Our three most critically-acclaimed Cabernet Sauvignons are aptly named our Platinum Wines. They consist of Poetry, from our flagship estate vineyard in the Stags Leap District, Songbook, which is sourced from two of renowned viticulturist David Abreu’s personally-farmed estates, and Beckstoffer To Kalon, broadly considered to be Napa Valley’s “first growth” vineyard site.
The only way to secure priority access to all three of these coveted wines is to join our Platinum Playlist.
The result of meticulous attention to detail throughout the winemaking process, the fresh and lively 2021 Poetry’s effortless character belies the precision and masterly artistry required to assemble our multi-layered grand vin.
100 Points – “The medium-bodied palate is so tightly wound at this youthful stage, slowly revealing layer upon layer of fragrant black and red fruits with loads of mineral sparks, supported by beautifully fine-grained yet firm tannins and seamless acidity, finishing with epic length and a whole firework display of mineral and floral notes. This is gorgeous. ” Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent
The Poetry Vineyard, carved into a steep west-facing hillside, reaches from the highest elevations of the Stags Leap District appellation to the valley floor. This vineyard draws its uniqueness from shallow, volcanic soils atop fractured shale. Due to the stressful nature of the site, planted with high vine density and farmed to very low yields, the vines develop slowly and produce small flavorful berries. The vineyard was designed by David Abreu and planted to legendary, proprietary heritage selections of Cabernet Sauvignon.
In the cool darkness of night, grapes were hand-picked into twenty-five-pound bins to minimize crushing. By early morning, the grapes were subjected to rigorous selection by our three-tiered sorting process, which includes our cutting-edge optical sorter and a slow, individual berry hand sort. Whole berries were gently delivered by gravity to tank by our unique crane system, which kept the berries intact. Cold soaks lasted from five to eight days, and fermentations were managed through a combination of pump overs and délestage. Extended maceration of up to six weeks ensured exceptional extraction and fine-tuning of tannin profiles. Following twenty-one months of élevage in French oak barrels, 74% of which were new, the blend was selected from our best lots of the Poetry Vineyard.
There is an effortlessness and ease to the 2021 Poetry that springs from the continuity and familiarity of its caretakers and the experience of the vines themselves as their roots dig deep into the shallow unforgiving terraces of rock and rhyolitic crevices. Wafts of warm summer mulberries, fractured rock, and violet perfume envelop the glass. Wild blackberry preserves form the flavor on the entry and combine with tantalizing, black truffle, sea salt, and steak au poivre juices. Plush tannin swathes the finish and wraps the tongue in a mineral laden, majestic embrace where the flavors linger long and pleasingly – Christopher Tynan, Director of Winemaking
Deftly balanced and refined, the 2022 Songbook is a rich, dramatic wine that soars from the glass with aromas of cherries, blackberries, and pine forest floor mingled with hints of violets, mulberries, and Sichuan peppers. Cast iron, black pepper, and mincemeat pie flavors add savory elements. Layered and seamless, it is lithe and polished, with a core of fine supple tannins. – Christopher Tynan, Director of Winemaking
2022 Songbook is sourced from two acclaimed Napa Valley vineyards – David Abreu’s Madrona Ranch Vineyard, nestled in the foothills of the Mayacamas mountain range, and our Poetry Estate Vineyard. These vineyards produce grapes of exceptional character resulting from proprietary clones, extremely low yields, and meticulous farming.
In the cool darkness of night, grapes were hand-picked into twenty-five-pound bins to minimize crushing. By early morning, the grapes were subjected to rigorous selection by our three-tiered sorting process, which includes our cutting-edge optical sorter and a slow, individual berry hand sort. Whole berries were gently delivered by gravity to tank by our unique crane system which kept the berries intact. Cold soaks lasted from five to eight days, and fermentations were managed through a combination of pump overs and délestage. Extended maceration of up to six weeks ensured exceptional extraction and fine-tuning of tannin profiles.
Deftly balanced and refined, the 2022 Songbook is a rich, dramatic wine that soars from the glass with aromas of cherries, blackberries, and pine forest floor mingled with hints of violets, mulberries, and Sichuan peppers. Cast iron, black pepper, and mincemeat pie flavors add savory elements. Layered and seamless, it is lithe and polished, with a core of fine supple tannins. – Christopher Tynan, Director of Winemaking
97 points -“Cliff Lede’s 2021 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is crafted from 100% Cabernet sourced from the iconic Oakville vineyard, from blocks stretching from the eastern to the western boundaries of the site. This blockbuster Napa Cabernet evokes Graves or Paulliac with its elegance, purity, and freshness. Notes of violets, loamy earth, wild herbs like bay laurel, black currants, and blackberry fruits are so fragrant that you want to keep nosing the glass. A medium-bodied richness builds on the palate with a polished, skyscraper-like structure supported by a foundation of crisp, crunchy acidity. This is one of the brightest and freshest examples of Beckstoffer To Kalon available, and it has tremendous cellar potential. It’s exciting to drink now (with a good decanting) but is certainly one to hold over the next three or four decades or more.” – Jonathan Cristaldi, Decanter
Situated on the western Oakville bench, the celebrated Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard has gravelly loam soils with high mineral content derived from sedimentary deposits of the volcanic Mayacamas Mountains and the alluvial fan of the Napa River. The vineyard has low organic matter content and thorough drainage, which devigorates the vines and produces small berries that are ideal for wines with intense concentration. The site is warm and sunny throughout the day, but cooled by late afternoon breezes, producing ripe Cabernet Sauvignon with lovely acidity. The blocks that make up our blend represent a diverse array of the Beckstoffer To Kalon terroir and clonal selection, creating a unique and extraordinary wine from this critically praised site.
In the cool darkness of night, grapes were hand-picked into small twenty-five-pound bins to minimize crushing. By early morning, the grapes were subjected to rigorous selection by our three-tiered sorting process which includes our cutting-edge optical sorter, and a slow, individual berry hand sort. Whole berries were gently delivered by gravity to tank by our unique crane system which kept the berries intact. Cold soaks lasted from five to eight days, and fermentations were managed through a combination of pump overs and délestage. Extended maceration of up to six weeks ensured exceptional extraction and fine-tuning of tannin profiles. This wine underwent twenty-one months of élevage in French oak barrels, 79% of which were new.
The sensuous 2022 To Kalon is endowed with a deep garnet color and gorgeous notions of violets, sandalwood, crème de cassis, smoked meats, black pepper, and garrigue with touches of chargrill, dried herbs, and mincemeat pie. Medium plus bodied, soft, and plush on the palate, it has tons of mouth-filling savory and blackberry preserves flavors and a very long, pure, savory finish. Balanced perfection from a legendary site. – Christopher Tynan, Director of Winemaking