Wine reviews
An exotic, voluptuous wine, the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard wraps around the palate with serious depth. The 2009 is big, full-bodied and super-intense. It doesn’t have the aromatic high register of the 2010, but instead has more depth and immediacy. Waves of fruit build to a huge, enveloping finish. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024. Mike and Leah Smith’s Myriad Cellars is an up and coming winery worth keeping an eye on. Mike Smith also makes the wines at Carter. I have every reason to think he will establish the same level of quality here. -AG
Plush and layered, offering complex mocha and espresso flavors, with rich plum and blackberry fruit that's supple and focused, elegant and detailed. Drink now through 2022. 175 cases made. –JL
The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard emerges from the glass with blackberries, blueberries, flowers, mint and minerals. It is a round, sensual Cabernet endowed with striking inner perfume and generous, open fruit. Layers of fruit build towards a finish infused with smoke, tar and incense. This is a beautiful, lush Cabernet. A slight note of heat on the finish is the only thing holding the 2009 back from a higher score. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024. These are the first wines I have tasted from Myriad Cellars, Mike Smith’s new project. I have a slight preference for 2008 versus 2009 when it comes to the Cabernets, as the 2008s seem to have a touch more delineation and structure than the 2009s, which come across as a bit more forward. Both vintages are going to be a lot of fun to watch over the coming years