2009 SCHRADER RBS CABERNET SAUVIGNON Vineyard:     Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, Oakville Varietal:       100% Cabernet Sauvignon Clone:          Clone 337 Aging:          20 months on average Cooperage:  Darnajou and Taransaud

PRESS NOTES ON SCHRADER RBS CABERNET SAUVIGNON:

2008 SCHRADER RBS CABERNET SAUVIGNON, Beckstoffer To Kalon 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 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon RBS from Clone 337 planted in the Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vineyard reveals a similar blue/purple color offers a big, sweet kiss of burning embers, charcoal, white chocolate, subtle toast, and oodles of creme de cassis and incense. This expressive, full-bodied, powerful wine is seamlessly constructed, shows little evidence of the 100% new oak aging, and like most of its peers, has a 45-second finish. It is slightly more exotic aromatically, but from a textural and concentration perspective, it is similar to its peers. (Robert M. Parker, The Wine Advocate)

Rated 97 Pts. Delightfully elegant and refined, showing both richness, opulence and depth of flavor with a measure of loamy earth, mineral and light cedar. Full-bodied and persistent, ending with chewy, extracted fruit and a rustic edge, appropriate for such a young wine. Drink now through 2023. (James Laube, Wine Spectator)



2007 SCHRADER RBS CABERNET SAUVIGNON, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard
Rated 99 Pts. An extraordinary effort that exhibits an enormously complex mix of ripe cherry, plum and blackberry fruit and jam, with touches of black and red licorice and dusty, cedary, mocha-laced oak. Full-bodied, yet elegant and sophisticated, ending with a dazzling finish and beautifully orchestrated fruit and oak. Best from 2012 through 2026. (James Laube, Wine Spectator)

Rated 99 Pts. The outrageous 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vineyard RBS from clone 337 blew out my olfactory senses. Possessing extraordinarily intense notes of lead pencil shavings, camphor, licorice, creme de cassis, kirsch, and crushed rocks, it exhibits full body, awesome intensity, terrific purity, and a mind-boggling finish. If Pauillac were somehow magically moved to the Oakville Corridor in Napa, tasters would believe this wine came from a first-growth Pauillac. Although it is more forward than the George III, the RBS will benefit from 4-5 years of cellaring, and will keep for 30+ years. (Robert M. Parker, The Wine Advocate)



2006 SCHRADER RBS CABERNET SAUVIGNON, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard
Rated 99 Pts. Nearly perfect, the opaque purple-colored 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To-Kalon RBS reveals notes of graphite, charcoal, blackberries, cedar, creme de cassis, and a hint of chocolate. Oodles of concentration, remarkable purity and density, and a finish that lasts over 60 seconds suggest this beauty should drink well for 20-25 years.

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)



2005 SCHRADER RBS CABERNET SAUVIGNON, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard
Rated 94 Pts. Young and vibrant, with tight, zesty layers of wild berry, currant, hazelnut and nutmeg scents that are firm and compact. Finishes with a rich, plush texture. Has great complexity and depth. (James Laube, Wine Spectator)



2004 SCHRADER RBS 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 96 Pts. Aromas of chocolate-covered cherry join currant, herb, cedar and spice in this sleek, polished youngster. Lush and smooth on the palate, it offers depth and concentration without weight. Shows a hint of heat on the finish. Tannins are ripe and integrated. (James Laube, Wine Spectator)

Rated 93+ Pts. The dense purple-colored 2004 Schrader Cabernet Sauvignon RBS, which is 100% from the To-Kalon Vineyard and Clone 337, is a more structured, meaty, muscular wine with an inky purple color and powerful cassis flavors intermixed with some smoke, licorice, and graphite. This wine, which was so open-knit and opulent last year, has closed down, but it is bursting with potential and I am sure it will ultimately merit a score in the mid-90s when it hits its peak of maturity in 3-5 years. (Robert M. Parker, The Wine Advocate)



2003 SCHRADER RBS CABERNET SAUVIGNON, Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vineyard
Rated 94 Pts. The 2003 Schrader RBS Cabernet Sauvignon (Clone 337 from the Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vineyard) exhibits wonderful pure cassis fruit, hints of licorice and roasted herbs, a long, concentrated attack and mid-palate as well as finish, with big volume and texture. It is supple-textured with sweet tannin and low but adequate acidity. This wine can be drunk now or cellared for 12-15 years. (Robert M. Parker, The Wine Advocate)



2002 SCHRADER RBS CABERNET SAUVIGNON, Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vineyard
Rated 93 Pts. The The 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon RBS is an exceptionally rich, dense ruby/purple-colored effort offering notes of cedar wood, high quality cigar smoke, cassis, licorice, and new French oak. Full-bodied, opulently textured, pure, rich, and long, it can be drunk now or cellared for 12-15 years. (Robert M. Parker, The Wine Advocate)



2001 SCHRADER RBS CABERNET SAUVIGNON, Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vineyard
"World's Greatest Wine Estates Lunch" by Pierre Rovani, The Wine Advocate (December 2005)
Shortly before Christmas, Bob Parker hosted a luncheon at Restaurant Daniel for Simon & Schuster's terrific staff members who worked on his latest book, The World's Greatest Wine Estates, including the book's top-flight editor, Amanda Murray. Daniel Boulud, in top form, prepared a spectacular lunch to match the wines Bob had shipped up from his Maryland cellar.

The article continues with comments about the wines served: The outstanding 2001 Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon RBS revealed a nose and flavor profile of licorice-laced candied dark fruits, black currants, and hints of mint. Velvety-textured and medium to full-bodied, it is a layered wine with loads of upfront fruit. It should be drunk over the next decade. (The 2001 Schrader RBS was poured from a magnum.)