Super surprising. Tasted single blind and thought it was merlot with the softness (tricked by the vintage) and how amazingly open and expressive it was. Definitely modern. Not too weighty but in that style.
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Decanted for one hour. Nose of black raspberry, currant, mocha, anise and baking spice. Ripe black fruit, mocha, anise and spice on the palate. Elegantly balanced with a long lingering finish. Full bodied. A gorgeous wine that is drinking very well. Served with reverse seared ribeye steaks and blue cheese, black truffle butter.
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4th Saturday Group: Uptown Brown Bag: Double blind. Aromas of coffee, black fruit, green tobacco and mole sauce. Complex and deep. Chewy, slightly plush tannins. Cherry, currant, plum and spice flavors with a long finish. Guessed 2012 Napa cab. (T&L)
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What a nice bottle at this point. Extremely long finish with great balance. All of the rough edges are now gone as it was also helped with a two hour decant. Unfortunately this was our last bottle.
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Outstanding. Aging so gracefully. Wish I had another case. Blackberry, cassis, long long finish. Not sweet or cloying at all. Firm tannins on day one. Day two showed lower heat and smooth tannins. Wow. Just a hint of graphite on the nose. Crazy long finish. Drink now-2025.
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Pure drinking enjoyment. Just fabulous dark fruit, body and mouthfeel. Great balance with nice smooth luxurious finish. More complexity would have really knocked my socks off but this was a beam of beautiful wine that made me smile.
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Very nice. I’ve been drinking TOR wines regularly for the last 4 or 5 years and, IMHO, for drinking within 10 years of the vintage they are about the best and most reliable of the Napa Cabernets. And, for anyone scrolling through the recent notes on this wine, I think it’s time to retire the phrase “I wouldn’t kick it out of bed.” If this wine were a woman, she’d be out of reach for someone who thought that way.
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On initial decant I received black cheery and mocha notes with a slight hint of anise and leather. It was a little tight out of the gate. We didn't consume the wine for another 3+ hours, so it had plenty of time to open up.
We paired three reds with the main course (beef tenderloin) that included a 2015 JL Chave St. Joseph, 2015 Venge Family Reserve Cab and the '12 Tor BTK. The Tor continued to evolve and provide tertiary flavors, but overall I agree that it was less concentrated and didn't provide the wow factor I've come to expect from BTK. I sensed alcohol on the nose that hid some of the beautiful red and blue fruits that were lurking in the background. Overall, on the palate it seemed a bit thin and not as well integrated between the acid and tannins. By contrast the Venge Family Reserve was hitting on all cylinders and was the WOTF.
I gave this wine a high score, because it's a very good Napa Cab. However, I've come to expect greatness from BTK, so I'm critiquing this wine with those expectations in mind.
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Initial nose of butterscotch as it went into the decanter. After 45 min, went for a spin. Mulberry, hint of blackberry, menagerie of red fruits, cherry liqueur. Acidic but tannins are fine. Long finish. A bit alcoholic on the nose. Some tertiary earthy tones. At 90 min a beauty queen that smelled heavenly emerged—alcohol and acid notes receded expanding and amplified all those above, plus cherry cola, caramel, perfume and dried herbs and flowers. Crazy what air in a decanter can do. 92 early - 96 late.
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1 hour decant and another 30 minutes sitting in glass. Tight and thin at first. Then different flavors developed. My wife got fruit I got some barnyard and second glass start opening w/ some swirling and the blue and surprisingly red fruit came out. Kept getting better. Good wine but not as much depth and concentration as expected. I think some more time would help this wine, but not quite a top tier BTK I would expect. I wouldn't kick it out of bed, but I'd like more.
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It’s Only Quarantine If It’s From the Quarante Province of France, Otherwise It’s Sparkling Isolation
I didn’t invent the above phrase; I just saw it on a couple of occasions and thought it funny, especially from a wine world perspective. I’m not trying to make fun of, de-sensitize, or minimize the virus thingy going on (I use virus thingy as I don’t wish to cause even more panic). That’s one of the reasons I decided to write this post; not only to (hopefully) bring a little humor into the situation, but to also see another side to all this, at least from my perspective.
First off, when I awoke and took to my computer this morning (this morning being yesterday), I saw that several stores, principally grocery stores, were going to open an hour earlier for Seniors (I capitalized that to show the importance, at least to me). One of those was Whole Foods. It’s where I do most of my shopping, and where, just the other day as I went in to do my REGULAR (note, not panic) shopping I found a host of items; produce, fruits, basics like eggs all gone! Thankfully (and here’s a silver lining), I drink Lactose-Free milk and there were still cartons in the refrigerated section, (guess not as many lactose-intolerant people out there) and darned if it wasn’t on sale too!
Now when I learned of this Senior benefit, I got to thinking about my teenage years. Yes, I do remember THAT LONG AGO! I remembered how a number of my friends tried to get drivers licenses that would miraculously transport us into the future and claim our age to be OVER 21. For the record, I never got one; I was a good boy, still am. BUT, what if people would do the same thing and try and claim they were older to get some of these Senior (capitalized for the same reason as above) benefits. As I looked at others in the store, it appears they were doing pretty much the same thing. No 3 shopping carts full of whatever. I mention all this so others don’t have to worry about us Seniors grabbing everything in sight and leaving others with very little, as was done the last time to me on my previous visit.
