022.”
97 Pts. “Schrader’s “Colesworthy” comes from Beckstoffer’s Las Piedras vineyard, produced from 337 clone grown on the C block. The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and was aged in 100% new Darnajou and Taransaud French oak barrels for 18 months. Deep garnet-purple in color, it is youthfully mute to begin, needing some swirling before it explodes with exuberant black cherries, cassis, blackberry pie with sautéed herbs scents, plus a hint of fragrant earth. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is chock-full of freshly crushed red and black fruit flavors, delivering wonderful vibrancy and finishing long and lively. Bottled in magnums, 118 nine-liter cases were made.”
95 Pts. “A rich and showy version, with really seductive plum sauce, steeped blackberry and warmed cassis notes all working in unison, draping wonderfully over a buried loamy spine. Echoes of smoldering tobacco and melted licorice linger at the very end. Accessible now, as this is primarily fruit-driven. Drink now through 2035.”
View Wine -
2017 Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy 1.5L — 99 JS, 98 JD, 96 WA
99 Pts. “This is a phenomenal red with blue fruit that turns to plums, raw meat, dust and rust. Some dried flowers. Full-bodied, yet very tight and racy with dark-berry, plum and dark-chocolate character. Dried chili pepper, too. Complex and satisfying. Drink after 2022.”
98 Pts. “A barrel selection from this great vineyard outside of St. Helena, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy is cut from the same cloth as the straight LPV cuvée yet has just a touch more finesse, mid-palate, depth, and length. All Cabernet Sauvignon aged 20 months in 100% new Darnajou barrels, its dense purple color is followed by pure cassis and blueberry fruits, and it shows more spring flowers, violets, and sappy herbs with time in the glass. There’s plenty of background oak as well as tannins, so hide bottles for a solid 4-5 years if you can. It’s another incredibly ageworthy 2017 that will keep for 20-25 years or more.”
96 Pts. “Very deep purple-black colored, the 2017 struts confidently out of the glass with classic blackcurrants, cedar chest and pencil lead notes, giving way to suggestions of rose hip tea, fragrant earth and toasted nuts plus a waft of redcurrant jelly. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has impressive freshness and ripe, finegrained tannins supporting the bright, crunchy red and black fruit layers, finishing long with bags of energy.”
View Wine -
2016 Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy 1.5L — 100 JD, 97 WA, 94 WS
100 Pts. “A barrel selection released only in magnum, similar to the Old Sparky release, yet only from the Las Piedras Vineyard, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Colesworthy Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard is another perfect wine from this team, and it's one of those wine where I wish I could pour ever reader a taste. Offering up thrillingly pure notes of crème de cassis, perfectly ripe blueberries, chocolate, and a crazy, liquid rock-like minerality, it hits the palate with a full-bodied, powerful style that carries tons of richness and depth, yet still just glides over the palate with no sensation of weight or heaviness. It’s certainly one of the greatest Napa Cabernet Sauvignons I’ve ever tasted. As with the base Las Piedras Vineyard, do your best to hold off for a few years.”
97 Pts. “Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy opens with ripe, rich, bold crème de cassis, preserved plums and baked blueberries scents with hints of cumin seeds, star anise, mincemeat pie, mocha and new leather with wafts of tobacco, cedar and black tea. The full-bodied palate is very firm and muscular with bags of black fruits and spices, finishing very long.”
94 Pts. “A ripe, showy style, with warm waves of cassis, plum sauce and raspberry pâte de fruit taking center stage, laced with singed apple wood, sweet tobacco and anise notes. The finish delivers a bold kick of energetic fruit and a creamy dollop of toast. Best from 2020 through 2034. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 129 cases made.”
View Wine -
2015 Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy 1.5L — 100 JD, 98 JS, 97 WA, 93 WS
100 Pts. “Lastly, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy is a barrel selection from the Las Piedras Vineyard in St. Helena. It takes the classic LPV release and ratchets up the intensity without any additional sense of weight or heaviness. With incredible cassis, liquid violets, white flowers, and a distinct earthy, loamy minerality, this beauty has insane purity of fruit, a huge, layered, full-bodied style on the palate, sweet tannin, and a blockbuster finish. Don't miss it!”
98 Pts. “There is brightness and intensity on the nose and palate with fantastic depth of blue fruits such as blueberries and blackberries. Oyster shell, too. Full-bodied, layered and beautiful. So much intensity and focus. High fidelity character.”
97 Pts. “Coming from the Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard, block C that is planted to clone 337, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy has a very deep purple-black color and incredibly primary nose of blackcurrant cordial, blueberry pie and preserved plums with wafts of licorice, charcoal, mulberries and baking spices plus a hint of red roses. Medium to full-bodied, very firm and very finely crafted, the palate features wonderfully ripe tannins and great freshness, harnessing the bold, primary flavors and restraining the very long, very youthful finish. 128 cases produced.”
93 Pts. “Creamy, vanilla-infused oak joins rich dark berry, dark chocolate, spicy cedar and melted licorice flavors before a dash of crushed rock folds in. Long and lingering, young and energetic. Best from 2021 through 2033.”
