The Wine Advocate | RP 97+
Published: Sep 15, 2022
Drink: 2025-2045

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon RBS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is Clone 337, matured 18 months in 100% new Darnajou and Taransaud barrels. Marked on the nose by red berries, cherries and cedar, plus delicate cinnamon and clove shadings, this is a plush, concentrated full-bodied wine with a core of firmness to it and a long, lingering finish, both positive signs for aging. It's one of the more approachable Schrader wines this vintage, but it should easily go another two decades.

When Constellation Brands purchased Schrader—the brand, existing grape contracts and inventory (Schrader owned no vineyards or winery)—for a reported $60 million in 2017, there were fears that the Schrader name would be devalued by expanded production. But with Thomas Rivers Brown retained, and grape sourcing maintained, so far those fears have yet to materialize. Brown has been able to access some Mondavi-controlled portions of the To Kalon Vineyard for new bottlings, but the quality of those has been comparable to what had been produced previously. Constellation is even said to be wooing him to oversee more of their Mondavi-owned vineyards.

On my summer visit to Napa, I sat down with Brown at Mending Wall to taste through a decent-sized slice of his current projects, including Schrader, and he outlined the winemaking steps: No sulfur added at the crusher. A seven-day cold soak. No added yeasts or bacteria. No acid additions (at least in 2019). Ferment up to 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Use all the press wine. Go to barrel sweet. Maturation in new Darnajou and Taransaud barrels for 18 months. Sulfur after malolactic fermentation has finished. No fining or filtration. All this is done to further the goal, as Brown states it, "We want the sites to express themselves and the wines to be very different from each other."

Despite the corporate association, at least for now the wines continue to be among the most exciting to come out of Napa Valley. While they may occasionally show up at retail or on restaurant lists, the surest way to obtain the wines is via the mailing list.