Products
Colesworthy Accolades
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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.”
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LPV Accolades
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2016 Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard LPV
— 100 WA, 98+ JD, 94 WS
100 Pts. “The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard LPV is very deep purple-black in color with an incredibly perfumed nose of potpourri, lavender and red roses with hints of oolong tea, cigar boxes and fragrant earth over a black cherry, blackberry and warm plums core. Full-bodied, firm and with wonderfully ripe, grainy tannins, it delivers mouth-filling black fruits and an epically long, wonderfully fragrant finish.”
98+ Pts. “There are two wines from this rocky site located on the western edge of St. Helena, which was purchased by the Beckstoffer family in 1983. Looking first at the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon LPV Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard, which is 100% clone 337 Cabernet Sauvignon aged in new oak, it has a dense, backward style as well as insane minerality in its full-bodied aromas and flavors of black fruits, dark chocolate, violets, and earth. Locked and loaded on the palate, it has a layered, multi-dimensional texture, yet is certainly one of the more backward releases. Don't think about opening bottles for at least 3-5 years.”
94 Pts. “This features lush, velvety waves of plum sauce, blackberry puree and warmed fig confiture rolling through, laced liberally with melted black licorice and Black Forest cake notes. The toast is equally lavish on the finish. Integrated and balanced, but be prepared for the ostentatious style. Best from 2020 through 2032. 311 cases made.”
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Beckstoffer To Kalon Accolades
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2016 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard
— 99 JD, 98 WA, 96 WS
99 Pts. “The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Schrader (aka Schrader Schrader) is another just about perfect wine from this unstoppable team at Schrader, which is lead by Thomas Rivers Brown. As with all these releases, it's 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and spent 20 months in 75% new Darnajou barrels and 25% new Taransaud barrels. Deep purple-colored, with a mammoth bouquet of blue fruits, liquid violets, camphor, and incense along with hints of oak and graphite, it's full-bodied, uber-rich and concentrated, yet also elegant and seamless. It's a rock star bottle of wine.”
98 Pts. “The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is very deep purple-black in color, with opulent scents of exotic spices, sandalwood and cloves over a core of chocolate box, crushed black cherries, mulberries and black pepper with a waft of cedar. The full-bodied palate has a rock-solid line of ripe, grainy tannins, oodles of freshness and layer upon layer of spice and incense-laced black fruits, finishing on a compelling aniseed note.”
96 Pts. “A big, broad-shouldered wine, brimming with cassis, crushed plum and steeped blackberry fruit flavors, all pushed by a dense, loamy spine that courses through the middle. The sides are polished and the fruit powers through, imparting drive and providing contrast to the loamy character. Best from 2021 through 2040. 172 cases made.”
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CCS Accolades
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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.”
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Old Sparky Accolades
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2016 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L in Wood Box
— 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.”
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RBS Accolades
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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.”
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T6 Accolades
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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.”
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GIII Accolades
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2017 Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard GIII
— 97 JD, 96+ WA, 96 JS, 93 WS
97 Pts. “Yields at Schrader are down a massive 50%, yet what they put in bottle is certainly brilliant. Starting with their 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard, it’s one of the plusher, more rounded, sexy wines in the lineup and is loaded with cassis and assorted blue fruits as well as notes of white flowers, violets, and tobacco. Full-bodied, concentrated, and opulent on the palate, it’s one big mouthful of pleasure bent fruit that’s hard to match in the vintage. Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon that spent 20 months in 90% new oak, it’s going to put a smile on everyone’s face any time over the coming 20 years or so.”
96+ Pts. “Very deep purple-black colored, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon GIII Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard comes roaring out of the glass with vivacious black cherry cordial, crème de cassis and blueberry pie scents with hints of menthol, licorice, mocha and spice cake. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is chock-full of spicy black fruit preserves, framed by plush tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing long.”
96 Pts. “Extremely clean, fruity aromas of crushed berries and cardamon. Medium to full body, well-integrated tannins and a soft, silky texture. Long and focused. Drink or hold.”
93 Pts. “An extrovert, with bold cassis, plum sauce and boysenberry compote flavors augmented by violet, mint and warm black licorice notes. Offers a flashy, toasty finish that pulls everything together while avoiding the rustic, brambly nore typical of the vintage. Best from 2021 through 2033. 588 cases made.”
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Colesworthy Accolades
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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.”
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CCS Accolades
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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.”
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Old Sparky Accolades
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2017 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky 1.5L in Wood Box
— 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.”
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T6 Accolades
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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.”
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MB Accolades
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2017 To Kalon Vineyard MB
— 97+ WA, 95 JS, 94 WS, 94 JD
97+ Pts. “Very deep purple-black colored, it bursts from the glass with a fruit explosion of blueberry compote, freshly crushed black plums, black cherry preserves and cassis, giving way to touches of red roses, cigar boxes, yeast extract and fallen leaves. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a fantastic frame of bold freshness and very finely grained, firm tannins, impressively supporting the mouth-coating blue and black fruits, finishing very long and very perfumed.”
