Amici Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
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James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker -
Jeb
Dunnuck
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Blend: 88% Cabernet Sauvignon. 12% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This is very tight and powerful with a cylinder of gorgeous fruit with blackberry, blueberry, terracotta, and currants. Full body, firm and silky tannins. Incredible finish. Love the finish. Try in 2022.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Cabernet Franc aged 22 months in 100% new French oak, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon is very deep purple-black in color and has a nose of seductive crème de cassis, baked black cherries, dried mulberries and blueberry compote with touches of tapenade, Indian spices, sandalwood and potpourri plus a hint of tea. The palate is full, rich, velvety and spicy with layers of savory and spice flavors, finishing long and complex.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is an elegant wine from this vineyard, which normally produces powerful, exotic wines. Pure crème de cassis, spring flowers, caramelized cherries, and white flower notes all flow to a full-bodied effort that has silky tannins, a polished texture, no hard edges, and a great finish. It’s another perfectly balanced wine from Tony Biagi that can be drunk any time over the coming 15-20 years.
Other Vintages
2018-
Robert
Parker -
Jeb
Dunnuck -
James
Suckling
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James
Suckling -
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Robert
Parker
Over thirty years in the making, Amici Cellars is a blend of the old and the new. Preserving its legacy and producing wines of exceptional character is the unwavering commitment of proprietors John Harris and Bob Shepard, who attribute success in large part to the age-old adage “nothing replaces hard work,” but also their intuition and ability to capture the most significant opportunity in a decisive moment.
The turning point was 2009, when after more than 15 years of making wine as a passion project with modest distribution, the two friends fully committed to taking their adventure and turning it into a prestigious Napa Valley winemaking estate. The United States was facing the biggest economic downturn since the 1930s, costly Cabernets no longer flying off shelves, but John and Bob have always trusted in their intuition and a core belief - bottle beautiful, high quality wines that are accessible to enjoy every day and for age-worthy collections.
They have decidedly chosen a talented team, seasoned winemaker Tony Biagi, a Napa Valley veteran with more than 25-years-experience, and associate winemaker Dante West, a rising star whose energy matches his true-to-varietal wines. Together they bring decades of relationships with outstanding growers in the field that, combined with their craftsmanship, creates the best possible capsule of each vineyard site, a combination of the soil, climate and people who farm it.
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.