Winemaker Notes
Presenting a deep garnet core, the wine opens with aromas of plum, rosepetals, and hints of sweet tobacco. Crème de cassis and dark chocolate mingle with wild black cherry, freshfig and savory ground cloves framed by fine-grained tannins giving the wine a plush yet well-tensionedtexture. A lift of acidity and hints of fresh mint and graphite add more layers to the long, vibrant finish.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This is a solid and powerful To Kalon with blueberries, currants and minerals. Hint of lead pencil. Full-bodied, yet reserved. Steely, very polished and structured. Needs three to five years. Try after 2023.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Deep purple-black in color, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard comes bounding out of the glass with exuberant plum preserves, Christmas cake and chocolate-covered cherries notes, followed by hints of potpourri, Chinese five spice, incense and dried mint. Medium to full-bodied, the palate shows a more decadent side to this vintage, packed with exotic spices and black fruit preserves, with a plush texture and refreshing lift to the finish.
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Wine Spectator
Juicy and compact, featuring a racy-edged core of cassis and fig fruit flavors, this shows good drive, with light bramble, sage, bay leaf and olive notes running around. A well-built, muscular style, showing a great grounding in terroir, exhibiting a grippy, warm gravel edge on the finish. Best from 2022 through 2037.
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.