Carter Cellars Beckstoffer To Kalon The Three Kings 2012

Description

eRobertParker.com #215 Oct 2014 Robert M. Parker, Jr. RATED 96 Drink: 2014 – 2030 Another killer effort is the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard The Three Kings. Its splitting hairs at this level of quality, but this cuvée achieved 14.8% natural alcohol compared to its siblings 14.9%. You certainly cant tell that in the glass. In fact, you would be hard pressed to believe it was over 13% given the wealth of fruit and layered texture. Abundant blue and black fruit, licorice, graphite and spice notes are present in this beautiful Pauillac-like Napa Valley wine. Full-bodied and opulent, this is another big-time winner from Carter Cellars. Drink it over the next 12-15+ years. One of my favorite tiny boutique wineries in Napa Valley is Carter Cellars. They have been on a fabulous qualitative roll lately, and there are high expectations for the 2012s and 2013s. I tasted six barrel samples from the 2013 vintage, which all achieved basically the same alcohol levels as the 2012s, 14.8%-14.9%. By and large, the berries were smaller in 2013, and yields were good, but not as abundant as in 2012. That fact is often seen in the wines which are even more concentrated (as hard as that is to believe) than the 2012s. The 2013 vintage looks like a replay of 2001, and 2012 looks like a repeat of 2002, at least for Bordeaux varietals in Napa Valley. I cant say enough about these offerings from Carter Cellars. If the rumor around the wine world is true that, because of their name, this estate was being harassed, possibly sued by the huge international French firm of Cartier, shame on Cartier. Very Rare