Wine reviews
Flirting with perfection, the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard RBS from clone 337 was aged in new Darnajou barrels (80%) and the rest in new Taransaud barrels. There were 410 cases produced, which is several hundred cases less than the production in 2012. An unbelievable red wine, it boasts an inky/purple color as well as abundant notes of charcoal, white chocolate, toast, new saddle leather, blueberries, blackberries, crème de cassis and licorice. As the wine sits in the glass, some chocolaty, smoky elements also emerge. This virtually perfect Cabernet Sauvignon has been flawlessly made and should age effortlessly for 25-30+ years. Year-in and year-out this is one of the most interesting as well as fascinating group of wines and projects in Napa Valley. First, Schrader has two committed owners, secondly a brilliant winemaker in Thomas Brown, and thirdly, one of the true first-growth vineyard sites in all of Napa Valley, the famed Beckstoffer-owned To Kalon Vineyard in Oakville. There is also a new Beckstoffer vineyard in Oakville called Las Piedras. Additionally, they source grapes from the Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard in Rutherford, several miles north of Oakville. In top vintages, Schrader’s Beckstoffer Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines can be as good as money can buy ... anywhere in the world. The Schraders are essentially giving consumers a microscopic, intense study of the differences between clones from one particular vineyard. Production levels range from 100-200 cases to as high as 400 cases. The total production is well under 1,800 cases of wine, even in such generous vintages as 2012. These offerings, which are aged 18-20 months in a majority of Darnajou French barrels with some Taransaud, are much more similar than dissimilar, but I think long-term aging will begin to reveal differences, and that’s the objective with these separate cuvees. All of these wines will keep for a minimum of 25-40 years. This is probably an overload of information for the casual drinker who just wants a great Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, but for the wine geeks, this kind of clonal study is fascinating. The cooler than normal 2010 vintage produced a group of wines with small production levels. The 2011s came from a small yielding vintage as well. Winemaker Thomas Brown and the Schraders had to deal with two large rainy scenarios that were followed by foggy conditions in early to mid-October that resulted in the formation of botrytis in the grape bunches. They seem to have come through this with flying colors in several of their cuvees, which are candidates for the wines of the vintage. The 2012s enjoyed an incredibly long hang time, and although the year was warm, there was only one serious heat spike that came at a time (in July where the temperature hit 105 degrees) that was not threatening to the vineyards. Thomas Brown thought the number of days between flowering and the veraison (when the color of the grapes changes from green to dark purple) was around 65-70 days, an unusually long time that bodes well for flavor and tannin development in the grape bunches. The 2012s are all huge, richly fruity wines that were primary when I tasted them. For that reason, I will keep my notes short, but there appears to be at least three candidates for perfect scores after another 8-9 months in new oak. -RP
Combines power with finesse, though at this point the torque wins out, pushing this into overdrive. Tiers of spice, flowers and dark and red berry, with notes of licorice, flow before the tannins clamp down, giving the wine a chewy aftertaste. Ends with a teasing lift. Best from 2016 through 2030. 410 cases made. –JL
Super-ripe plums, cassis, mint, mocha and violets caress the palate as the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon RBS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard opens up in the glass. The RBS stands out for its gorgeous inner perfume, sweetness and plushness. Layers of fruit build effortlessly as this gracious, highly expressive wine flows through to its plush, generous finish. The minerality of the vintage comes alive on the vibrant, beautifully delineated finish laced with sensual crushed flower overtones. This is another striking wine. The RBS is clone 337 from the B1, B2 and E2 blocks. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2030. This is a fabulous set of wines from Fred Schrader, his wife Carol and their long-time winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown. The 2010 Cabernets are big, huge wines that capture the essence of this great Napa Valley vintage. As always, the wines are made with no SO2 at the crusher, natural yeasts and minimal rackings. The four single-clone bottlings from the To-Kalon vineyard are essentially essays that provide notable insight into the clonal differences within the various parcels in this famous site. I also tasted all of the 2011s, but those wines are still embryonic stages rather than final blends, so it is hard to provide meaningful commentary at this stage. Thus far, I have tasted the 2011s twice, and both times I have been struck by the new Las Piedras bottling, which personally I am very much looking forward to following. Sadly, there will be no GIII in 2011, as conditions were just too difficult. - AG
The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon RBS Clone 337 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard bursts onto the palate with a rich of dark red berries, flowers, mint and minerals. The 2010 possesses striking inner perfume and fabulous richness. This is all finesse and elegance. Ripe, silky tannins frame the finish. The RBS is totally sexy and flat-out captivating. Bright, floral notes linger in the empty glass. Right now, this is the most promising of the 2010s. In 2010 the clonal base for the RBS bottling is clone 337 from Blocks B1, B2 and E2, the latter a new addition in this vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2030. I tasted the Schrader 2009s and 2010s twice this year, about five months apart, and that time has done wonders for the wines. The Schrader Cabernets are big, bold wines that nevertheless show remarkable detail and transparency to site, as is evidenced by the five separate bottlings from Andy Beckstoffer’s To Kalon vineyard in Oakville. These are essentially single-clone (and often single-block) wines that seek to highlight the unique qualities of the various Cabernet clones planted within the vineyard. I tasted the 2009s from bottle and the 2010s from barrel. Readers should note that the 2010s I tasted were base blends for each of the wines, rather than fully finished blends. I have a slight preference for the 2010s, as they are more nuanced, perfumed and finessed, while the 2009s are just a bit more similar to each other throughout the range, reflecting the nature of the years themselves. Beyond that, it really comes down to personal preference when choosing one of these wines. The RBS is the most aromatic and detailed, and in my view, complete of the wines. Readers who prefer a more overt, opulent, fruit-driven style of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon will gravitate to the Old Sparky or the Schrader. Either way, it is hard to go wrong with any of these Cabernets. The wines are made in a fairly non-interventionalist style, with no SO2 added at crush, minimal rackings and no fining or filtration prior to bottling. Everything starts in the vineyard, where Brown and his team leave one cluster (minus wings) per shoot. The 2009s were aged in 100% new French oak barrels, 80-90% Darnajou the rest Taransaud.