Wine reviews
From a site in Rutherford, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Vineyard Georges III Empyrean, a barrel selection made from 90% new Darnajou and Taransaud barrels, is more expressive and complex, with a killer bouquet of cedarwood, black currants, forest floor, fruit cake, and assorted darker fruits. While it's from the same vineyard as the straight Georges III release, it's a very different wine with its more open, sexy, seamless character. With full body, ripe tannins, and a seamless, even sexy texture, it's already complex and layered, yet will benefit from 3-4 years of bottle age and keep for 15-20 years. 125 cases. – JD
One-hundred percent Cabernet Sauvignon with a deep purple-black color, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III Empyrean rolls sensuously out of the glass like Cleopatra from her carpet, revealing incredibly alluring kirsch, Black Forest cake, warm blackcurrants and black raspberry scents with compelling suggestions of cinnamon stick, rose hip tea, cloves and forest floor plus a hint of pencil shavings. The full-bodied black fruit layers dance suggestively on the palate with lots of floral and red fruit sparks and a velvety frame, finishing long and spicy. – LPB