Schrader Napa Valley Cult Cabernet Sauvignon Tasting at Wine Watch Wine Bar

Saturday, April 29, 2017 - 07:30 PM

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Only by wine one's heart is lit,
only a poem calms a soul that's torn.
You'd understand me, Tao Qian.
I wish a little sooner I was born!

Tao Yuan-ming


04182017-Schrader-Tasting-at-Wine-Watch-Bar.jpg

This is one of those tastings that we put on the calendar just because we have the wines and that is reason enough for a wine like Schrader!  We can either sell them or host a tasting and enjoy them with a few of our “Wine Drinking People”- you know which one I would rather do!!   I have included everything we have in stock from this elite wine producer from Napa Valley for those of you that can’t make the tasting which will be the first event in the new Wine Watch Wine Bar across the street from the current location.

We have followed Fred Schrader’s journey in the wine industry and knew Fred when he was living in Florida and frequented Café Maxx with Ann Colgin who he was married to at that time.  They were in the Collectible Fine Art business and were fans of the former owner of Wine Watch the late great Jim Turner.  We sold the first release of Colgin, the 1992 Herb Lamb which had Fred’s name on the back label until the 1994 vintage when he and Ann split.

It took Fred Schrader a few years to come out with the first vintage of Napa Cabernet Sauvignon with his name on the bottle and we were excited to see the Gaudemus Vineyard Napa Cabernet Sauvignon made by John Kongsgaard but unfortunately the wine was not very good.  The Wine Spectator rated it (91 Points) but it had to be release alongside the 1999 vintage in 6 packs with 3 bottles of each to sell through.  The thing that changed for Fred in 1999 was he started buying Beckstoffer To Kalon fruit from Andy Beckstoffer and he hired Thomas Brown as his new Winemaker.  The rest is detailed in the story which follows the list of wines for the event and if you have not experienced these wines we recommend making a reservation for the tasting on Saturday April 29th as this may be one of the only chances you get to sample 10 different wines from the Schrader arsenal of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon for less than the price of any single bottle of wine on the table.

There are only 14 spaces available for this tasting and the fee for this event is $295 + tax for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com

Image result for 2005 Schrader T6 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa

Schrader Napa Valley Cult Cabernet Sauvignon Tasting at Wine Watch Wine Bar
Saturday, April 29, 2017
7:30 PM

Image result for 2005 Schrader T6 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa

2005 Schrader T6 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa
Price: $425.00    Sale Price: $325.00
Quantity in Stock: 6

(97 points) The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon T6 is 100% Clone 6, came in at 14.7% alcohol, and was aged in 100% new Darnajou barrels. It reveals a different character, with notes of charcoal and espresso roast, white chocolate, new saddle leather and a meaty, dense, full-bodied mouthfeel. This is spectacular and terrific stuff. After the RBS, this is probably the most evolved of these five cuvées, although I kept going back to the CCS, which has a hauntingly perfect bouquet. (RP) (6/2015) Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

 

2006 Schrader Cabernet Sauvignon T6 Napa
Price: $500.00    Sale Price: $380.00
Quantity in Stock: 2

(94-96 Points) Cut from the same mould, the dense purple-colored, hugely fruity 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon T6 boasts full-bodied opulence and a beautiful texture along with notes of pain grille, graphite, espresso roast, blackberries, cassis, chocolate, and new oak. Like all of these wines, the finish exceeds 40 seconds. Wine Advocate # 174, Dec 2007

 

2006 Schrader Cabernet Sauvignon CCS Napa
Price: $895.0    Sale Price: $700.00
Quantity in Stock: 2

(100 points)  The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To-Kalon CCS is utter perfection in Cabernet Sauvignon. Extraordinary power, fruit depth, and perfume (not dissimilar from its siblings’) as well as a seamlessness, monumental richness, and a staggering finish are the stuff of legends. Again, the dominant characteristics are creme de cassis, graphite, espresso, blackberries, chocolate, and subtle background new oak. (RP) (12/2008) Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

 

2007 Schrader Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Napa
Price: $600.00    Sale Price: $420.00
Quantity in Stock: 1

