Beckstoffer To Kalon is possibly Napa Valley’s most iconic vineyard, in part due to the number of 100-point wines that have carried its vineyard designation. Napa pioneer Hamilton Crabb first planted the historical vineyard in 1868, and it was acquired by Andy Beckstoffer in 1993, who championed the concept of vineyard-designated wines. The rest is history. READ MORE
The vineyard lies on the western boundary of the Oakville Appellation. Running through the middle and west side of the vineyard are remnants of ancient streambeds riddled with rock, which provides exceptional drainage – ideal habitat for Cabernet Sauvignon. Over the last two decades, we have accumulated 11 blocks in this coveted vineyard, with two rare blocks of Cabernet Franc. We consider each block’s First Growth quality.
The 2023 To Kalon BFD Cabernet is one of the more unique wines in the portfolio since it is a co-ferment of three unique blocks (B, F, and D blocks) in To Kalon that all fortunately get ripe at the same time each year. All three blocks are pulled in on the same day and put into the same tank for fermentation, so each year the percentage of each block will vary in the tank. This year, the fermentation took 28 days after twice-a-day pump overs, as is the norm for us, and after basket pressing was barreled down to a combination of Darnajou and Taransaud, where it remained for our typical 20 months until being bottled, unfined and unfiltered.
“The 2023 To Kalon BFD Cabernet is a very limited production bottling which highlights the exotic side of To Kalon. Whereas the regular To Kalon Cabernet is more silk/velvet and black fruit, the BFD is more of a spicy/earthy combo of red and black fruits- red cherry, spearmint, dark chocolate, cocoa nibs. This is one that, if you choose to open it early, I would recommend pouring off a little from the bottle and then drinking the rest of the following day, just to allow it to get a little bit of air. That exotic red fruit and spice needs a little bit of time and a little bit of air to show its best.” –Jeff Ames
I quote my friend Karen MacNeil, wine historian, author of the Wine Bible, “2023 was as perfect as any Napa vintage in living memory. It was Napa’s 1961 Bordeaux.” I remember the 1961 Bordeaux wines well, first tasting most of the First Growths in the 1970s. They were very structured wines, wines that did take a little time to find their “perfect” stride, and when they did, they were wines you never forgot. Across the board, the TOR 2023 wines are instant classics.
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