View Wine -
2014 Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy 1.5L — 100 JS, 94 WA, 94 WS
100 Pts. “This is phenomenal with blackberries and blueberries, not to mention quite incredible stones and black tea. What a nose. Full-bodied and so tight and dense — yet agile and austere with so much going on. Fantastic balance. One of the best Schraders ever made. Better in four or five years, yet wonderful now.”
94 Pts. “Slightly less impressive, but still a brilliant wine, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Colesworthy comes across as more backward and closed with a Graves-like minerality. This also hails from the Las Piedras Vineyard and was aged 20 months in 100% new Darnajou. This was the most reserved of all of the 2014s from Schrader, will probably benefit from several years of bottle age, and keep for 15 or more years.”
94 Pts. “Slow to unfold, but does so in an impressive manner, gradually building intensity and depth around a core of gravel-laced dark berry, herb, licorice and spicy oak notes. Best from 2021 through 2036. 117 cases made.”
View Wine -
2013 Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy 1.5L — 98+ WA, 98 JS, 96 WS
98+ Pts. “Close to perfection is the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy, which is clone 337. This is aged in 100% new Darnajou and soaks up the new oak beautifully. Notes of lead pencil shavings, forest floor, vanilla, blackberry and cassis jump from the glass of this opaque purple, full-bodied, magnificent Cabernet Sauvignon, which is super-rich, fabulously pure and just a killer wine on the palate.”
98 Pts. “The magnum-only wine shows the best of Las Piedras. So much iodine, blackberry, black currant, licorice, stone and lavender character. Seamless and ultra-fine. A wine with a great future. Better in 2022 but fascinating to tasting.”
96 Pts. “Combines power and concentration with finesse and nuance, showing extracted blackberry, licorice, graphite, crushed rock and savory herb notes. Finishes with a powerful aftertaste that reverberates with flavor. The spicy, toasty oak adds texture and nuance. Best from 2020 through 2035.”
View Wine -
2012 Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy 1.5L — 95 WA, 94+ WS
95 Pts. “A selection of the best barrels of this wine, representing only 110 cases or basically 41/2 barrels, is the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy. This is largely Clone 337, aged 20 months in 100% new Darnajou. This is deep, rich, full, backward and not quite as easy to access as its sibling, although at some point the Schraders and Thomas Brown thought these were the best barrels from Las Piedras. It seems to share much of its siblings opaque purple color, lots of coffee, blackberry and cassis fruit, charcoal and graphite, but seems to also require more bottle age to round into shape. Forget it for 3-4 years and drink it over the following 20-25 years.”
94 Pts. “Notably elegant, with complex aromas of rich dark berry, shaded by dusty dried herb and cedar notes, all supported by firm, finegrained tannins. Gains depth and persistence, gliding along on the finish.”
View Wine
T6 Accolades
-
2019 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard T6 — 97+ WA, 97 WS, 97 JS, 97-99 JD
97+ Pts “The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon T6 Beckstoffer To Ka Ion Vineyard is made from Clone 6, an old California heritage clone that's notoriously shy-bearing. It boasts lovely aromatics, layering dried spices and exotic florals over super-ripe cherries, while the full-bodied palate is all silk and cashmere, finishing incredibly long and elegant.”
97 Pts “This pulls in the full Oakville spectrum nicely, with a polished, loamy structure carrying a large-scaled core of steeped plum, boysenberry compote and cassis flavors, while a backdrop of violet, sweet bay leaf and sassafras add range and contrast. The finish has power but maintains purity, with the fruit ringing out the longest in the end. Best from 2024 through 2040.”
97 Pts Dark hawthorn wood, charcoal, blackberry concentrate, violet extract and incense on the nose. The tannins are really immaculate and soft, but there is quantity and volume, too. Sweet dark berries with a salted-chocolate finish. Very long, fresh and linear, despite the high alcohol. Drink or hold.
97-99 Pts “A big, muscular, powerful wine, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard T6 boasts a monster note of blackcurrants, fresh plums, scorched earth, tobacco, and chocolate. This all carries to a full-bodied 2019 with the ripe, savory, concentrated style of the vintage, building tannins, no shortage of fruit, and a great, great finish. It's certainly one of the biggest, richest, more structured wines in the lineup, yet the balance is spot on and everything is in the right places. It's going to take at least 7-8 years for this puppy to shed some of its considerable baby fat and hit maturity, but I wouldn't be surprised to see it evolve for 20 or 30 years.”
View Wine -
2018 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard T6 — 97 JD, 97 WA, 97 JS, 95 WS
97 Pts. “Rocking levels of blueberries, creme de cassis, exotic spices, tobacco, cigar wrapper, and candied violets emerge from the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard T6, which is full-bodied, has a ripe, concentrated mouthfeel, and lots of building tannins. There’s no shortage of structure here, yet the tannins are sweet and polished, it has nicely integrated acidity and just beautiful overall balance, although it remains relatively tight and doesn’t have the same opulent, expansive mouthfeel found in the CCS, RBS, and Schrader releases. Regardless, it’s an incredibly impressive bottle of wine. Give bottles 4-5 years, and it’s going to cruise for 20 years or more.”
97 Pts. “Schrader’s T6 comes from Beckstoffer’s To Kalon vineyard in Oakville, produced from clone 6 grown on the D2 block. It is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in 100% new Darnajou and Taransaud French oak barrels for 18 months. Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon T6 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard opens with classic cassis, cedar and pencil lead scents, plus nuances of red roses, charcoal and garrigue. Full-bodied, it has a firm and grainy texture with lovely freshness supporting the tons of juicy black fruits, finishing long and earthy. 517 cases were made.”
97 Pts. “Aromas of dark berries, cherry pie, conifer, stone and blueberries follow through to a full body with a dense palate of layers of ripe fruit and creamy tannins. It’s very long and complex at the end with a hot-stone and mineral attribute to the ripe fruit. Drink after 2024.”
95 Pts. “Vivid, with a coiled energy despite its heft, as cassis, boysenberry and blackberry puree flavors are laced with violet, anise and sassafras hints. There’s an underlay of warm earth throughout, but the fruit is the main event, driving through the juicy finish with latent depth for the cellar. Best from 2022 through 2038.”
View Wine -
2017 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard T6 — 98 JD, 96 WS, 95 WA, 95 JS
98 Pts. “In the top handful of wines in the vintage, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard T6 is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon (which was harvested the morning of the fires) that spent 20 months in 92% new French oak. This is a powerhouse of a wine that’s loaded with fruit and richness, yet it still just glides across the palate with no sensation of weight or heaviness. Dense purple-hued, with lots of chocolaty black and blue fruits, incense, and spice as well as unsmoked tobacco, give bottles 3-4 years of bottle age and enjoy over the following two decades.”
96 Pts. “Ripe and succulent, featuring silky-edged plum, açaí and raspberry puree flavors, lined with licorice and fruitcake notes. Offers a gorgeously plush feel through the finish, with the fruit soaking up the toast. A late tug of graphite completes the picture. Drink now through 2039. 378 cases made.”
95 Pts. “Very deep purple-black colored, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon T6 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard sashays out of the glass with opulent notes of fruitcake, Chinese five spice and oolong tea over a core of blackcurrant cordial, chocolate box and Morello cherries. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has well played, grainy tannins and lovely freshness, giving a boost to all of the decadently spicy blackberry preserves flavors, finishing on a stewed tea note.”
95 Pts. “Classic To Kalon aromas of plums, berries and terracotta, turning to dust and hot stone. A full-bodied red, yet tight and focused with medium-chewy tannins and a flavorful finish. Give it two or three years to come together more. Try after 2022.”
View Wine -
2016 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard T6 — 98+ JD, 98 WA, 95 WS
98+ Pts. “The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon T6 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is more structured and savory, with an incredibly bloody, iron-like character that gives way to awesome notes of incense, spice, tobacco leaf, and black cherry and cassis fruits. Aged 20 months in 95% new oak, this dense, meaty, blockbuster effort needs to be forgotten for at least 5-6 years, at which point it should cruise for 25-30 years. It’s a killer bottle of wine.”
98 Pts. “Very deep purple-black colored, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard T6 has a gregarious nose of Chinese five spice, cardamom, menthol and cigar box over a core of crème de cassis, Black Forest cake and blueberry compote with a waft of potpourri. Full-bodied, rich, spicy and oh-so-decadent in the mouth, it has a firm yet plush frame and an epically long, spicy finish.”
95 Pts. “On the ripe and showy side, with peacocking flavors of creamed plum, cassis and cherry preserves, while the back end draws in a healthy shot of toasted vanilla and dark licorice. The graphite-edged finish pulls all the elements together, adding cut and detail to the fruit. Best from 2021 through 2035. 234 cases made.”
View Wine -
2015 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard T6 — 100 WA, 99 JD, 93 WS
100 Pts. “Coming from the Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, block D2 planted to clone 6, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon T6 sports a deep garnet-purple color and fantastically fragrant nose of Sichuan pepper, unsmoked cigars, potpourri, red loam and forest floor over a core of black forest cake, blackberry preserves and baked plums plus touches of dried Mediterranean herbs and smoked meats. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is full-on seductive, with wonderfully perfumed layers emerging through the frame of very finely knit yet firm tannins, finishing with epic length and depth.”
99 Pts. “Flirting with perfection, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard T6 comes all from clone 6 (there are less than 4 acres of clone 6 planted) and is always the last cuvee to be harvested. The 2015 has sensational purity as well as full-bodied, decadent notes of crème de cassis and black berry fruit, loads of mocha, scorched earth, spice and salty nuances, sweet, sweet tannin, not a hard edge to be found, and a blockbuster finish. Like all of Brown’s 2015s, it’s packed with fruit, yet its purity and balance are off the charts.”
93 Pts. “Plush, rich fruit rises to the top of this opulent offering, with layers of blackberry, dusty, loamy earth and spicy, cedary oak flavors, backed by a firm mix of tannins and spice. Best from 2021 through 2032.”