95 Pts. “Fabulous aromas of crushed black currants, licorice, tar and violet. Inkwell, too. Medium body and tight, linear tannins that are polished and chewy. Driven finish. Needs time to open. First vintage of this wine and from Constellation's To Kalon holdings. Drink after 2022.”
94 Pts. “Shows a beautiful range of warmed sassafras, sage and bay leaf aromas, with black tea and juniper hints, all of which impart a sense of lift and volume to the steeped plum and açaí berry core. Reveals a smoldering loam note through the finish. Best from 2021 through 2036. 646 cases made.”
94 Pts. “The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon To Kalon Vineyard Monastery Block is always terrific, yet I always find it more linear and foursquare compared to some of the other releases in the lineup. Nevertheless, it offers a terrific bouquet of gravelly earth, ground herbs, chocolaty dark fruits, and some obvious minerality. This full-bodied Cabernet is going to benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for 15-20 plus.”
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GIII Accolades
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2018 Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard GIII
— 98 JD, 97 JS, 96 WA
98 Pts. “Coming from a larger, famous site in Rutherford, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer GIII Vineyard is another superstar in the lineup. Possessing a dense purple color, it delivers a monster bouquet of ripe blackcurrants, chocolate, tobacco, sweet mulch, and a Graves-like sense of gravelly earth and minerality. While I suspect the acidity is quite low, it stays lively on the palate, possessing full-bodied richness, soft tannins, remarkable purity, and a great finish. This super-rich, opulent, incredibly sexy Cabernet Sauvignon should evolve for 20 years or more.”
97 Pts. “A seductive ripe-fruit and floral nose. Medium-to full-bodied with notes of blackberries, blackcurrants, violets and spice. Light, fresh jam, too. It’s full and compact with a dense, deep palate and beautiful fruit. Firm and bright. Try after 2024.”
96 Pts. “Schrader’s GIII comes from Beckstoffer’s Georges III vineyard in Rutherford, produced from 337 clone grown on the F block. One hundred percent Cabernet Sauvignon, it was aged in 100% new Darnajou and Taransaud French oak barrels for 18 months. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon GIII Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard springs from the glass with a glorious perfume of violets and lavender, giving way to notes of crushed black currants, black raspberries and red currant jelly, plus an undercurrent of cedar chest and fragrant soil. Full-bodied, firm and grainy, the palate is popping with taut, muscular, vibrant black fruits, supported by wonderfully ripe tannins, finishing long and full of energy. 151 cases were made.”
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Colesworthy Accolades
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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.”
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LPV Accolades
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2018 Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard LPV
— 98 JD, 98 JS, 97 WS, 96 WA
98 Pts. “The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard LPV comes from a rocky site just outside of St. Helena, next to the Dr. Crane vineyard. Despite its close proximity, this vineyard always seems to yield a more red-fruited, elegant wine compared to the more powerful style from Dr. Crane. Deep ruby/purple colored, with a killer bouquet of savory red and black fruits. tobacco, chocolate, dried flowers. and bay leaves, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a seamless, multi-dimensional texture, perfect balance, and a great, great finish. This is a gorgeous, utterly thrilling 2018. It should probably merit a triple-digit rating in 4-5 years and evolve for 30+ years or more.”
98 Pts. “Wonderful aromas of currants, crushed berries and flowers. Very deep and complex. Full-bodied and layered with loads of ripe tannins, yet they are polished and very fine. Extremely long finish. Give it at least five years to come together and refine. Try after 2025.”
97 Pts. “Packed for sure, but there's a lot of freshness and inner brightness too, with a core of cassis, plum puree and linzer flavors gliding through atop polished structure, while violet, anise and roasted apple wood notes fill in liberally through the finish, which sports a buried but discernibly racy graphite edge. Gorgeous. Best from 2022 through 2040.”
96 Pts. “Schrader’s “LPV” comes from Beckstoffer’s Las Piedras vineyard, produced from 337 clone grown on the C block. One hundred percent Cabernet Sauvignon, it was aged for 18 months in 100% new Darnajou and Taransaud French oak barrels. Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Lpv slowly unfurls to reveal fragrant notes of red roses, cherry pie, mulberries and warm cassis with hints of fallen leaves, potpourri and Indian spices. The medium-bodied palate delivers fantastic intensity with loads of exotic spice accents complementing the crunchy red and black fruits, framed by firm, grainy tannins and a lively backbone. It finishes with a beautiful fragrant-earth signature. 443 cases were made.”
