Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
This vineyard did exceptionally well in the vintage, and the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard has more sexiness and opulence than most of the vintage. Revealing a dense purple color as well as a blockbuster-styled bouquet of crème de cassis, blueberries, candied violets, spring flowers, and tobacco, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a round and expansive texture, sweet tannins, and one heck of a great finish. This sexy, opulent, yet also perfectly balanced and elegant Cabernet Sauvignon will drink well for 20-25 years.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet-purple in color, it comes bounding out of the glass with baked black plums, blackberry pie and ripe blackcurrants notes plus hints of rose hip tea, cedar, unsmoked cigars and tilled soil. The full-bodied palate is jam-packed with taut, muscular black fruits, featuring a solid frame of grainy tannins and bags of freshness, finishing on a lingering exotic spice note. 125 cases were made.
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James Suckling
A creamy and juicy red with blackberry, blueberry, crushed-stone and some tile character. It’s medium-to full-bodied. Lovely balance and finesse for a To Kalon red. Drink or hold.
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.