Reviews

B Cellars Cabernet Franc Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

Coming off a bit heavy handed and blown out for the first hour or so, this bottle needed significant air to start coming into form. Ripe red and purple berry and plum are washed with spice and…

B Cellars Cabernet Franc Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

Still a hotbox of massive fruit and booze. The berry fruit is unctuous, powerful, and unfurled. The flex on this is all iron fist right now, laying a beat down to the palate; after a few sips it was…

B Cellars Cabernet Franc Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

Prepare for straight-up heat and sweet if opening now. In a very awkward place at the moment. Standby to standby for a while; keep this cobbler cocktail horizontal. Signs of promise, but not until…

B Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

As good as it was 1.5 years ago. A big, mouthwatering wine that is somehow able to finesse its way clear of being a brute. Super luscious blue and black berry fruits, with embers, slate, anise/dark…

B Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Star Vineyard

Uber plush and fruity, with black cherry syrup surrounded by cinnamon and nutmeg spices washing over the palate in a round, plump delivery. Finishes with the sweet spice note swirling around the…

B Cellars Cabernet Franc Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

A near perfect example of Cab Franc; a much more resolved and less crunchy demeanor than last year's bottle. Notes of blackberry, black cherry, black plum skin, Christmas spice, and violets. Less of…

B Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

Black cherry liqueur, initially tasting a bit like the Elysian, but with a little more swanky red cherry tones. Round and somewhat boozy; the most plush of the lineup. Finished a little chewy…

B Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Previous notes apply. Still best to hold until after 2021++. This bottle was followed for four separate days over the course of two weeks (Coravin pours and a final day of a few hours of open air).…

B Cellars Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

Similar to before, except that this was exceptionally cloudy in hue and delivered a much cooler attack than I remembered from a few months ago. It was interesting and unique, but it certainly made…

B Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard

Followed over three separate days - divided (March 18, 21, and 28) via Coravin and finally open-air on the final day. The initial Coravin pours were certainly flavorful, but with a bit of a…

B Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard

Previous notes apply. Still TRYING to hold off popping these, as I truly believe a year or so will bring it into a perfect focus, but it is definitely compelling now. Followed over two days. Even…

B Cellars Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

Black cherry, bark, spice, and some faint evergreen. Similar to my previous experience with this wine a few months ago, except the core fruit seemed a little more deeply pitched and saturated this…

B Cellars Chardonnay Barrel Select

Still kicking out energetic yellow citrus oil and lightly honeyed lemon flavors. Some alcohol and vanilla glycol on the initial pull, making for an angular attack initially. Balanced out much better…

B Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

So for those familiar with B Cellars, Venge, and To Kalon, it should come as no surprise that this particular concoction is chock-full of hedonistic and viscous unctuousness that delivers up-front…

B Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard

Well slap me silly with a stack of 80's skin flicks on videocassette... This wine didn't suck in any way, shape, or form, with B Cellars proving again that LPV can be both unctuously sexy as well as…

B Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Heritage Beckstoffer

As before, the Heritage took on much of its overall profile from the characteristics injected from the Missouri Hopper site. A hefty amount of meaty and earthy fruit, with a chewy charcuterie element…

B Cellars Cabernet Franc Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

Black cherry, cassis, red and black raspberry, vanilla bean, baking spices, and a huge bouquet of violets thrown in your face with the force of an ex-wife with a restraining order.

B Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard

Up there with the B Cellars BTK and Crane Cabernet Sauvignon, the Las Piedras delivers with gorgeous black fruit, signature black asphalt, charcoal, and black rock notes, as well as supplementary…

B Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

The best showing from this wine to date. Previous notes apply; but with this go-around, it was displaying even more power and intensity than the sample I had last month. Yet, even with all of that…

B Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Barrel Selection Beckstoffer Bourn Vineyard

A tad darker and more plush than the 2015, the B Cellars 2016 Bourn shows a bit of reticence at the moment, sauntering up on its attack with a more medium-bodied delivery overall. Mid-palate was…

B Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Intense and concentrated without a doubt, but with a sophistication and focus that really showed extraordinarily well this time around. Even more elevated and complex in its showing since my previous…

B Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard

A mighty tasty representation of the site, and completely elevated in every respect since I last sampled this in barrel back in February. 10 months ago, this was all about sanguine and bloody butcher…

B Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville

Served side-by-side with a 2016 B Cellars Star Cabernet, which was much more fruit driven and showed less up-front structure and acid than the Oakville. Previous notes apply on the Oakville, with…

B Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Star Vineyard

Served side-by-side with the 2016 B Cellars Oakville. Previous notes apply, with a near-identical experience to my last. Redder fruit and "fruitier" than the nicely structured Oakville. The Star has…

B Cellars Chardonnay Barrel Select

Same notes as last month. A really nice balance between acid/frame/drive and core fruit flavor. Pure, balanced, and elegantly smooth, but also full and unctuous. Especially well-weighted mid-palate,…