Wine reviews
The 100% 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Elysian Reserve has a saturated opaque purple color. This has a surreal level of concentration: blueberry, raspberry, black currant and a hint of minerality and floral notes. Sumptuous on the palate – built like a skyscraper – but not heavy, this is a magnificent tour de force in Cabernet winemaking. It should drink well for at least two decades, but it’s going to be hard to resist this one early on. - RP
The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard Elysian Reserve has a black/bluish purple color, extraordinary suppleness and velvety integration of tannin, copious quantities of blueberry and blackberry liqueur, graphite and white flowers. It’s amazing wine and would be the equivalent of a great vintage of a Mission HautBrion on steroids. Whether it lasts 20 years or 30 or 40 is still up for speculation, but this is a profound Cabernet Sauvignon and one of the most compelling examples of this remarkable vintage. This is an utterly compelling, prodigious effort. Here’s to you, Mike Smith! - RP