Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The most structured and backward in the lineup, yet with incredible potential, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon CCS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is a monumental bottle of wine that ticked all my boxes. Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged 20 months in 100% new Darnajou barrels, it reveals a deep purple color as well as a myriad of blueberry and cassis fruits, candied violets, spice box, and licorice, with just a hint of background oak and a lead pencil note. With a full-bodied, layered, thrilling texture, masses of ripe tannins, and a more focused and elegant style than usual for this cuvée, forget bottles for 4-5 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following 25+ years.
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James Suckling
White pepper, fresh herbs and dark berries. Black truffles. Full body and layers of lightly austere tannins. It’s powerful and enchanting. Needs three to four years to come around. Try in 2023.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A barrel sample coming from the Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, block C1 planted to clone 4, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon CCS has a very deep purple-black color and vibrant nose of crushed blueberries and black cherries with touches of mocha, beef dripping and cloves plus a hint of underbrush. The medium to full-bodied palate gives up pure, intense black fruit flavors and a solid backbone of grainy tannins, finishing long and earthy.
Barrel Sample: 96-98 -
Wine Spectator
Features a deep well of dark currant, fig and blackberry paste flavors, shrouded for now in ganache and roasted vanilla notes. Shows tarry grip on the back end, with good latent energy and a finishing kick of fruit. Wait this out with some cellaring. Best from 2021 through 2034.
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.