2018 Schrader Cellars, RBS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Bottle (750ml)

JD99 "Another heavenly wine in the lineup is the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard RBS, which comes from Clone 337 and a handful of different blocks in the vineyard. This deep purple-hued beauty has an incredibly seamless, elegant, yet full-bodied style as well as killer notes of creme de cassis, blueberries, wildflowers, violets, white chocolate, and new saddle leather. Flirting with perfection, the tannin quality, purity of fruit, balance, and overall harmony here is just about off the charts. It makes you want to drink the whole bottle, but it should age effortlessly for 25+ years." JD Jan 2021

RP95+ "Schrader’s RBS comes from Beckstoffer’s To Kalon vineyard in Oakville, produced from 337 clone grown on blocks B1, B2 and E2. It is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and was aged in 100% new oak for 20 months. Very deep purple-black in color, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon RBS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is a little closed to begin, giving way to fragrant earth, tobacco leaf and charcoal scents opening out to notions of potpourri, baked plums and Black Forest cake with the cassis coming through after much coaxing. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a rock-solid backbone of firm, grainy tannins and fantastic freshness, lifting the fruit to a very long and mineral-laced finish." LPB for TWA Dec 2019

“In 2017, there was a lot of stuff we had to get rid of,” Schrader’s winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown candidly told me. The strict selection this vintage shows in the caliber of the bottled Schrader wines from this challenging year. Contrary to a lot of other 2017s, these wines speak most clearly of the Schrader style rather than the vintage signature, which should bring fans of this label a lot of pleasure." Lisa Perrotti-Brown for RobertParker.com Published: Dec 12, 2019