2022 Schrader 'To Kalon Vineyard' Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville
The next chapter in Schrader’s storied To Kalon legacy. Sourced from Mondavi’s To Kalon Vineyard and crafted from 100% Clone 15 Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine channels power and finesse in equal measure. Aged 20 months in 100% new French oak, it delivers deep black and purple fruit, dark cherry cola, and a touch of sassafras, wrapped in velvety tannins and fresh acidity. Notes of sweet oak spice, mocha, wild herbs, and pressed flowers add complexity to the long, structured finish. The ‘new’ Schrader’s Schrader—bold, balanced, and built for collectors.
“In top vintages, Schrader’s Beckstoffer Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines can be as good as money can buy ... anywhere in the world.” – Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate It’s hard to point to a winemaker in the Napa Valley on a more consistent winning streak than Thomas Rivers Brown. The wines he makes for Schrader, Maybach, Double Diamond, Kinsella, and Jones Family do not share a monolithic sameness, but rather individuality. Because Brown makes wine naturally - with no spinning cones, additives, or hocus pocus - the only thing the wines have in common is their greatness, and the monster critical acclaim that has followed. Which brings us to Schrader. Simply put, these are some of the most consistent and critically acclaimed wines being made in the valley right now. They are truly rare and great, made from historic Grand Cru sites in St. Helena, Rutherford, and Oakville.
Jeb Dunnuck
For longtime Schrader collectors, this is the ‘new’ Schrader's Schrader. Since the fruit sourcing transitioned from Beckstoffer To Kalon to Mondavi's To Kalon side, vineyard manager Blake Wood has begun identifying blocks that meet the high-quality standards. "This, in a way, mimics the RBS bottling of Schrader," says winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown, as he and Wood work to capture key blocks within the 177-hectare Mondavi To Kalon site that define the essence of this bottling. Aged for 20 months in 100% new French oak, Brown notes that the structure is excellent, the colour more saturated, and the palate more structured than ever. Intended to be the approachable drinker of the lineup—similar to the former RBS bottling, which featured Clone 337—this wine offers vibrant, upfront appeal. Expect dark cherry cola notes, a touch of sassafras, sweet oak spices, and mocha. Medium to full-bodied with a racy, fresh backbone, it features fine-grained, velvety tannins that lead into a finish layered with wild herbs, fennel and pressed flowers—a lively and captivating wine.