Wine reviews
The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard bursts onto the palate in a rich, seamless style that totally saturates the palate with fruit. This opulent, full-bodied wine boasts incredible purity and finesse, with compelling inner sweetness and fabulous overall balance. It is another stunning wine from Paul Hobbs and his team. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2022
A much darker and more virile wine, the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard opens with beguiling aromatics that meld into a core of blue and black fruit, exotic spices, tar, smoke and violets. The 2010 boasts superb depth, power and richness in a weighty, brooding style that is the essence of To Kalon. A huge, intense finish rounds things out in style. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2032. (Not yet released) One of the greatest attributes of the Paul Hobbs Cabernet Sauvignons is their ability to deliver incredible pleasure throughout their entire lives. I tasted a wide range of wines this year with Paul Hobbs and winemaker Megan Baccitich, including several past vintages of the flagship To Kalon, which confirmed that view. In particular, the 2001 and 2002 To Kalon Cabernets remain stunning, and the straight 1999 Napa Valley Cabernet was equally impressive. -AG
Seamless and pure, offering fine aroma, texture, weight and focus, this features a core of dark berry, currant and wild berry flavors that glide across the palate with a Pinot Noir–like fleshiness. Oozes on the finish. Drink now through 2024. From California.—J.L.