Amazing Cab. Rich, full bodied, with dark fruits, spice, oak, and chewy tannins. Still can age another 5 years but drinkable now. Day 2 was even better than Day 1 as it really opened up more overnight. Another great entry from Tor Kenward,
Side by side tasting of Clone 4 and Clone 6 of 2009 Beckstoffer To-Kalon, Both decanted for 3+ hours. The Clone 6 was a slight winner based on its more balanced and longer finish.
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Beautiful, balanced Cali cab with a long finish. Ready to go upon opening and improved some, but not dramatically, with air. Long, smooth finish with some charcoal and earthy notes. Creamy mouthfeel. Black cherry and blackberry fruit is the star.
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A fruit driven modern California Cabernet. Tonight the wine was spectacular. There was no decant but over the course of an hour the wine notes were pouring out faster than wine itself from the decanter. Graphite and cassis nose with tremendous dark fruit. Savory and succulent. Literally found myself chewing. Mid palette was pure velvet with fig, creme di cassis, and ripened mulberry fruit. Long finish (over 1 minute). If you like them big...... find some.
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Decanted 1 hour. Strong fruit and alcohol driven nose. Although the alcohol calmed over a bit of time. Ripe blueberry, over ripe blackberry, even a cantaloupe component on the nose. Very sweet nose. Blueberry pie, cream cassis, black cherry flavors. A subtle dried meat and cherry on the nose. Soap, ink and bacon fat comes out on the nose after 2nd hour. Nice complexity. Very silky. Weight medium plus, acid medium minus. Drinking very well.
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I found a couple bottles in the secondary market at a good price so I decided to give this vintage a shot. I have no idea why anyone would get rid of this wine at a discounted price. Dark black and red fruit - blackberry, currants, and dark cherry. Really smooth mid-palate with nice depth and a beautiful purity. Nice flavors of dark berries and a little spice. Fairly long/deep finish. Decanted for one hour and drank over another three. Improved some with time but at a nice drinking point after the decant.
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Slow ox at 11 am then decanted @6 pm. Started to drink it @ 9 pm. Perfume nose, great structure with enough tannins to show its still young. Drinking well now and for next 5 years. Great finish! It coats your tongue for 45 seconds. Highly recommend.
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The definition of a modern fruit driven Cali Cab. The wine has a medium up front nose. We decanted for 1 hour and flavors were stunning. Aroma's began to reveal themselves and a velvety smooth mouth feel is what I remember most. Really nice dark fruit at the mid-palate and finish goes on and on and on. Ready to drink right now ! Great bottle.
--- COLOR: Deep garnet with medium garnet rim NOTE: From the great To Kalon vineyard, and it is one of my fav clones for its velvety nature. Lovely nose of pungent red fruits, caressed by leather, tar and hints of dark chocolate. Mouth is rich, tannins are significant but well developed, nice glycerin levels and a good grip. The fruit is still prominent, but you do get some serious baking spices and dark cocoa powder in the mouth that leads the finish. Finish is a real ping-pong match between the fruit and structure. It goes on for 30+ seconds. I think this will be better in a couple more years and will last for a decade past that.
What a great wine. Had 2 bottles in Maui this week. Deep dark color, long silky rays. very pleasant aftertaste, easy drinking. Lots of well delveloped fruits. A pleasure to drink!!!
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Dark cherries and blackberries with a little olive juice mixed in. This is surprisingly accessible but the tannins are there on the finish. A couple more years should be good to this wine.
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Fabulous with Tenderloin on Valentine's day. First taste tight, an hour of aerated decanting opened the wine beautifully. Should age extremely well but would rate at 97 at this point.
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3/30/2024 - Taterhaus Likes this wine: 98 Points
Lush, powerful and concentrated black fruit on the palate.
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1/30/2024 - jimyeni Likes this wine: 96 Points
Fantastic wine. Perfume on the nose with some leather, pyrazines, and menthol. A nice concentration of pure fruit.
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12/24/2020 - jimyeni wrote: flawed
Calling this flawed. Bitter and acid, completely off
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10/27/2019 - zylmanj Likes this wine: 93 Points
Good aroma. Very good wine and very smooth. Not quite as memorable as I was hoping so the QPR might be a bit high would be a crowd pleaser.
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3/18/2019 - Squilber Likes this wine: 96 Points
Amazing Cab. Rich, full bodied, with dark fruits, spice, oak, and chewy tannins. Still can age another 5 years but drinkable now. Day 2 was even better than Day 1 as it really opened up more overnight. Another great entry from Tor Kenward,
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1/29/2019 - shellywine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Side by side tasting of Clone 4 and Clone 6 of 2009 Beckstoffer To-Kalon, Both decanted for 3+ hours. The Clone 6 was a slight winner based on its more balanced and longer finish.
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11/18/2018 - BornToRhone Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted about 2 hours prior to drinking. This wine was rocking! Nice intense fruit, good acidity and structure. Very enjoyable.
