2014 GIII


Opulent and deep, our 2014 Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard GIII delivers a cornucopia of ripe red and black berries with delicious notes of graphite, sweet spice, and licorice. Eminently approachable, this wildly aromatic wine wraps the senses, and offers a decadent, supple mouthfeel with fine tannins that give way to a generous, full finish.

  • Vintage 2014
  • Vineyard Beckstoffer Georges III
  • Appellation Rutherford, Napa Valley
  • Varietal Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Clone Pure Clone 337
  • Cooperage Aged 20 months in rare Darnajou French oak barrels
  • Winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown
  • Tasting Notes

    Opulent and deep, our 2014 Schrader GIII Cabernet delivers a cornucopia of ripe red and black berries with delicious notes of graphite, sweet spice, and licorice. Eminently approachable, this wildly aromatic wine wraps the senses, and offers a decadent, supple mouthfeel with fine tannins that give way to a generous, full finish.

  • Accolades

    97 Pts. “Aromas of walnuts and dried fruit as well as violets and forest floor. Full body, velvety tannins and a flavorful finish. This is layered and very rich yet remains vibrant and velvety. A solid and powerful Napa cab. Drink in 2019.”
    — James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com

    95 Pts. “The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon GIII is a 213-case cuvée aged in the same manner as the other wines, for 20 months, but in this case in 90% new Darnajou and 10% new Taransaud barrels. Readers will note that the percentage of the coopers varies depending on the vineyard selection. This is an inky blue/purple wine with fabulous crème de cassis notes, spring flowers, a medium to full body, supple tannins and a more fruit-forward, luscious and precocious style than usual. This is probably best consumed in its first 16-20 years of life.”
    — Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

  • Vineyard

    Located in Rutherford on the east side of the valley floor, the Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard boasts a pedigreed history that dates back to the late 1800s. We source the grapes for our Schrader GIII from a small, specific section of the vineyard that was formerly a natural riverbed. The gentle slope and unique gravel and rock composition of this block produces stunning fruit with phenomenal concentration and character. We truly feel we have found the ideal “sweet spot” of this historic vineyard estate.

  • Vintage

    While it was the third consecutive year marked by limited rainfall, the 2014 Vintage offered a perfectly temperate growing season characterized by long, moderate days and cool, clear nights. We began the year with warm spring conditions that gave way to an early budbreak and the consistent, dry weather afforded an optimal fruit set of small berries with incredible concentration. Crop yields were down a bit from 2013, but the quality was magnificent. It was a textbook growing season, every winemaker’s dream.