A bottle of 2012 schrader ccs cabernet sauvignon on a grey background

2012 CCS

With a tower of cascading flavors, our 2012 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard CCS brilliantly reveals the full force power of a pure clone 4 Cabernet, masterfully balanced by monumental structure and super sensual mouthfeel. The spectacular structure of the Schrader CCS is supported by indulgent notes of blackberry and blueberry with hints of black currant that are rounded out by crème de cassis. The naturally smooth, graceful texture of the wine provides an arrestingly enjoyable experience from entry through long, lingering finish that is uniquely Schrader CCS.

  • Vintage 2012
  • Vineyard Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard
  • Appellation Oakville, Napa Valley
  • Varietal Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Clone Pure Clone 4
  • Cooperage Aged 20 months in rare Darnajou French oak barrels
  • Winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown

  • Tasting Notes

    With a tower of cascading flavors, our 2012 Schrader CCS brilliantly reveals the full force power of a pure clone 4 Cabernet, masterfully balanced by monumental structure and super sensual mouthfeel. The spectacular structure of the Schrader CCS is supported by indulgent notes of blackberry and blueberry with hints of black currant that are rounded out by crème de cassis. The naturally smooth, graceful texture of the wine provides an arrestingly enjoyable experience from entry through long, lingering finish that is uniquely Schrader CCS.

  • Accolades

    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." — Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

    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." — James Laube, Wine Spectator

  • Vineyard

    First planted in 1868 by viticultural and winemaking icon Hamilton Crabb, To Kalon Vineyard® has long been regarded as the source of Napa Valley's finest Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. Within the prime vineyard blocks, an alluvial fan provides excellent and varied mineral deposits, and the rich soils are filled with marine sediment that gives our wines their distinctive profiles. The vines receive full sun and optimal heat during the day and are cooled by marine fog at night. These conditions allow the Cabernet Sauvignon planted in the vineyard to display its own unique character, and this celebration of individuality is the essence of Schrader ®.

  • Vintage

    In the words of Henry Hartman, "success always comes when preparation meets opportunity." With more than a decade of experience in the vineyard we definitely had the preparation part down, however we were happily surprised by the unlimited opportunity given to us by Mother Nature in 2012. The growing conditions were beyond fabulous, provding the double benefit of phenomenal quality as well as grand abundance, a winemaker's dream. Serendipitous and trouble-free, the pristine conditions of the season delivered a harvest with both marvelous quality and ample quantity, an ideal combination.

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