2010 TOR Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Anniversary Cuvée
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Tasting notes
Full medium ruby. Slightly porty aromas of cassis, minerals, licorice and spices, plus a whiff of nutty oak. Very rich, ripe and almost sweet on the palate, with the ripeness masking the wine's complexity today. Very densely packed, large-scaled wine with a deep sweetness and considerable early appeal, this wine also has the strong tannic spine to go on. Conveys a distinctly chocolatey ripeness, and comes across as a bit monolithic. This opulent, ripely tannic wine may be at its apogee right now, as it appears to be more about ripeness and sweetness than complexity. Finishes with substantial ripe, dusty, palate-saturating tannins. Jeff Ames selected his favorite barrels and made the final blend for this one-off wine, which was intended to commemorate his tenth year as Tor Kenward's winemaker.
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Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Anniversary Cuvée Beckstoffer To Kalon has developed nicely since I first tasted it a few years ago. Time has been very kind to the 2010, and yet the wine remains very sweet and oaky. Super-ripe dark cherry, raspberry jam, menthol, leather and licorice add nuance to this extroverted, racy Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2010 is an attractive wine, but it is not particularly expressive of place, its considerable beauty notwithstanding.
2010 marked the winery’s tenth anniversary, and so they produced this “anniversary” wine. This was hand sorted and destemmed and put in a closed-top tank where it got three pump-overs a day until four days prior to finishing fermentation (which lasted 18 days) when it was backed down to one a day. This was barreled down to a combination of 90% new Darnajou and Taransaud barrels and bottled unfined and unfiltered 18 months later. Composed of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon (50% Clone 337 and 50% Clone 6), the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Anniversary Cuvee is medium to deep garnet colored with youthful blackberries, black cherries and dried herbs with earth, charcuterie, truffles and mossy bark. The palate is medium to full-bodied, firm, grainy and lively with bags of vibrant fruit and an earthy finish. 150 cases were made, originally released in January 2013.
(a 50/50 blend of clone 6 and clone 337): Good bright medium ruby. Bright red fruits, minerals, fresh herbs and exotic spices on the nose. Sweet, lush and opulent, with terrific spice character to the red and darker berry and licorice flavors. Not a heavy wine but expands impressively to saturate the entire palate and builds toward the back, finishing with substantial ripe tannins and captivating sweetness. A beauty, and balanced from day one. Jeff Ames selected his favorite barrels and made the final blend for this one-off wine, which was intended to commemorate his tenth year as Tor Kenward's winemaker.