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5/1/2018 - iamandyc Likes this wine: 95 Points
Beautiful, balanced Cali cab with a long finish. Ready to go upon opening and improved some, but not dramatically, with air. Long, smooth finish with some charcoal and earthy notes. Creamy mouthfeel. Black cherry and blackberry fruit is the star.
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7/22/2017 - tomoem Likes this wine: 97 Points
A fruit driven modern California Cabernet. Tonight the wine was spectacular. There was no decant but over the course of an hour the wine notes were pouring out faster than wine itself from the decanter.
Graphite and cassis nose with tremendous dark fruit. Savory and succulent. Literally found myself chewing. Mid palette was pure velvet with fig, creme di cassis, and ripened mulberry fruit. Long finish (over 1 minute). If you like them big...... find some.
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5/9/2017 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 95 Points
Just a great wine with amazing depth and still fairly aggressive tannic structure. Will still benefit from 3-5 years of age.
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3/5/2017 - RickyT12 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Decanted 1 hour.
Strong fruit and alcohol driven nose. Although the alcohol calmed over a bit of time.
Ripe blueberry, over ripe blackberry, even a cantaloupe component on the nose. Very sweet nose. Blueberry pie, cream cassis, black cherry flavors. A subtle dried meat and cherry on the nose. Soap, ink and bacon fat comes out on the nose after 2nd hour. Nice complexity. Very silky. Weight medium plus, acid medium minus. Drinking very well.
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3/3/2017 - Badmonkey wrote: 95 Points
I found a couple bottles in the secondary market at a good price so I decided to give this vintage a shot. I have no idea why anyone would get rid of this wine at a discounted price. Dark black and red fruit - blackberry, currants, and dark cherry. Really smooth mid-palate with nice depth and a beautiful purity. Nice flavors of dark berries and a little spice. Fairly long/deep finish. Decanted for one hour and drank over another three. Improved some with time but at a nice drinking point after the decant.
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11/26/2016 - rashcar Likes this wine: 95 Points
Slow ox at 11 am then decanted @6 pm. Started to drink it @ 9 pm. Perfume nose, great structure with enough tannins to show its still young. Drinking well now and for next 5 years. Great finish! It coats your tongue for 45 seconds. Highly recommend.
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4/20/2016 - tomoem Likes this wine: 96 Points
The definition of a modern fruit driven Cali Cab. The wine has a medium up front nose. We decanted for 1 hour and flavors were stunning. Aroma's began to reveal themselves and a velvety smooth mouth feel is what I remember most. Really nice dark fruit at the mid-palate and finish goes on and on and on. Ready to drink right now ! Great bottle.
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1/22/2016 - tp096255 Likes this wine: 94 Points
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COLOR: Deep garnet with medium garnet rim
NOTE: From the great To Kalon vineyard, and it is one of my fav clones for its velvety nature. Lovely nose of pungent red fruits, caressed by leather, tar and hints of dark chocolate. Mouth is rich, tannins are significant but well developed, nice glycerin levels and a good grip. The fruit is still prominent, but you do get some serious baking spices and dark cocoa powder in the mouth that leads the finish. Finish is a real ping-pong match between the fruit and structure. It goes on for 30+ seconds. I think this will be better in a couple more years and will last for a decade past that.
DECANT: 3 hours
GLASS USED: Bordeaux
TASTE: 9.4
COST: 157
VALUE: 6.0
TRY AGAIN: now-2025
CORAVIN'D: no
PRE-POUR LEVEL: n/a
PAIRING: beef
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3/23/2015 - jeffm_fla Likes this wine: 93 Points
Plush and powerful with the distinctive To Kalon flavor profile. Didn't take any notes, but liked it a lot.
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3/14/2015 - ClubTerry Likes this wine: 98 Points
Lovely wine. Blue and black fruits, with leather and tobacco, softsmooth finish.
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12/26/2014 - johnbhamrick wrote: 96 Points
What a great wine. Had 2 bottles in Maui this week. Deep dark color, long silky rays. very pleasant aftertaste, easy drinking. Lots of well delveloped fruits. A pleasure to drink!!!
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4/11/2014 - bambam Likes this wine: 95 Points
Dark cherries and blackberries with a little olive juice mixed in. This is surprisingly accessible but the tannins are there on the finish. A couple more years should be good to this wine.
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11/8/2012 - jaylew1 wrote: 96 Points
Best Tor ever. Must get more. No further notes til I've purchased a case. :)
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2/15/2012 - Arollins wrote: 97 Points
Fabulous with Tenderloin on Valentine's day. First taste tight, an hour of aerated decanting opened the wine beautifully. Should age extremely well but would rate at 97 at this point.
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1/16/2012 - JJB007 wrote: 97 Points
this is a heavy wine and was perfect with Pesto and beans- we like it better than the 1997 Georgel De Latour BV 1997
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