2014 Schrader Cabernet Sauvignon RBS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon RBS is made from the same clone (337) as the Georges III, but comes from the To Kalon Vineyard in Oakville and not the Rutherford Georges III. This was aged in 85% new Darnajou and 15% new Taransaud. It has fabulous concentration, notes of incense, licorice, blackcurrants, blackberries, as well as spring flowers. The wine is juicy, savory and full-bodied, with wonderful underlying energy and freshness. This wine is a more forward style than we saw with the 2013s, and is best drunk over the next 16-20 years.

I’ll keep my notes short, since I’ll be tasting this wine from bottle next year, but the 2014s from Schrader are among the highlights of this vintage, which is certainly an excellent one in Napa, but destined to be lost in the massive shadows cast by 2012 and 2013. The Cabernet Sauvignon RBS To Kalon Vineyard should ultimately score in the mid-90s, with the potential that it may reach the upper 90s. In any event, the wine came in at about 14.4% to 14.5% natural alcohol. It looks to be a super-duper vintage for Schrader; I do think if the 2014s turn out to be a better vintage certainly than 2011, they will still be behind both 2012 and 2013.

The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon RBS is made from the same clone (337) as the Georges III, but comes from the To Kalon Vineyard in Oakville and not the Rutherford Georges III. This was aged in 85% new Darnajou and 15% new Taransaud. It has fabulous concentration, notes of incense, licorice, blackcurrants, blackberries, as well as spring flowers. The wine is juicy, savory and full-bodied, with wonderful underlying energy and freshness. This wine is a more forward style than we saw with the 2013s, and is best drunk over the next 16-20 years. Oct 2016, www.robertparker.com