2021 RBS

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. ”
—  Joe Czerwinski, The Wine Advocate

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.”
— Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

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.”
— James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com

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.”
— James Molesworth, Wine Spectator

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.”
— Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

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.”
— Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate

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.”
— James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com

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.”
— James Molesworth, Wine Spectator

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.”
— James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com

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.”
— Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

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.”
— Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate

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.”
— James Molesworth, Wine Spectator

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.”
— Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate

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.”
— Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

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.”
— James Molesworth, Wine Spectator

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+.”
— Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate

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.”
— Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

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.”
— James Laube, Wine Spectator View Wine

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.”
— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

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.”
— James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com

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.”
— James Laube, Wine Spectator

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.”
— James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com

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.”
— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

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.”
— James Laube, Wine Spectator

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.”
— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

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.”
— James Laube, Wine Spectator

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.”
— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

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.”
— James Laube, Wine Spectator

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.”
— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

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.”
— James Laube, Wine Spectator