2016 Highest Beauty Cabernet Sauvignon
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Tasting notes
The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Highest Beauty is a blend taken from ten blocks off the property. Inky black fruit, chocolate, spice, licorice and copious new oak are front and center. The tannins are pretty bruising, even after the wine has been opened for some time. New oak was 100%, not unusual for a new project. The 2016 clearly signals a work in progress.
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Average Score
James Suckling
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
This pure Cabernet Sauvignon is the real deal with redcurrant and terracotta character on both the nose and palate. It’s full-bodied, yet really reserved and ultra-refined. The quality of the tannins is super with such fine grain, yet it continues on for minutes. This is the first release and it shows beautiful classicism. Shows the essence of the place. Needs four or five years to come around.
A new project focusing on the To Kolan Vineyard, these wines are made by the talented Andy Erickson. There are less than 600 cases of the 2016 Highest Beauty, and it's all Cabernet Sauvignon, from eight different blocks in the famed To Kalon Vineyard, that spent 21 months in new French oak. It reveals a deep, inky color as well as a classic Cabernet nose of blackcurrants, cassis, tobacco leaf, liquid violets, espresso, and flowery incense. This carries to a full-bodied, powerful To Kalon that has nicely integrated acidity, ripe, present tannins, and beautiful length on the finish. This is a ripe, sexy, yet flawlessly balanced Cabernet that can be drunk today with incredible pleasure or cellared for 15-20 years, if you’re so inclined.
About the producer
With wines made by legendary winemaker Andy Erickson, the To Kalon Vineyard Company celebrates Napa’s most famous vineyard, producing three single-vineyard wines from the site. Consistently receiving critical acclaim,, these are benchmark expressions of top Napa Cabernet.