To Kalon Vineyard Co. H.W.C. Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville 2021

The name can only be Andy Erickson if the résumé contains: Screaming Eagle, Dalla Valle, Ovid, Harlan, Staglin, Mayacamas, Newton, Arietta, Leviathan, AND Favia. Suppose you are accustomed to admiring the handiwork of these ethereal wines or crave polished, stately, elegant, luscious, and lasting-impression wines. In that case, you should pay close attention to what Andy has added to his curriculum vitae: To Kalon Vineyard Company.  

Bequeathed with access to the utmost premium plots within the renowned To Kalon Vineyard, Andy has the ultimate component in his winemaking mise en place, allowing him unlimited freedom to create a wine that exemplifies maximal pedigree. And this might mean that Andy has made one of the wine industry’s BEST new Oakville Cabernets. It would be nearly impossible not to when THE quintessential heritage Oakville property, known for its serial 100-point wines, is united with a winemaking legend who is one of the finest in the business.  Today it is often referred to as Napa’s “First Growth” vineyard, the valley’s most iconic vineyard, and is firmly established as ultra-premium grape-growing real estate in the Napa Valley. Undisputedly, the original land expanse is one of the finest in the world for growing world-class Cabernet Sauvignon. With Andy at the helm of this gleaming, rising star of a brand, the focus is on terroir-driven wines using many micro-plots within this celebrated vineyard, providing all you Cabernet-buffs with another prominent player in the arsenal of world-class Cabernet.

Named for the man who started it all, H.W. Crabb, who bestowed the To Kalon name to his 350-acre Oakville estate in 1886 and sparked the now celebrated tradition of winemaking from the acclaimed property. As a true pioneer of Napa Valley winemaking, Crabb experimented with hundreds of varietals, and it wasn’t until the 1960s that Cabernet reigned supreme on this plot.

In a grand gesture, proclaiming Cabernet is King in To Kalon, Andy presents the H.W.C., a 100% Heritage Clone Cabernet Sauvignon. Robert Mondavi originally planted the vines for this single clonal Cabernet, favored for the low-yields and unadulterated intensity of aroma and flavor. Extended maceration on skins imparted rich inky hues and smoothed the tannins.  To match the power, Andy aged the wine in 100% new French oak for 20 months before bottling unfined and unfiltered. "Aromas of black currant, blackberry, and dark chocolate soar from the glass. Savory notes of cocoa and black olive evoke the forest floor terroir of To Kalon. The palate mirrors the dark and rustic nose, framed by cedar, with a rich and robust, tannin-laden finish. This is a powerful wine, yet it retains precision and focus." ~ Winemaker Tasting Notes