2008 SCHRADER "OLD SPARKY" CABERNET SAUVIGNON Vineyard:     Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, Oakville Varietal:       100% Cabernet Sauvignon Clone:          Clones 4, 6, and 337 Aging:          20 months on average Cooperage:  Darnajou and Taransaud

PRESS NOTES ON SCHRADER "OLD SPARKY" CABERNET SAUVIGNON:

2008 SCHRADER “OLD SPARKY” CABERNET SAUVIGNON, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard
Rated (96-98+) Pts. The 2008 Schrader Cabernet Sauvignons were undoubtedly the finest 2008 Napa Cabernets I tasted. Thomas Brown told me it was the second straight drought year, and while there were some heat spikes, overall it was a warm year. Nearly all of the 2008 offerings possesses a slight degree of higher alcohol, but that component is not detectable. The wines reveal showy personalities, and even more flamboyance than the 2007s. At this stage, less minerality as well as more structure are present, and the wines seem fleshier, more flamboyant and even more opulent than the extraordinary 2007s. There is the potential for two perfect 2008s, the Cabernet Sauvignon CCS and Cabernet Sauvignon Schrader, as well as three upper 90-point wines, the T6, RBS, and George III. When all the dust settles many years from now, I suspect 2008 may turn out – at least for Schrader – as great as 2007. Last year the 2007s seemed more grapy and less nuanced than the 2006s, but one would not make that statement tasting the 2007s out of bottle as they are quite structured, and exhibit great minerality, complexity, and potential. The 2008s are gorgeously fruity, rich, and opulent at present. In another year they should be far more delineated and complex. (Robert M. Parker, The Wine Advocate)



2007 SCHRADER "OLD SPARKY" CABERNET SAUVIGNON, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard
Rated 100 Pts. The 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky (a magnums-only blend of clone 4 from two separate blocks, clone 6, and clone 337) is another perfect wine. Ridiculous levels of concentration, without heaviness, extraordinary opulence, and amazing exuberance and flamboyance are found in this beauty along with abundant notes of creme de cassis, cedarwood, spring flowers, lead pencil shavings, and a hint of hot pebbles. It also displays outstanding purity, depth, and full-bodied power. There is a strong undercurrent of minerality in all of these wines which sets 2007 apart from other rich vintages such as 2002. The Old Sparky should also age effortlessly for three decades or more. (Robert M. Parker, The Wine Advocate)



2006 SCHRADER "OLD SPARKY" CABERNET SAUVIGNON, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard
Rated 100 Pts. The flagship wine, the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To-Kalon Old Sparky, is another remarkable effort, offering up smoky blackberry and cassis fruit intermixed with notions of bouquet garni, roasted meats, creosote, and cedar. Tasting like a first-growth Pauillac from a very ripe, extravagantly rich vintage, this wine looks set to enjoy 25-30 or more years of longevity, as do all of these compelling Cabernets.

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. (Robert M. Parker, The Wine Advocate)

Rated 99 Pts. A wow-ish mix of opulence and restraint, offering ripe, seductive currant and blackberry fruit that's full-bodied and complex, turning elegant and refined yet gaining depth and richness on the finish. Builds to an amazing crescendo of flavors. Best from 2010 through 2017. (James Laube, Wine Spectator)



2005 SCHRADER "OLD SPARKY" CABERNET SAUVIGNON, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

TOP SCORE FOR SCHRADER "OLD SPARKY" at the 2007 Wine Spectator New York Wine Experience, the 2005 Schrader Cabernet Sauvignon "Old Sparky" was selected as the top scoring wine (by a double digit margin) for the crowd of 1,000+ wine aficionados at the Wine Spectator Editor's Choice blind tasting. This was an especially high honor considering the calliber of the wine tasters and the outstanding quality of the competition.

Rated 96 Pts. The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky is a fabulous effort. Dense purple-hued with sweet, smoky, blackberry, cassis, roasted meats, toast, and licorice, it possesses tremendous texture, a sumptuous mid-palate, and a stunning finish. It will provide immense pleasure for two decades. (Robert M. Parker, The Wine Advocate)

Rated 95 Pts. This has beautifully integrated fruit and oak, with pure, ripe, spicy currant, plum and black cherry fruit, shaded by toasty, spicy, cedary oak. The tannins are ripe and fine-grained, and the finish sails on, notably elegant, refined and sophisticated.(James Laube, Wine Spectator)




2004 SCHRADER "OLD SPARKY" CABERNET SAUVIGNON, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

"ALL FOUR OF THE NEW SCHRADER CABERNETS ARE BREATHTAKING, THE BEST HE'S MADE YET." - James Laube, Wine Spectator

Rated 95 Pts. Impressive for its delicacy, finesse and flavors that build, with intense, concentrated ripe cherry and plum flavors that are deep and persistent, with spice, cedar and berry-laced fruit on the smooth, polished finish. (James Laube, Wine Spectator)

Rated 95+ Pts. The 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky, which is 100% Beckstoffer fruit, and essentially a different blend of clones, primarily Clone 6, is dazzling. This wine is dense purple in color with a big, smoky, floral nose of blueberry, blackberry, creosote, and some pain grille. Its terrific texture, fabulous opulence, and power all augur for a wine that will last 20 or more years. (Robert M. Parker, The Wine Advocate)




2003 SCHRADER "OLD SPARKY" CABERNET SAUVIGNON, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard
Rated 94+ Pts. The 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky is essentially a selection of the best barrels. A big, structured cuvee, it is full-bodied, dense, and as backward as the 2003 T-6, but with sweeter cassis-like aromas and flavors. This big, rich, bold, boisterous Cabernet Sauvignon will benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and should keep for two decades. (James Laube, Wine Spectator)

Rated 94 Pts. Medium ruby. Blackberry, minerals and licorice on the nose. A dense, sweet fruit bomb in the mouth, with lush black fruit flavors offering outstanding persistence. Tannins are quite fine. All four of these wines were aged for 20 months in 100% Darnajou barrels, with the exception of the wine labeled simply cabernet sauvignon, which was aged in a 90/10 blend of Darnajou and Taransaud. (Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar)