2021 Old Sparky

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!”
— Joe Czerwinski, The Wine Advocate

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.”
— Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

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. ”
— James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com

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.”
— Jonathan Cristaldi, Decanter

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.”
— James Molesworth, Wine Spectator

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.”
— Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate

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!”
— Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

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.”
— James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com

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.”
— James Molesworth, Wine Spectator

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.”
— James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com

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.”
— Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

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.”
— Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate

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.”
— James Molesworth, Wine Spectator

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.”
— Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate

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.”
— Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

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.”
— James Molesworth, Wine Spectator

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.”
— Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

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.”
— Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate

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.”
— James Laube, Wine Spectator

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.”
— James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com

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.”
— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

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.”
— James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com

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.”
— James Laube, Wine Spectator

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.”
— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

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.”
— James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com

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.”
— James Laube, Wine Spectator

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.”
— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

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.”
— James Laube, Wine Spectator

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.”
— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

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.”
— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

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.”
— James Laube, Wine Spectator