Wine reviews
The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard Elysian was harvested 10 days later than the straight Dr. Crane release and is a barrel selection made by winemaker Mike Smith. Despite a later pick date, you wouldn’t know it. The wine offers thrilling purity as well as more concentration and a slightly tighter, more backward, focused style. Possessing a fabulous nose of blueberry and blackberry fruits, charcoal, graphite, and smoke tobacco, it too develops a beautiful sense of minerality with time in the glass, is full-bodied, concentrated, and structured, with nothing out of place. It’s another brilliant Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from a great winemaker. 150 cases. – JD
The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard Elysian is deep garnet-purple colored with notes of plum preserves, baked cherries, crème de cassis and mocha plus hints of leather, Chinese five spice, bouquet garni and cast iron pan. The palate is full-bodied, firm and chewy with a good core of fruit and spicy finish. – LPB