2018 Bevan Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard
Community Tasting Note
csimm wrote:
Monday, May 24, 2021 - If you know Bevan and you know Crane, then this inaugural interpretation of the lauded site won’t come as any surprise. Big, deep, concentrated, intense, and all those other Schwarzenegger-type descriptors that have been continuously used to describe modern takes on Crane aptly apply here. Fans of this style can place this in the same bin as other Cranes before it from Elysian to B Cellars, Vice Versa to Memento Mori, Realm to, well, now Bevan, Crane followers can add this to the throngs of juicy black cherry fruitiness out on full display for all to gobble up.
As for the question about any distinct markers in which Bevan has specifically made for his representation? Not surprisingly, there is quite a bit of extra flex here, a bit more mid-palate thud, and a bit more punch on the finish. So basically, a bit more of everything turned up an extra notch a-la This Is Spinal Tap. Again, those who know Bevan shouldn’t be floored by this at all. Currently there is marked acidity to counterbalance the ripe and reduced fruit, keeping it from becoming too thick or sluggish and adding the essential speed needed to keep it in-step. There is a slight tug-of-war with the banging alcohol on the finish that clatters the fruit expansion currently, but the viscosity seems to be winning the fight and I’d imagine will ultimately prove more seamless in the coming years. It will never be a subtle wine and is on the liberal end of modernity. Crane-wise, the comparative opposite pole might be Arrow & Branch’s version of Crane, with a more regimented execution and throttled-back gushing of flavor immediacy.
94-96+ points, with certain upside in 5-7+ years (and beyond), as I think the acidity (or at least the perception of acidity) here will hopefully make for a longer-lived Crane than some of the “just rich” versions that are floating around out there and have been known to collapse under the weight of their own fruit before even getting close to the decade from vintage mark.
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14 comments have been posted
6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue (7,582 views)
Comment posted by MJP Hou TX:
5/24/2021 9:37:00 AM - Great review Csimm. Was there much heat upon opening? I don't recall the alcohol content on Bevan's wines.
Comment posted by csimm:
5/24/2021 10:30:00 AM - Though I don't recall the actual ABV here, the perception of booze was certainly evident and needed some air (mainly swirling in the glass) to blow off - to which it didn't entirely do so. The finish was a little marred by the alcohol. Not an unfamiliar phenomenon with Bevan's young wines of course. If folks just want flavor and power, it's here now, but I've been liking Bevan's wines with at least 7+ years on them lately (depending on vintage). The acidity is the key to this wine's longevity I think. The alcohol will hopefully not be an issue in the future, but for now it is ever-present.
Comment posted by MJP Hou TX:
5/24/2021 12:38:00 PM - Just dug one out of the cellar to find out. 14.8% ABV
Comment posted by csimm:
5/24/2021 1:13:00 PM - Sounds about right. There’s plenty of fruit there too, so I think it’ll be fine with some time. Young Bevans can be quite cocktaily early on anyway. This has less of that than a Wildfoote, for example (which I have loved in the past), but it definitely takes time to chill out.
Comment posted by Cristal2000:
5/24/2021 2:46:00 PM - Let's not pretend the 14.8% is accurate. It is likely at least 1% higher. Most wineries in Napa use a lower number and are technically allowed to deviate by 1% above 14% ABV, even though my bet is over 16%. I remember one time Roy Piper showed me the lab results on his wine, and it was like 16.8% ABV. And he doesn't make them as big as Bevan.
Comment posted by MJP Hou TX:
5/24/2021 3:26:00 PM - Damn! Why is the first time I’m hearing about this!? Do you think some of the older Napa wines around 13% are fudging?
Comment posted by Cristal2000:
5/24/2021 3:29:00 PM - If they list under 14%, they can fudge by even more - 1.5% - and still be within the rules. Hard to say how each winery treats it, but I think fair to say most list lower than actual abv. Certainly the older school wines perhaps didn't have quite as much reason to hide it.
Comment posted by csimm:
5/24/2021 4:48:00 PM - Ya Cristal2000 is exactly right. "For wines that are 14% or below in their alcohol content the tolerance range is plus or minus 1.5%. For wines above 14% the tolerance range is 1.0%." So legally, Bevan could be as much as 15.8%.
Comment posted by MJP Hou TX:
5/24/2021 6:54:00 PM - Well, they say learn something new everyday. CHECK!
Comment posted by #1Winelover:
5/25/2021 11:16:00 AM - I wonder why they are allowed to do that? It seems illogical!
Comment posted by NickRut:
5/25/2021 12:00:00 PM - https://www.winemag.com/2019/09/04/wine-abv-is-a-lie/
Explains the variance and tolerance.
Comment posted by csimm:
5/25/2021 3:10:00 PM - Good article Nick. Thanks!
Comment posted by #1Winelover:
5/26/2021 4:03:00 AM - That was a good article Nick so thanks! I still don't know why they wouldn't just list the correct %. The people on this thread certainly know when alcohol is above or below 15%!
Comment posted by MJP Hou TX:
5/26/2021 8:32:00 AM - Great article. I'm seriously going to look at the label from here on out every time I step into the cellar.