(96 Points) The 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vineyard Schrader, which comes from clone 4 and clone 6, from two separate blocks, is another prodigious Cabernet. It boasts stunning concentration, a dense purple color, plenty of crushed rock, floral, black currant, pain grille, and spice box notes, and outstanding ripeness as well as richness. Forget it for 3-4 years, and enjoy it over the following 25+. Are readers totally confused about the multiple clonal experiments and single block Schrader Cabernet Sauvignons? All of them emanate from the Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vineyard with one exception, the George III Vineyard in Rutherford. Schrader’s mission statement is essentially one where their 30-year leases on vineyard parcels give them the ability to present a specific clonal study of Cabernet Sauvignon from three highly desired clones (4, 6, and 337) grown within a single vineyard. Perhaps this is more than most people want or need to know. The bottom line is that with their production averages about 1,600 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon, the wines do have subtle differences, but most importantly, all of them are extraordinary in quality – among the finest wines one could possibly find in the world. Fred Schrader and his wife, Carol, hired Thomas Brown to make these wines. Their 2006s were among the finest wines of that vintage, their 2008s look to be among the top wines I tasted in that year, and the 2007s, universally acknowledged as a great vintage for Napa, are spectacular. All of these cuvees are aged in 100% new French oak, mostly Darnajou barrels with a sprinkling of Taransaud. Wine Advocate # 186, Dec 2009

 

2007 Schrader Cabernet Sauvignon GIII Beckstoffer Napa
NA

(97+ Points) The 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer George III Vineyard comes from clone 337, from a Beckstoffer-owned vineyard in Rutherford. Its dense purple color is followed by a big, sweet nose of black cherries, black currants, cedar, spice box, and subtle oak. Enormously concentrated and full-bodied with superb minerality as well as tannic structure, it will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age, and should evolve for three decades. Are readers totally confused about the multiple clonal experiments and single block Schrader Cabernet Sauvignons? All of them emanate from the Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vineyard with one exception, the George III Vineyard in Rutherford. Schrader’s mission statement is essentially one where their 30-year leases on vineyard parcels give them the ability to present a specific clonal study of Cabernet Sauvignon from three highly desired clones (4, 6, and 337) grown within a single vineyard. Perhaps this is more than most people want or need to know. The bottom line is that with their production averages about 1,600 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon, the wines do have subtle differences, but most importantly, all of them are extraordinary in quality – among the finest wines one could possibly find in the world. Fred Schrader and his wife, Carol, hired Thomas Brown to make these wines. Their 2006s were among the finest wines of that vintage, their 2008s look to be among the top wines I tasted in that year, and the 2007s, universally acknowledged as a great vintage for Napa, are spectacular. All of these cuvees are aged in 100% new French oak, mostly Darnajou barrels with a sprinkling of Taransaud. Wine Advocate # 186, Dec 2009

 

2008 Schrader Cabernet Sauvignon RBS Beckstoffer Tokalon Napa
Price: $500.00    Sale Price: $400.00
Quantity in Stock: 3

(97 points) The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon RBS from Clone 337 planted in the Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vineyard reveals a similar blue/purple color offers a big, sweet kiss of burning embers, charcoal, white chocolate, subtle toast, and oodles of creme de cassis and incense. This expressive, full-bodied, powerful wine is seamlessly constructed, shows little evidence of the 100% new oak aging, and like most of its peers, has a 45-second finish. It is slightly more exotic aromatically, but from a textural and concentration perspective, it is similar to its peers. (RP) (12/2010) Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

 

(97 points) *Collectibles* Delightfully elegant and refined, showing richness, opulence and depth of flavor with a measure of loamy earth, mineral and light cedar. Full-bodied and persistent, ending with chewy, extracted fruit and a rustic edge, appropriate for such a young wine. (10/2011) Wine Spectator

 

2008 Schrader Cabernet Sauvignon CCS Napa
Price: $850.00    Sale Price: $650.00
Quantity in Stock: 1

 

