Wine reviews
Ripe and lush, featuring waves of crushed raspberry, blackberry and black currant fruit, infused gently with hints of menthol, warm loam and sweet tobacco. Everything knits wonderfully through the richly detailed finish, showing the underlying energy to stay balanced. Very successful for the vintage. Best from 2022 through 2036. 81 cases made. – JM
More dark currants, chocolate, gravelly earth, and tobacco notes emerge from the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Lithology Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard. It's deep, full-bodied, balanced, and just a stunning wine in every sense. I suspect it will show even more complexity in 3-4 years and cruise for two decades. This cuvée is a selection (from two blocks in the To Kalon Vineyard) that spent 21 months in just under 90% new French oak. – JD
This is made of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon picked from October 2-5. It fermented in oak, concrete and puncheon and was aged in 86% new French oak. Very deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 Lithology Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard comes bounding out of the glass with exuberant black cherries, boysenberries and black raspberries scents with underlying cassis, tar, star anise, black pepper and fertile loam scents and a waft of exotic spices. Full-bodied, rich and with impressive concentration, it has a firm frame of very fine, ripe, wonderfully grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and spicy. 81 cases were made. – LPB
A barrel sample projected to age for 22 months in 83% new French oak, the 2017 Lithology Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon is very deep garnet-purple in color and has a lovely nose of Christmas cake, mincemeat pie, aniseed and cedar with nuances of dried flowers, cardamom, eucalypt and cherry preserves plus a hint of fallen leaves. Full-bodied, rich, bold and fantastically opulent, it has a beautiful velvety texture and a very long, layered finish. Impressive! To be released in the spring of 2020. – LPB