TOR Beckstoffer To Kalon Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
-
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Robert
Parker -
James
Suckling
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
What can be said about To Kalon that has not been said a million times before. Every year To Kalon makes an amazing Cabernet and then there are years like 2018 where the vineyard shows you that there are heights that you hadn’t explored yet. This years (our 14th vintage in To Kalon) is going to fight for the top wine we have ever made from this hallowed site. The black fruits/earth/mint/weight are all there but they are as Spinal Tap fans know ‘turned up to 11’. The remarkable quality of 2018 pushed this years To Kalon to an even higher level of magnitude.
Professional Ratings
-
Jeb Dunnuck
All Cabernet Sauvignon from one of the great terroirs for Cabernet in the world, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard reveals a vivid purple hue to go with an incredible bouquet of pure crème de cassis, white flowers, lead pencil shavings, violets, orange blossom, and flowers. A rich, full-bodied, opulent wine, it's nevertheless as classy as they come, with perfect integration of its tannins, acidity, alcohol, and oak. Power married to incredible richness, enjoy bottles any time over the coming 20-25 years.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Featuring mostly clone 337 out of F-block from Beckstoffer's section of To Kalon vineyard, these vines are strictly managed to one cluster per shoot. The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon displays a very deep purple-black color, slowly unfurling to reveal expressive notes of iron ore, tilled loam, tar and tobacco leaf over a core of ripe, juicy black currants, blackberries compote and plum preserves with a touch of crushed rocks. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is built like a brick house, sporting super-firm, super-ripe tannins and a lively line of freshness to support the dense, muscular black fruits, finishing long and earthy. 300 cases were made. Rating: 98+
-
James Suckling
Blackberries and blackcurrants with violets and lavender on the nose, following through to a full body with tight, integrated tannins that are polished and refined. Lovely length. Dusty, fine tannins. Try after 2024.
Other Vintages
2021-
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Robert
Parker -
James
Suckling
-
James
Suckling -
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Robert
Parker
-
James
Suckling -
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Tasting
Panel -
Robert
Parker
-
James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker -
Jeb
Dunnuck - Decanter
-
James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Spectator
-
Robert
Parker
-
Robert
Parker
- Vinous
-
Robert
Parker
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.