2009 SCHRADER GIII CABERNET SAUVIGNON Vineyard:     Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard, Rutherford Varietal:       100% Cabernet Sauvignon Clone:          Clone 337 Aging:          20 months on average Cooperage:  Darnajou and Taransaud

PRESS NOTES ON SCHRADER GIII CABERNET SAUVIGNON:

2008 SCHRADER GIII CABERNET SAUVIGNON, Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard
Rated 97 Pts. From the reviews I gave Schrader's 2007s and 2008s last year and the 2005s and 2006s previously, to the recent Wine Spectator cover story on Fred and Carol Schrader, there doesn't appear to be a hotter Cabernet Sauvignon producer in the New World than this small boutique winery. Their wines have already received four perfect scores and with this report, that grows to six... The wines are incredibly expressive examples of Cabernet Sauvignon that are as good as it gets for this varietal. Of course they are more similar than dissimilar, but I suspect virtually every vintage they have produced to date has 25-40 years of cellaring potential, and long term aging should produce more and more subtle differences to support this compulsive study of clones and parcels within a given vineyard. I'll try and keep my notes simple, but these are profoundly great, world-class wines.

The 2008s were bottled in early summer, 2010. From the Beckstoffer Vineyard, the opaque blue/purple-colored 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon George III Clone 337 rocks out of the glass with brilliant aromas of creme de cassis, Christmas fruitcake, cedarwood, licorice and incense. The wine is deep, full-bodied, dense and concentrated with outstanding purity, texture and length. It is approachable now (one of the seductive characteristics of these wines) yet is capable of lasting 25 or more years. (Robert M. Parker, The Wine Advocate)

Rated 97 Pts. Offers ripe, rich, opulent plum, wild berry, black cherry and spice attributes that are dense and pure, deep and polished, yet with grip and traction. Shows amazing length. Best from 2013 through 2027. (James Laube, Wine Spectator)



2007 SCHRADER GIII CABERNET SAUVIGNON, Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard
Rated 97+ Pts. The 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer George III Vineyard comes from clone 337, from a Beckstoffer-owned vineyard in Rutherford. Its dense purple color is followed by a big, sweet nose of black cherries, black currants, cedar, spice box, and subtle oak. Enormously concentrated and full-bodied with superb minerality as well as tannic structure, it will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age, and should evolve for three decades. (Robert M. Parker, The Wine Advocate)

Rated 96 Pts. Another tremendous effort, broad, rich and layered, with creamy oak woven in with ripe currant and blackberry fruit. Full-blown and persistent, with green olive, cedar and spice notes that gain intensity, depth, elegance and finesse. Drink now through 2019. (James Laube, Wine Spectator)



2006 SCHRADER GIII CABERNET SAUVIGNON, Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard
Rated 96 Pts. Seductive in its overlay of rich, concentrated flavors, with enticing jazzy toasty-creamy oak draped over rich currant, black cherry and blackberry fruit that's tight and focused. Ends with mouthcoating ripe tannins that have great traction. Best from 2010 through 2018. (James Laube, Wine Spectator)

Rated 95 Pts. As I wrote last year, this is a fascinating portfolio of 100% Cabernet Sauvignons all of them from Beckstoffer-owned vineyards, including the To-Kalon Vineyard in Oakville, and one wine from the George III Vineyard in Rutherford. All the wines are aged in 100% new French oak, usually a combination of Darnajou and Taransaud barrels, with a higher percentage of Darnajou used for the T6, CCS, Old Sparky, and Schrader. The different bottlings are essentially based on specific blocks and/or specific clones of Cabernet Sauvignon. In short, I think the 2006s are arguably the finest wines of the vintage, and the 2007s appear to be as profound.

The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer George III Vineyard offers an extraordinary bouquet of creme de cassis, scorched earth, and burning embers as well as full-bodied power, velvety tannins, and exceptional density and richness. This superb wine exhibits layered extravagance and sweet tannins, a rarity in this vintage. It is already drinking well. (Robert M. Parker, The Wine Advocate)