Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Virtually perfect, the 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon T6 Beckstoffer To- Kalon Vineyard offers up an awesome display of fragrant creosote, white chocolate, blackberries, cassis, cedarwood and incense. Full-bodied with a multidimensional mouthfeel, excellent opulence and layers of fruit, it possesses stunning purity and richness, a phenomenally fragrant nose (the most aromatic of all these Schrader Cabs), and a long finish. The tannins suggest another 3-4 years of cellaring will be beneficial. It should keep for 20+ years.
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Wine Spectator
Forceful, persistent and remarkably youthful, with a rugged, chewy mix of deep dark berry, mocha, mineral and iron. Gains depth and maintains intensity through the long, lingering finish, aided by gripping tannins that lend the flavors traction.
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.