Schrader Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard 2018 750 ml

Schrader wines are above and beyond impressive!

Coming from a larger, famous site in Rutherford, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer GII Vineyard is another superstar in the lineup. Possessing a dense purple colour, it delivers a monster bouquet of ripe blackcurrants, chocolate, tobacco, sweet mulch, and a Graves-like sense of gravelly earth and minerality. While I suspect the acidity is quite low, it stays lively on the palate, possessing full-bodied richness, soft tannins, remarkable purity, and a great finish. This super-rich, opulent, incredibly sexy Cabernet Sauvignon should evolve for 20 years or more.

Seductive ripe fruit and floral nose. Medium to full-bodied with notes of blackberries, blackcurrants, violets and spice. Light, fresh jam, too. It’s full and compact with a dense, deep palate and beautiful fruit. Firm and bright. Try after 2024.

Schrader’s GIII comes from Beckstoffer’s Georges III vineyard in Rutherford, produced from 337 clones grown on the F block. One hundred percent Cabernet Sauvignon, it was aged in 100% new Darnajou and Taransaud French oak barrels for 18 months. Deep garnet-purple coloured, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon GIII Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard springs from the glass with a glorious perfume of violets and lavender, giving way to notes of crushed black currants, black raspberries and red currant jelly, plus an undercurrent of cedar chest and fragrant soil. Full-bodied, firm and grainy, the palate is popping with taut, muscular, vibrant black fruits, supported by wonderfully ripe tannins, finishing long and full of energy.

A big wine, with tiers of cassis, plum reduction and blackberry preserves giving this verticality, while dense graphite and roasted apple wood notes provide the spine. A pretty violet note provides contrast, and there's a long tug of warm earth through the finish too, giving this a very solid grounding. Patience is required as this is locked up right now. Best from 2023 through 2038.