Wine reviews

2015 Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon
Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard
The Wine Advocate 99 Points
October 2017

Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and strutting a deep garnet-purple color, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyards offers up a beautiful dried flowers and fragrant earth nose over a crème de cassis and baking spice core with blackberry preserves and black forest cake in the background plus a waft of bay leaves. The palate is a big, rich, full, multilayered extravaganza, piling on the fruit and savory notions with firm, grainy tannins and a lively backbone, finishing with epic persistence. – LPB

Jeb Dunnuck 100 Points
December 2017

As good as it gets, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon checks in as 100% Cabernet Sauvignon that spent 21 months in new French oak. Possessing an incredible bouquet of cassis, liquid violets, Asian spices, and charred meats, it hits the palate with an elegant, seamless, ultra-fine texture that builds incrementally, with huge tannins that are only noticeable 30 seconds or more after the finish. This heavenly Napa Cabernet has no hard edges, incredible richness, no weight, and will evolve gracefully for two to three decades. – JD

Wine Spectator Insider 94 Points
May 2019

An intense, grippy style, with a well of dark currant and fig fruit held in check for now by loamy tannins and a wall of dark tobacco and earth notes. This has great drive, which bodes well, with a charcoal note scoring the fruit on the finish, adding extra detail and range. A distinctive and authoritative red. Best from 2021 through 2035. – J.M

Wine Spectator 94 Points
August 2019

An intense, grippy style, with a well of dark currant and fig fruit held in check for now by loamy tannins and a wall of dark tobacco and earth notes. This has great drive, which bodes well, with a charcoal note scoring the fruit on the finish, adding extra detail and range. A distinctive and authoritative red. Best from 2021 through 2035. 585 cases made. – J.M