(98-100 Points) Nearly all of the 2008 offerings possesses a slight degree of higher alcohol, but that component is not detectable. The wines reveal showy personalities, and even more flamboyance than the 2007s. At this stage, less minerality as well as more structure are present, and the wines seem fleshier, more flamboyant and even more opulent than the extraordinary 2007s. There is the potential for two perfect 2008s, the Cabernet Sauvignon CCS and Cabernet Sauvignon Schrader, as well as three upper 90-point wines, the T6, RBS, and George III. When all the dust settles many years from now, I suspect 2008 may turn out – at least for Schrader – as great as 2007. Last year the 2007s seemed more grapy and less nuanced than the 2006s, but one would not make that statement tasting the 2007s out of bottle as they are quite structured, and exhibit great minerality, complexity, and potential. The 2008s are gorgeously fruity, rich, and opulent at present. In another year they should be far more delineated and complex. Wine Advocate # 186 Dec 2009

 

2009 Schrader Cabernet Sauvignon CCS Napa
Price: $475.00    Sale Price: $375.00
Quantity in Stock: 2

(96 points) The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon CCS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard comes across as big, tight and powerful. This is one of the more reticent, inward of the 2009 Schraders. Tar, licorice, menthol and violets are some of the notes that wrap around the intense, virile finish. Today the CCS is a touch compact. It will merit a higher score if the fruit fills out a little more. CCS is clone 4 from the C1 block. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2029. (AG) (12/2011) Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

 

2009 Schrader Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Napa
Price: $365.00    Sale $321.20
Quantity in Stock: 8

(95 points) The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Schrader Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is one of the more plush, overt wines in this lineup. There is tremendous depth in the fruit in this massive, sweeping wine. The aromas and flavors build towards the cascading finish. The Schrader is a decidedly big, muscular wine that emphasizes power over detail. The Schrader is predominantly clone 4 from the D2 block, with a dollop of clone 6 from the D2 block and clone 337 from the B2 block. (AG) (12/2011) Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

 

2009 Schrader Cabernet Sauvignon T6 Napa
Price: $430.00    Sale Price: $330.00
Quantity in Stock: 10

(97 points) The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon T6 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is another big, implosive wine bursting with dark blackberries, blueberries, tar, smoke, licorice and graphite. Layers of fruit build effortlessly to the huge, polished finish. The T6 has it all - fruit and structure. This is a marvelously complete wine that should drink well out of the gate, yet also appears to have the stuffing to last for years. The T6 is clone 6 from the D2 block. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2029. (AG) (12/2011) Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

(97 points)  Pure, rich, dense and structured, with a mix of loamy earth, cedar, gravel and dark berry fruit that echoes mocha, melted black licorice, anise and espresso. Tightens nicely on the finish, where the tannins flex their strength. Best from 2014 through 2031. (JL) (9/2012) \Wine Spectator

 

 

Menu

Selection of cheese:  Beemster Gouda, Parmesan Reggiano

Grilled Portobello Mushroom, eggplant, Harpke Farms Heirloom Tomato and fried Mozzarella short stack with Cola Sundried Tomato aged Balsamic vinaigrette

espresso and Sambuca glazed Ribeye with cheddar cheese grits and Yellow beet mash with cabernet gravy

 

There are only 14 spaces available for this tasting and the fee for this event is $295 + tax for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com

 

A bit about Schrader:

Image result for fred Schrader

 

Fred Schrader is one of the “bad boys” of the Napa Valley.  Fred was not born into the wine business, nor was he born with a silver spoon in his mouth.  Schrader first made his mark first in the world of art collectibles, from books to paintings everything in between.  It seemed like everything that Fred touched turned to money.  As he and his ex-wife, Ann Colgin, began to hang around with the elite events of Napa Valley they befriended some of the locals and became intrigued by the idea of becoming vintners themselves.  Their first vintage was to be 1992 and the wine would be named Colgin-Schrader, but one day Fred woke up and decided that he did not like the idea of marriage and abandoned Ann to once again pursue his wild oats.

Fred left Ann everything when it came to their joint winemaking venture and the 1992 vintage of their wine would be released minus the Schrader, and Colgin has become one of the most sought after Cabernet Sauvignon labels coming from California in the 21st century.  Fred would have to wait five years to establish his own label and in 1998 he released his first wine made by the venerable John Kongsgaard.  Although we feel this wine was a complete flop (the Wine Spectator rated it 91 points).  Schrader Cellars rebounded in 1999 with a new young talent as the winemaker, Thomas Brown.  

