Winemaker Notes
The debut vintage of Schrader MB explores the vast riches of the Historic To Kalon Vineyard’s Monastery Block to its fullest potential. The fruit from this gravelly vineyard block abutting the Mayacamas Mountains creates a dense, focused, round, and uniquely supple wine with miles of intensely dark, ripe black fruit, dusty earth, and toasty oak. New for the 2017 vintage, the Schrader MB shows elegance and luster, offering a unique expression of this remarkable block of the historic vineyard site.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Coming from the To Kalon vineyard, yet from the 3-acre Monastery Block owned by the estate of Robert Mondavi, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Monastery Block is all clone 169 of Cabernet and is aging in 100% new Darnajou barrels. It has a more focused, structured style compared to the Beckstoffer grown fruit and offers impressive amounts of cassis, graphite, new leather, and crushed rocks, with a Pauillac-like stature compared to the more overt sexiness of the other cuvées. With full-bodied richness, a deep, layered texture, and no shortage of length or richness, it’s going to benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and evolve gracefully.
Barrel Sample: 94-96 -
James Suckling
Fabulous aromas of crushed blackcurrants, licorice, tar and violet. Inkwell, too. Medium body and tight, linear tannins that are polished and chewy. Driven finish. Needs time to open. First vintage of this wine and from Constellation’s To Kalon holdings. Drink after 2022.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A barrel sample, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Monastery Block is deep garnet-purple and has a nose of warm blackberries, preserved plums and mulberries with an earthy/savory undercurrent of smoked mates, chargrill, roasted nuts and sautéed herbs. The palate is medium to full-bodied, firm and concentrated, with nice ripe, grainy tannins and great concentration, finishing long and earthy.
Barrel Sample: 93-95 -
Wine Spectator
Shows a beautiful range of warmed sassafras, sage and bay leaf aromas, with black tea and juniper hints, all of which impart a sense of lift and volume to the steeped plum and açaí berry core. Reveals a smoldering loam note through the finish. Best from 2021 through 2036.
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.