2023 Pure Magic Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon
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Tor Kenward’s ‘Pure Magic’ is named for the almost alchemical interaction he believes emerges from the co-fermentation of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, blended here in equal parts. Produced by TOR Wines, the wine is native-yeast fermented in tank and aged for 18 months in French oak, approximately 75% new. In 2023, it is ultra-creamy through the mid-palate, with beautifully precise, seamlessly integrated tannins that carry a seductive cocoa-powder brightness. The nose is captivating, layered with sagebrush and tobacco, rich loamy earth, violet florals and crème de cassis, all underpinned by liquefied graphite nuances. Ultra-rich and ultra-expressive, yet remarkably fresh and lifted, a wine that fully lives up to its name.
Critic scores
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William Kelley (Robert Parker)
Decanter World Wine Awards
More reviews and scores
A co-fermentation-based wine with equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, the 2023 Pure Magic is another absolutely brilliant wine from this team. It offers loads of red and black fruits, flowery incense, smoked tobacco, and graphite, and it's full-bodied, with a pure, layered mouthfeel, flawless tannins, and a blockbuster of a finish. Brought up 21 months in 69% new French oak, it's incredibly complex, spicy, nuanced, and layered, and is unquestionably as good as anything in the vintage. Hide bottles for 4-6 years and enjoy over the following 30 years or more. Drink 2030-2060.
The 2023 Pure Magic is the wine I previously reviewed as Cabernet Sauvignon Co-Ferment Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard. Ample, expansive and explosive, the 2023 is immediately captivating right out of the gate. Blackberry, sage, menthol and licorice stain the palate. This has terrific presence and complexity.
A co-ferment of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon from a single block of Beckstoffer's To Kalon Vineyard, Tor's 2023 Pure Magic is gently leafy and herbal, with those elements lending a sense of airiness to the concentrated cassis and raspberry fruit. Complex notions of sandy loam and cinnamon are part of the aromatic range too. While the wine may be pure magic, it's also complex and multidimensional. Medium- to full-bodied, it's richly textured, perhaps a bit open-knit, but with a lingering, harmonious, firmly tannic and mouthwatering finish.