Winemaker Notes
The 2015 Kata shows great concentration and volume. The rich texture is complemented by abundant acidity that reveals nuances of mocha, blue fruit, licorice, spice and violets. This is a full-bodied wine that rewards the palate with unusual complexity and a long finish.
Blend: 80% Cabernet Sauvignon 20% Petite Sirah
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Bourn Vineyard is a deep, inky-colored 2015 that has serious amounts of depth and density. Full-bodied, uber-concentrated, tight and backward, it's going to need time, yet offers lots of smoked black currants, plums, smoked earth and dark chocolate. It's a terrific wine that's going to age beautifully.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Containing 20% Petite Sirah, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Bourn Vineyard displays a very deep purple-black color and is profoundly scented of crème de cassis, chocolate box, prunes and Indian spices with touches of dried Provence herbs, anise and raisin cake. Big, rich, full-bodied and concentrated in the mouth, the Petite Sirah certainly makes its presence known, contributing a bit of chew to the ripe, grainy Cabernet tannins and offering lingering exotic spice and Christmas pudding notions on the finish.
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James Suckling
This shows a brightness and balance with blackberry and blueberry. Orange peel, too. Medium body and fine tannins. Crisp and fresh. Delicious now.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
St. Helena is in the heart of the Napa Valley, nestled between Calistoga to the north and Rutherford on its southern border. On its western side, the Mayacamas Mountains guard it from the cooling effects of the Pacific Ocean; to its east stand the Vaca Mountains. In conjunction, these mountain ranges serve to lock in summer daytime heat. But in the evening, cool air from the San Pablo Bay funnels up through the valley, creating very chilly nights. It isn’t uncommon for temperatures to drop 50 degrees, a shift that promotes a balance of sugar ripeness and acidity in wine grapes.
St. Helena contains a plethora of different soil types in a small area, which have been enhanced over centuries by rain runoff from both mountain ranges. Its vineyards cover a variety of terrain, spreading across the bucolic valley floor and its benchlands.
These ideal topographic and climatic growing conditions easily caught the attention of early winemaking pioneers. In fact, St. Helena is the birthplace of Napa Valley’s commercial wine industry. Dr. Crane founded his cellar in 1859, David Fulton in 1860 and Charles Krug in 1861.
Today there are no less than 400 separate vineyards planted within the 12,000 acres that make up the St. Helena appellation.
Revered most for its red wines based on Bordeaux varieties, namely Cabernet Sauvignon, the St. Helena appellation is also a source of superior Syrah, Zinfandel and Sauvignon blanc.