2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard
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Tasting notes
Saturated medium ruby. Extremely primary, youthfully medicinal scents of crushed blueberry, blackberry, cassis and violet. Seriously chewy and tactile but nowhere near ready to drink, offering extremely backward--even youthfully clenched--flavors of blackberry, graphite and slate. This tastes like a barrel sample, but even today there's nothing hard about this potentially exciting wine, which offers an exhilarating sweet/savory balance and excellent inner-mouth tension. Incidentally, this was the fourth consecutive harvest that took place well into October--in this instance, October 21--and a generous year, with a yield of 4.1 tons per acre. But the wine offers terrific concentration. (14.8% alcohol; 3.7 pH; 5.9 g/l acidity)
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
One of the standouts in this range, the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is dense, powerful and explosive. A host of dark red cherries, plums, spices, new leather and licorice wrap around the palate. Layers of flavor build to the explosive, dramatic finish. This is the most overt and voluptuous of Paul Hobbs's 2012 Cabernets. Already super-delicious, this racy, opulent Cabernet Sauvignon is a terrific example of the year. This is an undeniably sexy, voluptuous Cabernet from Paul Hobbs and his team. (AG)
A red with blackberry, black currant and rose leaf character. Full body, round and silky tannins and a long and intense finish. Wow. This is a long ride...
The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard captures the pure pedigree of this great site. Round and seamless on the attack, yet backed up by considerable underlying structure, the 2012 is utterly magnificent and complete. Blue and black fruit, grilled herbs, smoke, spices and menthol are layered into the voluptuous, perfumed finish. The 2012 is going to need time, but it is superb.
About the producer
Paul Hobbs is one of California wine’s biggest names. Twice named Wine Personality of the Year by Robert Parker, he joined Robert Mondavi in 1977, worked at Opus One and Simi before setting up his eponymous winery in 1991.