Winemaker Notes
A testament to Napa’s grand cru vineyard site, To Kalon’s signature dark-fruited, dried herb complexity is seamlessly integrated with sweet oak spices of vanilla bean and toasted almonds, sending a wave of deliciously intense flavors across the richly dense palate in a tasty expression of power and elegance.
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
The fifth vintage of this iconic vineyard-designate reserve comes in at 14.5% ABV and comprises 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cab Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. Although I’m inspired to write a sonnet after tasting it, I attempted to translate my notes into these succinct descriptives: Toffee-cedar and plum preserves accent the nose with an undertone of leather and coffee as the satiny entry leads to a dustier mid-palate. Tannins wrap the tongue with fleshy dark chocolate and dense blueberry oak.
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James Suckling
Very complex and changing all the time with red fruit, tile, blackberries and a hint of black truffle. Full-bodied, firm and chewy with focus and reality. Firm and driven with compact and super fine tannins. Drink now or hold.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Composed of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon To Kalon Reserve features a deep garnet-purple color and wonderfully expressive nose of crème de cassis, preserved plums and black forest cake with hints of cigar boxes, aniseed, dark chocolate and forest floor. Full-bodied, rich and concentrated in the mouth, the ripe, opulent black fruit is well supported by velvety tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing long and spicy.
Rating: 96+ -
Jeb Dunnuck
A blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, 2% Petite Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon The Reserve To Kalon Vineyard is about as perfumed, upfront and sexy as they come. Sporting a ruby/plum color and a terrific bouquet of black raspberries, cedary spice, toasty oak, flowers and incense, it hits the palate with loads of sweet fruit, an undeniable opulence, ripe tannin and a great finish. It's an approachable 2015 that's going to evolve gracefully for another two decades.
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Wine Enthusiast
Perfumed in rose and violet, this reserve-worthy red displays deft notes of currant, dark cherry and plum along an exotic mineral-laden lineup of crushed rock and cocoa powder. Plush and broadly expansive in tannin, it persists in a classic, old-world finish of dried herb, sage and clove. Enjoy best 2025–2030. Cellar Selection
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Wine & Spirits
Genevieve Janssens makes this wine from the benchlands of To Kalon, a vineyard that has been central to Napa Valley’s cabernet success. This vintage, from a drought year, takes time to move past some Porty notes and dry tannins, settling into its structure and gaining freshness with several days of air. The tannins turn finer and the dark fruit gains precedence, incorporating the wine’s warmth into juicy richness.
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Wine Spectator
Very tight and structured, this stylish effort offers compact dark berry, currant, cedar and crushed rock flavors, making for a wine that is best-served by a long decant or cellar time. Best from 2021 through 2032. 7,995 cases made.
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.
Home to some of the most sought-after Cabernet Sauvignon in America, Napa Valley’s Oakville district stretches across the center of Napa's valley floor and foothills between the Vaca and Mayacamas Mountains. This AVA is home to the legendary To Kalon Vineyard and Martha's Vineyard, as well as many powerhouse wineries including Screaming Eagle, Silver Oak, Robert Mondavi, Opus One, Far Niente and Groth.
The climate is generally warm and agreeable, resulting in year after year of favorable vintages. Summer days see a gentle tug of war between warmer inland air and the cool air coming in from the San Pablo Bay, creating an ideal environment to grow red varieties. Oakville's diverse soils, namely ancient sea bedrock, clay and gravel, are well-drained, and perfect for high-caliber viticulture.
Cabernet here is often bottled varietally but is also popular in Bordeaux Blends. Oakville wines are known for their silky, sensual textures, structured tannins, dark and brooding fruit and lovely aromatics. These age-worthy and prestigious wines are favored by collectors throughout the world.