The most promising wine that Schrader Cellars is producing began with controversy; if you know Fred you should not be surprised.  One of his fruit sources, the Tokalon Vineyard, is well known as being one of Robert Mondavi’s.  But recently, wines made from grapes from vines belonging to Mr. Andy Beckstoffer, also an owner of the vineyard, have appeared with the Tokalon vineyard designation on the label. One is Paul Hobbs. The other is Schrader.

The brouhaha began on November 5, when Mondavi’s lawyers filed a lawsuit against Fred Schrader for mislabeling, as Mondavi sees it, a wine made from grapes that Schrader bought from Beckstoffer.  Those grapes were from 89 acres that Beckstoffer owns within the 659-acre Tokalon Vineyard, one of Napa’s oldest and most historic vineyards.  The Mondavi complaint is that Schrader, at Beckstoffer’s urging, labeled his 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon “Beckstoffer Original To Kalon Vineyard.” About 300 cases of the $75 wine were released in October.  Mondavi owns 550 acres of the vineyard and has several copyrights on the word “Tokalon” (which Mondavi spells as two words, “To Kalon”). The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court of Northern California, charges Schrader with trademark infringement, and demands that Schrader stop using “To Kalon” and “surrender immediately for destruction” all products, labels and other materials bearing the To Kalon name.

“Our attorneys say [Schrader] can’t use ‘To Kalon’ on his front label because it’s trademarked,” explains Mondavi spokesperson Sandra Timpson.  Schrader says he had no idea the Mondavis would object to his label.  Beckstoffer, whom Mondavi is not suing (“We can’t sue Andy because Andy doesn’t have a wine,” Timpson says), was shocked to learn of Mondavi’s action.  He has agreed to help Schrader pay his legal bills.  Beckstoffer says his part-ownership of Tokalon gives him the “right to the fair use” of the name. The original Tokalon, planted in 1868, consisted, according to records, of 359 acres.  Part of Beckstoffer’s rebuttal is that the Mondavis, in a “misrepresentation,” have planted or incorporate at least 190 new acres into the historic old Tokalon, and that Beckstoffer’s 89 acres are contained in the original part.

The spat took a new twist on Dec. 16, when Beckstoffer and Schrader jointly filed a counter-suit against Robert Mondavi Winery.  The duo charge Mondavi with “fraudulently” using the term “To-Kalon” because “Mondavi...has acquired approximately 300 acres of additional land...that was never part of the historic To-Kalon Vineyard.” Their lawsuit seeks cancellation of Mondavi’s trademark.  Can you see a settlement in the near future?

Fred’s ace in the hole is his young and talented winemaker, Thomas Brown.  Thomas Brown is one of the hot young talents in Napa Valley.  He made the transition in careers from wine enthusiast to wine maker in the course of three short years.  Thomas Brown didn't inherit a winery, and he never went to school to study viticulture or enology. Born in Sumter, S.C., Brown went to the University of Virginia, where he majored in English and economics, thinking he might end up on Wall Street. Then he discovered wine. In an article in the Wine Spectator he revealed what makes wine so intriguing to him.  "You can never know everything about wine. I think that's what intrigued me," says Brown, 31. "And it was so completely outside my experience growing up. That fact fit my personality pretty well. I was always a bit subversive or counter to the established order around me."

In 1996, Brown moved to Napa where he went to work for All Seasons Wine Shop in Calistoga.  This is where he met Ehren Jordan, winemaker for Turley Wine Cellars. Jordan mentioned that he needed some help in the cellar, and Brown was the first to apply for the job.  He started in 1997.  "My learning curve was steep, but I was always a great student."  All Season’s Café is also where another famous wine personality made a similar transition in occupations, John Wetlaufer, co-owner of the cult Marcassin winery also worked here before he started his winery with his wife Helen Turley. 

Thomas started his journey in the wine production side of the industry working for one of the best minds in the wine business Ehren Jordan. Although Brown has no formal training in winemaking he says that he learned 95% of what he knows today while he was the assistant winemaker at Turley Wine Cellars from 1997 until February of 2001.  He is currently the consulting winemaker for several projects in the Napa Valley including Chiarello Family Vineyards, Schrader Cellars, Outpost and Nicholson Ranch. Since his graduation from the University of Virginia in 1994, Thomas' clients also include Tor and Tamber Bey Winery. In addition, he is part owner and managing partner for Ridgetop Partners, a new Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir project.

 

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