A bottle of 2014 schrader Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard RBS on a grey background

2014 RBS

The 2014 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard RBS is a sensory thrill from the first moment, with opulent aromas of ripe red, blue, and black fruits balanced with notes of sweet spice and minerals. On the palate, the wine is decadently plush and inviting with a flavor cadre of cassis, crushed plums, tea leaves, and fine threads of graphite and natural earth. The true essence of Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine is marked by exceptional balance, elegant fruit character, refined tannin structure, and a silky-smooth, velvety finish.

  • Vintage 2014
  • Vineyard Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard
  • Appellation Oakville, 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

    The 2014 Schrader RBS is a sensory thrill from the first moment, with opulent aromas of ripe red, blue, and black fruits balanced with notes of sweet spice and minerals. On the palate, the wine is decadently plush and inviting with a flavor cadre of cassis, crushed plums, tea leaves, and fine threads of graphite and natural earth. The true essence of Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine is marked by exceptional balance, elegant fruit character, refined tannin structure, and a silky-smooth, velvety finish.

  • Accolades

    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

  • 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

    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.

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