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Beckstoffer To Kalon Accolades
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2018 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard
— 99 WA, 98+ JD, 98 JS, 97 WS
99 Pts. “This “Schrader” label comes from Beckstoffer’s To Kalon vineyard in Oakville, produced from clone 4 grown on the C2 block. It is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and was aged in 100% new Darnajou and Taransaud French oak barrels for 18 months. Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard has a wonderfully perfumed nose of potpourri, baking spices and dusty soil over a core of crème de cassis, blueberry pie and flamboyant Indian spices. Full-bodied, super firm with super ripe tannins and lovely freshness, it delivers layer upon layer of black fruit preserves and exotic spices, finishing long and beautifully poised. Give it a good 3-5 years in bottle to really strut its stuff and drink it over the next 30+ years. 219 cases were made.”
98+ Pts. “A powerful, backward, and concentrated wine, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Schrader exhibits a dense purple/plum color as well as an extraordinary bouquet of blackcurrants, dark chocolate, graphite, gravelly earth, and tobacco leaf. It takes plenty of air to show at its best, and I suspect 3-4 years of bottle age are warranted, but this full-bodied, multi-dimensional 2018 has flawless balance, building tannins, and is just loaded with potential.”
98 Pts. “An expressive, seductive nose, showing notes of plums, dark fruit, flowers and some vanilla. Full-bodied and well structured with firm tannins. Powerful. A great cabernet sauvignon that will benefit from aging. Better after 2025.”
97 Pts. “A stunner from the start, as gorgeous waves of cassis, warmed plum sauce and blackberry pâte de fruit flavors cruise through with authority, inlaid with a graphite spine and backed with notes of violet, black licorice snap and roasted apple wood. This doesn’t quit either, echoing with fruit and earth through the extremely long finish. Very impressive. Best from 2022 through 2040.”
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CCS Accolades
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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.”
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RBS Accolades
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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.”
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T6 Accolades
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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.”
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Heritage Clone Accolades
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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.”
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MB Accolades
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2018 To Kalon Vineyard MB
— 98+ WA, 98 JS, 97+ JD, 96 WS
98+ Pts. “Only the second vintage of this new Schrader label, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Monastery Block To Kalon Vineyard comes from clone 169 planted on the Monastery Block of the Robert Mondavi section of To Kalon vineyard in Oakville. One hundred percent Cabernet Sauvignon, it is was aged in 100% new Darnajou and Taransaud French oak barrels for 18 months. Deep garnet-purple in color, the nose is shut down, requiring a fair amount of swirling to unveil pronounced black currant cordial, stewed plums and blackberry preserves scents with hints of crushed rocks, tar, licorice and camphor. Medium-bodied, the palate reveals a lot of energy and tension, offering glimpses of mineral and spice accents among the tightly knit, muscular black fruit layers, supported by a solid wall of firm, grainy tannins. It finishes with great length and a lively burst of freshness. 302 cases were made.”
98 Pts. “An expressive and complex cabernet sauvignon with notes of plum, blackberry, toasted oak and earthy undertones. Lots of blue fruit. The palate is full and tannic with firm tannins and a long, powerful finish, showing so much black currant, blue fruit and dark chocolate. Solid. Better after 2024.”
97+ Pts. “Coming from the historic Monastery Block in this Grand Cru vineyard, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon To Kalon Vineyard MB offers a beautifully layered, full-bodied, yet structured profile that's going to benefit from bottle age. Lots of blackcurrants, gravelly earth, dark chocolate, and liquid violet-like nuances give way to a concentrated 2018 with a wonderful mid-palate, building tannins, and a great finish. Do your best to hide bottles for 4-5 years, and this puppy should be long-lived!”
96 Pts. “This is laden with vibrant fruit, showing flavors of cassis, kirsch, linzer and acai berry, while violet, apple wood and melted licorice notes fill in where they can. Shows a bramby hint through the back end, adding good energy to the massively endowed fruit core. The finish echoes and echoes with fruit. Best from 2022 through 2038.”
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GIII Accolades
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2019 Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard GIII
— 97 JD, 94 WS, 95-97+ WA
97 Pts “Lots of classic darker, herbal notes define the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard, a rich, medium to full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon from winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown. With air, more chocolate, espresso, and spice notes emerge from the glass, and this medium to full-bodied, textured, ripe, yet also elegant 2019 is going to drink brilliantly for another 20 years or so.”
94 Pts “A rock-solid Cabernet, with cassis and dark plum stitched together with dusty earth and iron notes, all set into an alder and savory frame. Grippy back end, but the fruit keeps pace and there's a buried violet note for purity. Best from 2023 through 2036.”
95-97+ Pts “...expressive notes of red roses, fallen leaves, dusty soil and cinnamon stick over a core of warm cassis, kirsch and baked plums, with a subtle waft of eucalyptus.”
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Double Diamond Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon
OAKVILLE, NAPA VALLEY 100% CABERNET SAUVIGNON
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.
