Carter Cellars Beckstoffer To Kalon - 'The Grand Daddy' 2011
Tasting Notes
In 2011, we crafted a wine from these old vine clone 4 Cabernet Sauvignon vines that will take your senses for a ride. Picked at moderately low brix levels, the essence of its varietal clone and terroir is displayed throughout every aspect of this wine. Dark ruby to the eye, this wine is saturated in color, cassis, and blueberry. Scents of anise intermingle with Belgium chocolate and crushed red fruit on an amazingly supple but crunchy midpalate. Thereafter, waves of fruit and perfectly ripened tannin flow into a finish that echoes the above notes and lingers off into classic combination of Napa Valley power and grace. Age will be kind to this wine and look for it to be another beautiful rendition of this great vineyard. It will drink nicely with another 5-12 years in bottle.
"Good deep ruby. Crushed rock, licorice, menthol and violet on the strongly mineral nose. Supple, sweet, juicy and fine-grained, with lovely inner-mouth perfume to the dark berry, mineral and bitter chocolate flavors. Finishes firmly tannic, precise and very long. These wines typically have levels of volatile acidity in the 0.7 to 0.8 grams-per-liter range, which lifts their aromas and gives them considerable early sexy appeal even when they appear to have the sheer concentration and tannic support for 10 to 15 years of positive evolution in bottle."
- Barrel Sample
~ Stephen Tanzer
Map of the Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard
The History of the To Kalon Vineyard
The Beckstoffer portion of the historic original To Kalon Vineyard in the Oakville AVA was purchased from Beaulieu Vineyard in 1993. Beaulieu had purchased the property from the Crabb estate in 1940 and called it their Beaulieu Vineyard No. 4. Napa Pioneer Hamilton Crabb first planted the vineyard in 1868 and it has produced some of the Napa Valley's best red grapes ever since. Replanted after phylloxera by Beckstoffer from 1994 to 1997 to multiple clones of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc with modern trellising and closer vine spacing, the vineyard produces several luxury award winning vineyard designated wines. These vineyard designated Cabernet Sauvignon wines include Schrader Cellars, Paul Hobbs, Provenance, Realm and of course, Carter Cellars.
