Wine reviews

December 2016

The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer to Kalon Vineyard defines what a great terroir can do. Great fruit, great balance, amazing complexity and intensity, but without any real weight, and a style that satisfies the hedonistic as well as intellectual senses, this big, lush, fruit-driven but profound wine should be delicious when released and evolve for 20 or more years.-RP

Jan. 31 – Feb. 28, 2019

A dark, dense display of Cabernet, with menthol and tobacco notes pervading the core of steeped black currant and blackberry fruit, while singed vanilla, anise and roasted apple wood accents fill in through the finish. The fruit unwinds steadily throughout, showing notable purity despite the heft. Best from 2020 through 2037. 420 cases made. – J.M.