Wine reviews
The finest wine in this portfolio appears to be the unbottled 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard. Abundant aromas of cassis, cedar, spice box, licorice, and tobacco leaf emerge from this rich, full-bodied, opulent Cabernet. Revealing sweet tannin as well as superb concentration, it should be a 20-year wine for sure. It offers a soft, elegant, silky-textured style with seductive red and black fruits intermixed with underbrush, forest floor, and a hint of smoke. Drink this medium to full-bodied, round, generous 2007 over the next decade.
The 2007 Beckstoffer To Kalon displays a dense ruby/purple color, abundant crème de cassis, graphite, cedar and Christmas fruitcake characteristics and a rich, full-bodied style. Possessing another gear or two compared to the Napa bottling, this is obviously a first-growth/grand cru site, and the nobility of the fruit, complexity and richness all reflect that. Give this 2007 2-5 more years of cellaring and drink it over the following 25+.
Intense and concentrated, with a stylish mix of cedar, espresso, currant, blackberry, sandalwood and black, licorice flavors. Pure, ripe, full-bodied and focused, ending with a long, lingering finish that keeps repeating the berry and sandalwood themes. Best from 2012 through 2014. 198 cases made. -- J. L.