View Wine -
2014 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard T6 — 98 WA, 95 JS, 94 WS
98 Pts. “The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon T6 was one of my super-favorites of the 2014s. Slightly higher in alcohol at 14.7%, compared to the RBS at 14.4% and the GIII at 14.3%, it is a kick-ass Cabernet Sauvignon, with a sexy display of black fruits, licorice, camphor, graphite and background oak. This is from clone 6 of the To Kalon Vineyard aged in 95% new Darnajou and 5% Taransaud barrels. So, as readers can see, the differences are minor, indeed. However, they are slightly different wines. This is a bold, opulent wine and one of my favorites of the 2014s. Drink it over the next 20 years.”
95 Pts. “Aromas of blackberries, minerals, licorice and dried violets follow through to a full body, big and juicy tannins and loads of fruit. Dense and powerful. Lightly austere finish. Shows power and muscle. Try in 2022.”
94 Pts. “A little ragged and rustic around the edges, with a solid core of rich, dense, extracted dark berry fruit, shaded by black licorice and toasty oak notes. Though the tannins are a challenge now, this wine should round out nicely. Best from 2019 through 2033.”
View Wine -
2013 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard T6 — 98 WA, 96 JS, 94 WS
98 Pts. “The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon T6, which is clone 6, offers more barbecue smoke, roasted meats and oodles of creme de cassis and blackberry. It is rich, full-bodied, intense, and stunningly pure and well-balanced. This is another tour de force from the Schraders and Thomas Rivers Brown. It should drink well for 25-30 years as well.”
96 Pts. “Very exotic aromas of tobacco leaf, Thai green chili, black currant and blueberry. Full body, chewy and powerful tannins. Fresh and clean. Muscular and powerful. Better in 2020 when it comes together.”
94 Pts. “A mix of spicy, jazzy mocha, vanilla and espresso notes from oak are evident at the outset, with a core of licorice, dark and red berry, chocolate, savory herb and underbrush flavors. Flexes considerable tannic strength on the finish. Best from 2020 through 2034.”
View Wine -
2012 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard T6 — 95 WA, 95 WS
95 Pts. “The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard T6, which is from Clone 6 in a different block of Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, is aged in 86% new Darnajou and 14% new Taransaud. This wine is not terribly different, but Clone 6 is believed to be old Bordeaux clones brought over to Napa Valley and propagated. The wine has terrific fruit intensity, blackcurrants, blackberry, licorice, creosote and espresso roast. Deep, full-bodied, powerful and rich, this, again, shows the vintage’s voluptuous texture, full-bodied power and richness.”
95 Pts. “Steadily builds from a tight, rich core of mocha-laced currant and blackberry to a broader, more expansive mix that folds in creamy, toasty, mocha-laced oak, unfolding to reveal tiers of flavor and nuance.”
View Wine -
2011 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard T6 — 93 WA, 93 WS
93 Pts. “The 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard T6 is slightly riper and richer than the RBS with plenty of toasty oak intermixed with lead pencil shavings, cedarwood, baking spices, plums and black currants. Medium to full-bodied, ripe and delicious with 14.6% alcohol (slightly higher than the 2010), it should drink well for 10-12 years.”
93 Pts “ Tight, dense and layered, with red berry, blackberry, anise, floral, cedar and mineral notes that lend this a wide range of lingering flavors. Perhaps the most complex and aromatic of the 2011 Schraders. Drink now through 2023.”
View Wine -
2010 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard T6 — 96 WS, 93 WA
96 Pts. “ Tightly wound, intense and potent, with explosive dark berry, spice, cedar and mocha flavors. Among the most closed and backward of the 2010 Schraders, this nonetheless delivers Napa Cabernet’s proverbial iron fist in a velvet glove. Best from 2015 through 2030.”
93 Pts. “The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard T6 is a small step down from the George III and RBS, although it is still an outstanding wine. Rich, smoky and pretty, but slightly less impressive without the enormous stuffing, multiple dimensions and richness of its siblings. Nevertheless, this beauty offers lots of spring flower, licorice, black currant, forest floor, cedarwood and unsmoked cigar tobacco-like characteristics. From clone 6, it was aged 20 months in 90% new Darnajou barrels and 10% new Taransaud barrels.”
View Wine - 2005 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard T6 —
Accolades
-
2018 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard RBS 3L — 99 JD, 97 WA, 97 JS, 96 WS
99 Pts. “Another heavenly wine in the lineup is the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard RBS, which comes from Clone 337 and a handful of different blocks in the vineyard. This deep purple-hued beauty has an incredibly seamless, elegant, yet full-bodied style as well as killer notes of creme de cassis, blueberries, wildflowers, violets, white chocolate, and new saddle leather. Flirting with perfection, the tannin quality, purity of fruit, alance, and overall harmony here is just about off the charts. It makes you want to drink the whole bottle, but it should age effortlessly for 25+ years.”
97 Pts. “Schrader’s RBS comes from Beckstoffer’s To Kalon vineyard in Oakville, produced from 337 clone grown on blocks B1, B2 and E2. The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon RBS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in 100% new Darnajou and Taransaud French oak barrels for 18 months. Deep garnet-purple in color, it leaps from the glass with gregarious exotic spice scents—cumin seed, cloves and star anise—over a core of Black Forest cake, blueberry compote and black currant pastilles plus a waft of underbrush. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is completely coated with spicy, open-knit black fruit preserves flavors, marked by bright red-fruit accents. Supported by great tension and velvety tannins, it finishes on a lingering cinnamon toast note. 1,715 cases were made.”
