Schrader Original Beckstoffer To-Kalon 2004 3.0L

The only perfect wine of the vintage, which Thomas Brown calls the Schrader Schrader, is the 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Schrader Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vineyard, a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from clones 4, 6 and 337. This was aged in 90% Darnajou and 10% Taransaud barrels. It had the second highest alcohol in the vintage at 14.6%. In possession of everything anyone could want in a wine, this profound effort offers up a bouquet of lavender, cedarwood, creme de cassis, blackberry, subtle smoke and incense. It is broad, full-bodied and opulent with ethereal complexity, remarkable concentration and that indescribable gravitas and nobility that world-class prodigious wines possess. It is the most youthful of this quartet and probably wont be at its best for another 3-4 years, but it should drink well for at least two decades thereafter. What Thomas Brown and the Schraders believe is their best wine goes into the cuvee called Old Sparky.