Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
From the first-growth vineyard of Beckstoffer To-Kalon, the 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon finished at 14.9% natural alcohol. It boasts a nearly impenetrable looking blue/purple color, not quite the weight and majesty of the perfect 2002, but gorgeous purity and creme de cassis, floral and spice box notes. The wine starts off somewhat restrained by To-Kalon standards, but it opens and builds dramatically and impressively on the palate. Full-bodied with velvety, well-integrated tannins and wood, adequate acidity, and a fleshy, succulent personality, it is another hedonistic and intellectual turn-on. As we have come to expect from anybody who deals with fruit from this vineyard, this is sensational stuff. I often wonder if grower Andy Beckstoffer's greatest talent is not in growing grapes, but choosing to whom he sells them? This 2003 should drink well for 15-20 more years.
One of the most prestigious wines of the world capable of great power and grace, Napa Valley Cabernet is a leading force in the world of fine, famous, collectible red wine. Today the Napa Valley and Cabernet Sauvignon are so intrinsically linked that it is difficult to discuss one without the other. But it wasn’t until the 1970s that this marriage came to light; sudden international recognition rained upon Napa with the victory of the Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon in the 1976 Judgement of Paris.
Cabernet Sauvignon undoubtedly dominates Napa Valley today, covering half of the land under vine, commanding the highest prices per ton and earning the most critical acclaim. Cabernet Sauvignon’s structure, acidity, capacity to thrive in multiple environs and ability to express nuances of vintage make it perfect for Napa Valley where incredible soil and geographical diversity are found and the climate is perfect for grape growing. Within the Napa Valley lie many smaller sub-AVAs that express specific characteristics based on situation, slope and soil—as a perfect example, Rutherford’s famous dust or Stags Leap District's tart cherry flavors.