97 Pts. “Aromas of red fruit, plums, herbs and dark chocolate with some bark and forest-floor notes. Full-bodied, yet very finely crafted and poised. Lots of fresh and dry herbs to the dark fruit at the finish. Lasts a long time. Try after 2024.”
96 Pts. “This is packed with steeped plum, blackberry and boysenberry fruit flavors, yet cuts a very focused line nonetheless, with a graphite underpinning keeping the fruit harnessed while licorice, alder and tar notes fill in on the back end. A muscular version that demands cellar time. Best from 2024 through 2038.”
View Wine
Accolades
-
2016 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard RBS 3L — 97+ WA, 97 JD, 95 WS
97+ Pts. “Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon RBS gives beautiful scents of lilacs and dried lavender over wild blueberries, chocolate-covered cherries, blackberry pie and eucalyptus with a touch of pencil shavings. Full-bodied and built like a brick house, it has a solid frame of grainy tannins and plenty of freshness to lift the densely packed, muscular fruit, finishing very long.”
97 Pts. “The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon RBS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard comes from another Beckstoffer-owned vineyard, purchased from Beaulieu in 1993. This larger site is located on the western side of Oakville, with the Beckstoffers owning a key tenderloin section encompassing just over 80 acres. This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon offers a sweet bouquet of black cherry cake, incense, crème de cassis, and chocolate. Beautifully concentrated, with terrific tannins and full-bodied richness and depth, it's another 2016 that will benefit from short-term cellaring.”
95 Pts. “Bold açaí berry, boysenberry and blueberry compote notes give this a showy profile, with freshness and definition to match, as anise, violet and black tea details chime in. Graphite hints gird the finish, achieving balance in the end. Best from 2021 through 2035. 1,112 cases made.”
View Wine
Accolades
-
2015 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard RBS 3L — 98+ WA, 98 JD, 93 WS
98+ Pts. “Coming from the Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, blocks B1, B2 and E2 planted to clone 337, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon RBS has a very deep purple-black color and is a little reticent to begin, offering glimpses at crushed black berries, black cherries and black currants with touches of cedar chest, pencil lead, dark chocolate and dusty earth with a waft of cinnamon stick. Medium to full-bodied and tautly structured with rock-solid, firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness supporting the muscular fruit, it finishes on a lingering earthy note. Forget this one over the next 4-5 years, and drink it over the next 25+.”
98 Pts. “All from clone 337 and from three different blocks in the To Kolan Vineyard in Oakville, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard RBS is one of the larger production cuvee they make and there’s just over 1,000 cases in 2015. Crème de cassis, iodine, flowers, huge spice, and loads of dried herbs all emerge from this thrilling effort that has the full-bodied opulence of the vintage front and center. Despite it’s massive about of fruit, it stays light and graceful and is an undeniably sexy wine to drink over the coming two decades.”
93 Pts. “Features a plush texture and firm, fine-grained tannins, making for a tasty mix of flavors and structure, with the fruit surging through the core of blackberry and wild berry. Best from 2021 through 2032.”
Accolades
-
2011 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard 3L — 96 WA
96 Pts. “The impressive 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is one of the richest of Schrader’s 2011s. Thomas Brown told me that this particular block was picked before the heavy rainfalls arrived and production was a minuscule three-quarters of a ton per acre. Hence, only 52 cases were made. It is a big, rich, atypical wine for a 2011.”
View Wine
Heritage Clone Accolades
- 2021 To Kalon Vineyard Heritage Clone —
-
2019 To Kalon Vineyard Heritage Clone — 100 JS, 98+ WA, 98+ JD, 97 WS
100 Pts “This is so exotic and exciting, with crushed blackcurrant, cassis, raspberry and tangerine aromas that follow through to very rough, silky tannins that fill your mouth. It goes on for minutes. Intense flavors at the finish, yet it's linear and so long and seamless. Crunchy. Amazing wine. Drinkable now, but better after 2025.”
98+ Pts “Another relatively new addition to the Schrader lineup, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Mondavi Heritage Clone To Kalan Vineyard is all Clone 31 (not Clone 39, as previously reported by RPWA). It's expressive and aromatic on the nose, offering up hints of tobacco, mint and sage, plus floral, spicy notes but also plenty of red berries and vanilla (it's aged 18 months in new French oak). Full-bodied, tannic and firmly built, it's another Schrader wine that should really benefit from cellaring.”
98+ Pts “My notes on the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon To Kalon Vineyard Heritage Clone started with a big "Wow," and it's clearly a structured, serious, incredibly impressive 2019. Giving up plenty of cassis and assorted black and blue fruits, it has a distinct sense of minerality as well as classic Cabernet tobacco, lead pencil, and tobacco leaf nuances. With bright acidity, building tannins, and a concentrated, massive, backward mouthfeel, it needs to be forgotten for 4-5 years and should have decades of prime drinking.”
