Wine reviews
Vivid, with lush cassis, plum and boysenberry compote flavors rolling through, carried by substantial structure that pulls in warm earth, sweet tobacco, licorice root and sweet bay leaf notes. A violet echo weaves through on the finish as the fruit and earth notes meld. This is Oakville. Best from 2023 through 2040. 827 cases made. – JM
Vivid, with lush cassis, plum and boysenberry compote flavors rolling through, carried by substantial structure that pulls in warm earth, sweet tobacco, licorice root and sweet bay leaf notes. A violet echo weaves through on the finish as the fruit and earth notes meld. This is Oakville. Best from 2023 through 2040. 827 cases made. – J.M
Schrader’s CCS comes from Beckstoffer’s To Kalon vineyard in Oakville, produced from clone 4 grown on the C1 block. It is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in 100% new Darnajou and Taransaud French oak barrels for 18 months. Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon CCS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard rolls effortlessly out of the glass with profound notions of baked plums, boysenberries, blackberry pie and cassis, leading to hints of mocha, tapenade and black truffles. Full-bodied, concentrated and with a rock-solid backbone of grainy tannins, it delivers muscular black fruit and savory flavors, leading to a long, earthy finish. 821 cases were made. – LPB
Just pure gold, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard CCS is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from one of California's greatest terroirs, that was brought up in 100% new French oak. This dense purple colored effort has a magical bouquet of pure crème de cassis, smoke tobacco, white flowers, crushed stone, truffle, and hints of chocolate. Possessing full-bodied richness, this beauty builds incrementally on the palate, showing lots of ripe, polished tannins, no hard edges, and a rare mix of power, structure, and elegance that's something to behold. Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, or red wine for that matter, just doesn't get any better. Hats off to winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown for yet another majestic, singular wine that’s as good as it gets. – JD
I almost always find the CCS cuvée to be the most complete wine in the lineup, and the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard CCS doesn’t do anything to change my opinion. Revealing a deep purple hue as well as a massive bouquet of crème de cassis, white flowers, graphite, and wet stone-like minerality, it has an incredible purity and elegance paired with a massive, rich, full-bodied profile. Still aging in 100% new French oak, it’s a magical wine in the making. – JD
Schrader’s CCS comes from Beckstoffer’s To Kalon vineyard in Oakville, produced from clone 4 grown on the C1 block. It is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, aging in 100% new Darnajou oak barrels. A very deep purple-black colored barrel sample, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon CCS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is a little shy to begin, soon unfurling to offer a wonderfully fragrant nose of kirsch, cassis, redcurrants and chocolate-covered cranberries with wafts of garrigue, wild thyme and cedar. Medium-bodied, the palate is taut and muscular with loads of mineral sparks among the red and black berry layers and a rock-solid, grainy frame, finishing with a provocative herbal lift. 897 cases are due to be made. – LPB