2019 Beckstoffer To Kalon


“This is the wine that started it all. Rich, with a great core and great mass, it is breathtaking to see how the fruit component is still there and present and the structure and the tannins have softened up.” — Carol Schrader

  • Vintage 2019
  • Alcohol 14.5%
  • Vineyard Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard
  • Appellation Oakville, Napa Valley
  • Varietal Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Clone Pure Clone 4, C2 Block
  • Cooperage Aged in 100% new Darnajou and Taransaud French oak barrels
  • Winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown
  • Tasting Notes

    Our flagship 2019 Schrader is a monumental tower of super-ripe fruit power. Deeply hued and dense, the wine offers prodigious amounts of blackberries, black currants, and ripe plums infused with notes of chocolate, smoked earth, walnut skins, and crushed rocks. Alluring wafts of candied violets weave through the profile. This pure clone 4 Cabernet is an immense wine with firm structure, well-woven tannins, and luxurious, rich texture; it is the epitome of iron fist in a velvet glove. Wonderfully balanced with a long-lasting, polished finish, the wine will continue to refine for years to come.

  • Accolades

    99 Pts “Lots of blackberry, white pepper and other spices. Ink, too. Medium to full body with firm, silky tannins that run the length of the wine. Very al-dente fruit character. Flavorful and vivid. Extremely long. So drinkable. Gorgeous. Crazy. Drink or hold.”
    — James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com

    98 Pts “Explosive dark black fruit aromas mingle with black olive, ground coffee and walnut husks. A mix of Darnajou and Taransaud barrels deliver toasty cedar and espresso accents, while fine-grained, firm tannins support lacy dark fruit and tangy blood orange acidity on a long, satisfying finish.”
    — Jonathan Cristaldi, Decanter

  • Vineyard

    Beckstoffer’s vineyard in Oakville, first planted in 1868 by viticultural and winemaking icon Hamilton Crabb, has long been regarded as the source of Napa Valley’s finest Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. This section of the vineyard is situated in the heart of the valley. An alluvial fan provides excellent mineral deposits, and the rich soils are filled with marine sediment. The vines receive full sun and optimal heat during the day and are cooled by marine fog at night. These conditions allow each of the three clones planted in this vineyard (4, 6, and 337) to display its own unique character, and this celebration of individuality is the essence of Schrader.

  • Vintage

    A cool vintage overall, the picking windows for 2019 were very long, which gave us the luxury of harvesting each different vineyard block at the perfect level of ripeness. The moment we pressed the grapes, we knew this wine was heading toward greatness. It’s exhibiting remarkable freshness that perfectly balances its flavor concentration and compares to the exceptional 2001/2002 vintages for tannins and acidity. Wonderfully enjoyable at release but will also be an ideal addition to your cellar for many years to come.