97 Pts “Delivers seriously gorgeous fruit, with plum puree, cassis and black cherry páte de fruit notes that are compressed together without losing their clarity and definition, while licorice snap, violet and apple wood notes form the frame. Reveals an iron note that drives underneath on the finish, imbuing everything with latent energy and drive. Big, but in an elephant-balancing-on-a-ball manner; gotta tip the cap. Best from 2023 through 2038.”
View Wine -
2018 To Kalon Vineyard Heritage Clone — 97+ WA, 96 WS
97+ Pts. “This is the very first vintage of this new label for Schrader. True to Schrader form, the wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from a single block in the southern part of Mondavi’s section of To Kalon vineyard. The “Heritage Clone,” a.k.a. clone 39, is pretty much exclusive to Mondavi To Kalon, with the exception of some cuttings Robert Mondavi may have given out. Winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown noted that this clone produces very small bunches and tiny berries, equating to super intense fruit. The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Mondavi Heritage Clone To Kalon Vineyard was aged in 100% new Darnajou and Taransaud French oak barrels for 18 months. Deep garnet-purple in color, it sings of stewed blueberries, plum preserves, Chinese five spice and fragrant earth, giving way to hints of beef drippings, iron ore, espresso, tobacco leaf and dried roses. Medium-bodied, it has a firm, chewy texture and loads of bright, lively freshness lifting the densely packed berry preserves layers, finishing very long and very spicy. This is certainly a singular style—somewhat atypical for the 2018 vintage, but nonetheless compelling.”
96 Pts. “There’s a distinct sassafras note buried in this version, wrapped in waves of cassis, warmed plum reduction and boysenberry compote flavors. Melted licorice and roasted apple wood provide a frame for it all, with the sassafras hint adding lift and energy through the finish. A big wine. Best from 2022 through 2038.”
View Wine
Colesworthy Accolades
- 2021 Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy 1.5L —
-
2019 Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy 1.5L — 99 JD, 98, WA, 98 JS, 95 WS
99 Pts. “Almost pure perfection in a glass, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard comes from a more rocky vineyard located on the west side of St. Helena. Black fruits, savory herbs, flowers, and crushed rock notes give way to a full-bodied, flawlessly balanced, seamless 2019. It has the ripe yet elegant style of the vintage (as well as the vineyard), ultra-fine tannins, no hard edges, and a gorgeous finish.”
98 Pts. “The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy is a barrel selection. All Clone 337, all new French oak, all Thomas Rivers Brown, it's a full-bodied, concentrated effort, loaded with intense black cherries and cassis and with a subtle touch of cigar wrapper for savory complexity. It's tannic, but those tannins are ripe and silky-dusty in texture, lingering for what seems like minutes on the long, mouthwatering finish.”
98 Pts. “Deep, yet perfumed on the nose, with a fine touch of lard, graphite and lavender that follows through to a full-bodied palate with a tart black-cherry quality to the mid-palate. Immaculate tannins here and extremely long. Drink after 2025.”
95 Pts. “Delivers inviting warm cassis and crushed plum notes, while subtle lilac and violet accents flitter in the background. Shows subtle alder smoke, savory and mineral accents that enhance the fruit through the lengthy finish. A confidently suave Cabernet. Best from 2023 through 2037.”
View Wine -
2018 Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy 1.5L — 98 JD, 98 JS, 97 WA, 95 WS
98 Pts. “A tour de force from this team, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy is a barrel selection from this site and I believe it’s brought up all in new Darnajou barrels. It’s a quintessential 2018 with its more reserved, elegant, yet incredibly concentrated style, and like its sibling, it has a beautiful, savory style that includes a wealth of red and black fruits as well as espresso, tobacco leaf, cedar pencil, and dried flowers. It’s actually more reserved and backward than the straight single vineyard release and is full-bodied and flawlessly balanced, with massive tannins, integrated acidity, and a great, great finish. Like a lot of top 2018s from Napa, there’s a more Bordeaux’esque quality to this wine. The tannins are firm and present, there’s plenty of edge and cut, and it delivers a beautiful sense of weightlessness on the palate. Forget bottles for 5-7 years and enjoy over the following 25-30 years.”
98 Pts. “This is fabulous on the nose with raspberries, blackberries, flowers and crushed stones. Violets, too. Full-bodied with fine, creamy tannins that are so polished and beautiful. It goes on for minutes with a tile, berry and floral aftertaste. Drink after 2022.”
97 Pts. “Schrader’s “Colesworthy” comes from Beckstoffer’s Las Piedras vineyard, produced from 337 clone grown on the C block. The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and was aged in 100% new Darnajou and Taransaud French oak barrels for 18 months. Deep garnet-purple in color, it is youthfully mute to begin, needing some swirling before it explodes with exuberant black cherries, cassis, blackberry pie with sautéed herbs scents, plus a hint of fragrant earth. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is chock-full of freshly crushed red and black fruit flavors, delivering wonderful vibrancy and finishing long and lively. Bottled in magnums, 118 nine-liter cases were made.”
95 Pts. “A rich and showy version, with really seductive plum sauce, steeped blackberry and warmed cassis notes all working in unison, draping wonderfully over a buried loamy spine. Echoes of smoldering tobacco and melted licorice linger at the very end. Accessible now, as this is primarily fruit-driven. Drink now through 2035.”
