| Review: |
"The very first vintage of this new Schrader label, this 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Monastery Block To Kalon Vineyard comes from clone 169 planted on the Monastery Block of the Robert Mondavi section of To Kalon vineyard in Oakville. One hundred percent Cabernet Sauvignon, it was aged in 100% new oak for 20 months. Very deep purple-black colored, it bursts from the glass with a fruit explosion of blueberry compote, freshly crushed black plums, black cherry preserves and cassis, giving way to touches of red roses, cigar boxes, yeast extract and fallen leaves. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a fantastic frame of bold freshness and very finely grained, firm tannins, impressively supporting the mouth-coating blue and black fruits, finishing very long and very perfumed. 365 cases were made. “In 2017, there was a lot of stuff we had to get rid of,” Schrader’s winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown candidly told me. The strict selection this vintage shows in the caliber of the bottled Schrader wines from this challenging year. Contrary to a lot of other 2017s, these wines speak most clearly of the Schrader style rather than the vintage signature, which should bring fans of this label a lot of pleasure. The barrel samples of the 2018 vintage reveal less alcohol and weight than previous great vintages, with all the bright, fresh, crunchy black and red fruit that this longer, cooler growing season naturally offers. Most impressive about these wines is the intensity and depth they possess, adeptly supported by beautifully ripe, finely grained tannins. Maybe most exciting of all, Schrader lovers are not going to want to miss out on the stellar new wine to the lineup, emerging in 2018: the Cabernet Sauvignon Mondavi Heritage Clone To Kalon Vineyard." |