View Wine -
2017 Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy 1.5L — 99 JS, 98 JD, 96 WA
99 Pts. “This is a phenomenal red with blue fruit that turns to plums, raw meat, dust and rust. Some dried flowers. Full-bodied, yet very tight and racy with dark-berry, plum and dark-chocolate character. Dried chili pepper, too. Complex and satisfying. Drink after 2022.”
98 Pts. “A barrel selection from this great vineyard outside of St. Helena, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy is cut from the same cloth as the straight LPV cuvée yet has just a touch more finesse, mid-palate, depth, and length. All Cabernet Sauvignon aged 20 months in 100% new Darnajou barrels, its dense purple color is followed by pure cassis and blueberry fruits, and it shows more spring flowers, violets, and sappy herbs with time in the glass. There’s plenty of background oak as well as tannins, so hide bottles for a solid 4-5 years if you can. It’s another incredibly ageworthy 2017 that will keep for 20-25 years or more.”
96 Pts. “Very deep purple-black colored, the 2017 struts confidently out of the glass with classic blackcurrants, cedar chest and pencil lead notes, giving way to suggestions of rose hip tea, fragrant earth and toasted nuts plus a waft of redcurrant jelly. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has impressive freshness and ripe, finegrained tannins supporting the bright, crunchy red and black fruit layers, finishing long with bags of energy.”
View Wine -
2016 Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy 1.5L — 100 JD, 97 WA, 94 WS
100 Pts. “A barrel selection released only in magnum, similar to the Old Sparky release, yet only from the Las Piedras Vineyard, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Colesworthy Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard is another perfect wine from this team, and it's one of those wine where I wish I could pour ever reader a taste. Offering up thrillingly pure notes of crème de cassis, perfectly ripe blueberries, chocolate, and a crazy, liquid rock-like minerality, it hits the palate with a full-bodied, powerful style that carries tons of richness and depth, yet still just glides over the palate with no sensation of weight or heaviness. It’s certainly one of the greatest Napa Cabernet Sauvignons I’ve ever tasted. As with the base Las Piedras Vineyard, do your best to hold off for a few years.”
97 Pts. “Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy opens with ripe, rich, bold crème de cassis, preserved plums and baked blueberries scents with hints of cumin seeds, star anise, mincemeat pie, mocha and new leather with wafts of tobacco, cedar and black tea. The full-bodied palate is very firm and muscular with bags of black fruits and spices, finishing very long.”
94 Pts. “A ripe, showy style, with warm waves of cassis, plum sauce and raspberry pâte de fruit taking center stage, laced with singed apple wood, sweet tobacco and anise notes. The finish delivers a bold kick of energetic fruit and a creamy dollop of toast. Best from 2020 through 2034. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 129 cases made.”
View Wine -
2015 Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy 1.5L — 100 JD, 98 JS, 97 WA, 93 WS
100 Pts. “Lastly, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy is a barrel selection from the Las Piedras Vineyard in St. Helena. It takes the classic LPV release and ratchets up the intensity without any additional sense of weight or heaviness. With incredible cassis, liquid violets, white flowers, and a distinct earthy, loamy minerality, this beauty has insane purity of fruit, a huge, layered, full-bodied style on the palate, sweet tannin, and a blockbuster finish. Don't miss it!”
98 Pts. “There is brightness and intensity on the nose and palate with fantastic depth of blue fruits such as blueberries and blackberries. Oyster shell, too. Full-bodied, layered and beautiful. So much intensity and focus. High fidelity character.”
97 Pts. “Coming from the Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard, block C that is planted to clone 337, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy has a very deep purple-black color and incredibly primary nose of blackcurrant cordial, blueberry pie and preserved plums with wafts of licorice, charcoal, mulberries and baking spices plus a hint of red roses. Medium to full-bodied, very firm and very finely crafted, the palate features wonderfully ripe tannins and great freshness, harnessing the bold, primary flavors and restraining the very long, very youthful finish. 128 cases produced.”
93 Pts. “Creamy, vanilla-infused oak joins rich dark berry, dark chocolate, spicy cedar and melted licorice flavors before a dash of crushed rock folds in. Long and lingering, young and energetic. Best from 2021 through 2033.”
View Wine -
2014 Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy 1.5L — 100 JS, 94 WA, 94 WS
100 Pts. “This is phenomenal with blackberries and blueberries, not to mention quite incredible stones and black tea. What a nose. Full-bodied and so tight and dense — yet agile and austere with so much going on. Fantastic balance. One of the best Schraders ever made. Better in four or five years, yet wonderful now.”
94 Pts. “Slightly less impressive, but still a brilliant wine, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Colesworthy comes across as more backward and closed with a Graves-like minerality. This also hails from the Las Piedras Vineyard and was aged 20 months in 100% new Darnajou. This was the most reserved of all of the 2014s from Schrader, will probably benefit from several years of bottle age, and keep for 15 or more years.”
94 Pts. “Slow to unfold, but does so in an impressive manner, gradually building intensity and depth around a core of gravel-laced dark berry, herb, licorice and spicy oak notes. Best from 2021 through 2036. 117 cases made.”
View Wine -
2013 Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy 1.5L — 98+ WA, 98 JS, 96 WS
98+ Pts. “Close to perfection is the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy, which is clone 337. This is aged in 100% new Darnajou and soaks up the new oak beautifully. Notes of lead pencil shavings, forest floor, vanilla, blackberry and cassis jump from the glass of this opaque purple, full-bodied, magnificent Cabernet Sauvignon, which is super-rich, fabulously pure and just a killer wine on the palate.”
98 Pts. “The magnum-only wine shows the best of Las Piedras. So much iodine, blackberry, black currant, licorice, stone and lavender character. Seamless and ultra-fine. A wine with a great future. Better in 2022 but fascinating to tasting.”
96 Pts. “Combines power and concentration with finesse and nuance, showing extracted blackberry, licorice, graphite, crushed rock and savory herb notes. Finishes with a powerful aftertaste that reverberates with flavor. The spicy, toasty oak adds texture and nuance. Best from 2020 through 2035.”
View Wine -
2012 Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy 1.5L — 95 WA, 94+ WS
95 Pts. “A selection of the best barrels of this wine, representing only 110 cases or basically 41/2 barrels, is the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Colesworthy. This is largely Clone 337, aged 20 months in 100% new Darnajou. This is deep, rich, full, backward and not quite as easy to access as its sibling, although at some point the Schraders and Thomas Brown thought these were the best barrels from Las Piedras. It seems to share much of its siblings opaque purple color, lots of coffee, blackberry and cassis fruit, charcoal and graphite, but seems to also require more bottle age to round into shape. Forget it for 3-4 years and drink it over the following 20-25 years.”
94 Pts. “Notably elegant, with complex aromas of rich dark berry, shaded by dusty dried herb and cedar notes, all supported by firm, finegrained tannins. Gains depth and persistence, gliding along on the finish.”
View Wine
Accolades
-
2015 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard T6 3L — 100 WA, 99 JD, 93 WS
100 Pts. “Coming from the Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, block D2 planted to clone 6, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon T6 sports a deep garnet-purple color and fantastically fragrant nose of Sichuan pepper, unsmoked cigars, potpourri, red loam and forest floor over a core of black forest cake, blackberry preserves and baked plums plus touches of dried Mediterranean herbs and smoked meats. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is full-on seductive, with wonderfully perfumed layers emerging through the frame of very finely knit yet firm tannins, finishing with epic length and depth.”
99 Pts. “Flirting with perfection, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard T6 comes all from clone 6 (there are less than 4 acres of clone 6 planted) and is always the last cuvee to be harvested. The 2015 has sensational purity as well as full-bodied, decadent notes of crème de cassis and black berry fruit, loads of mocha, scorched earth, spice and salty nuances, sweet, sweet tannin, not a hard edge to be found, and a blockbuster finish. Like all of Brown’s 2015s, it’s packed with fruit, yet its purity and balance are off the charts.”
93 Pts. “Plush, rich fruit rises to the top of this opulent offering, with layers of blackberry, dusty, loamy earth and spicy, cedary oak flavors, backed by a firm mix of tannins and spice. Best from 2021 through 2032.”
View Wine
Accolades
-
2017 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 3L — 100 JS, 98 JD, 96 WA, 95 WS
100 Pts. “Blueberries, dried violet petals and lavender with some rosemary on the nose. Full body and chewy, juicy character. Muscular and linear, yet formed and refined. Savory and salty undertone. Better after 2022.”
98 Pts. “If I had to pick a wine of the vintage at this point, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard would certainly be one of the top choices. Always a barrel selection (mostly clone 6 and clone 4), it offers extraordinary notes of exotic blue fruits, white flowers, graphite, wet stone-like minerality, and loads of violets. Possessing full-bodied richness and depth, it hits the palate with loads of fruit and texture as well as seamless tannins and integrated acidity. As with the other top wines here, it has that magical mix of richness and elegance that’s the hallmark of all great wines. Aged 20 months in 100% new oak, it’s worth hiding bottles for 4-5 years and it’s going to evolve for 20-25 years or more. Hats off to winemaker Thomas Brown for the talent to produce a wine of this quality in such a challenging vintage.”
96 Pts. “Very deep purple-black colored, the 2017 is redolent of raisin cake, hoisin, preserved plums and crème de cassis with a very provocative perfume of lilacs, cinnamon toast and camphor plus a touch of tilled soil. Full-bodied, the palate is pure seduction, with firm yet velvety tannins and the invigorating freshness lifting the background of all that rich, spicy black fruit, finishing very long.”
95 Pts. “Vibrant and intense, with raspberry, blackberry and plum reduction flavors that show excellent energy, laced with a graphite note that drives this to a long anise- and black-tea infused finish. Gorgeous fruit. Best from 2022 through 2038. 418 cases made.”
View Wine
Double Diamond 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon
OAKVILLE, NAPA VALLEY 100% CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Rated 94 Points by Wine Spectator
Crafted by Schrader Cellars winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown, Double Diamond is a truly captivating Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from exceptional vineyard lots, exclusively in Napa Valley’s renowned Oakville district. Double Diamond Cabernet Sauvignon is ready to enjoy now and will continue to evolve over the next 3-5 years.