Now while the benefit the store has provided was useful and I will continue to avail myself of it, there was a downside. It dawned on me (interestingly that was the name of my cashier – Dawn) that if I was in the store, people now had confirmation that I was a senior (not capitalized as now it’s less important). I had mixed feelings about that! I don’t hide from my age, and for the most part, I don’t think I look my age (all that Norwegian blood in me and gallons of oil in my facial pores keeping me well-lubed), but for some reason, this time, I FELT old at that moment.
Remembering the old saying about “When life gives you lemons” thing, I brush off the old-timer thing and sail on home, with a new found purpose of making this night special. Putting away my groceries and before anything else, thoroughly wash my hands as we’ve been instructed to do. Let’s hope that helps, the good thing is, it can’t hurt.
There’s another benefit to being a Senior (back to being important) and retired; unless I HAVE to do something, I pretty much stay at home, sort of a self-imposed quarantine that I’ve been doing for the better part of 3 years. Not looking for sympathy or ideas on what I can do, I’ve been through all that and rather like my life as is. Guess I was ahead of the curve on that one, or maybe I helped flatten the curve? Isn’t that what they’re using these days?
Time to get to the meat and potatoes of this post; luckily I had potatoes before all this and meat seemed to be one of the exceptions to hoarding. Moving on. Just as I am trying to bring a little (I admit to “little”) humor to the situation, and trying to make lemonade (see above), I found myself telling moi (French for me) that in amongst all this, why not splurge on dinner? Fix a nice meal and open a great bottle of wine. Get back on the wine train and go gangbusters. So I did.
All I needed now was the wine. Wanting to break out of any doldrums, I settled on a masterful piece of work:
Tor Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon 2012
Sort of the Triple Crown of wine; A winemaking team that has been together since their inception, one of the most highly coveted vineyards in Napa Valley, and a vintage that produced some of the greatest wines. If this doesn’t float my boat, nothing will.
I’m not going to dally on the food, the picture will give you all you need, except the actual taste, and that was superb. Let’s get right to the wine. I usually try and make a wine of this caliber last at least over two dinners, not necessarily two consecutive nights, as I generally use my Coravin for a wine like this. Tonight was the “Splurge.” A couple of hours before dinner I opened the bottle and decanted, allowing it to develop more intensity and nuances.
Once dinner was plated and all was set, it was just a matter of what’s first; a taste of that succulent tenderloin finished with sweet bourbon Go-Chu-Jang spiced mushrooms or the wine. The wine won!
Time seemed to stand still upon that first sip. The cares and worries that prevailed were now gone and all I could focus on was the rich, lush black and red fruit wine that swirled around seemingly able to set off every sensory cell on my tongue. Mingling together with an oak presence that leaves you with an intensity yet softness of tannins that is satisfying till it disappears from your palate, no short time may I add.
While I generally don’t like to consume a complete bottle in one evening, this was a wine that I now know was best enjoyed in its entirety, allowing it not only to be a main feature for dinner but something that could be enjoyed into the evening. For the moment, taking me away from the world and all its extraneous matters, allowing me to enjoy life without interference for this brief time, or in this case, and since I’m not in France, to have my Sparkling Isolation.
Am exceptional wine that’s really drinking well after a few years in the bottle. Very much a California cab but brings out the beauty of the BTK vineyard without being overbearing or jammy. A muted nose but explodes on the palate with cassis, kirsch and tannins that still manage to give a lot of structure without overpowering the fruit. Sad to say this was my last bottle and I’m not ready to touch the 2013s...
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Much more elegant with its age, but that nose is just as intoxicating! Still so much going on. Silky smooth, tons of depth and brilliant flavors. Too many post dinner drinks to give a proper review lol.
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Decanted for one hour. Nose of blackberry liquor, blueberry, currant, mocha, tobacco and spice. Black and blue fruit, mocha, leather, spice and fine tannins on the palate. Very long finish with good depth. Full bodied. Served with a Swedish buffet.
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100% Cabernet Sauvignon. 15.1% ABV. I let it breathe for 45 minutes. Drank over the next 2 hours. Really enjoyable Tor, which in my experience produces well made wines. Sweet, perfumed nose. Pure, ripe and dense fruit, with excellent balance of acidity that floats on the palate. A long, juicy finish. Really an outstanding wine.
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One of the best 2012s I’ve had. Sweet black fruit and floral aromatics followed by powerful plum and blackberry fruit, cedar and some spice on the palate. Sooo smooth with a 20-second.
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Cocoa and mocha are the prominent features here. Fragrant notes of cinnamon and cocoa on the nose.Rich notes of chocolate and mocha on the palate that linger. Balanced tannins, silky in texture, almost sweet. Obviously well made but a surprise and not in the best way. One glass was more than enough. Against the 2012 Hidden Ridge 55 slope. The Hidden Ridge was far superior.
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I took it to Mabel Grey in Hazel Park (great restaurant)with Kate, Mark, Mike and Lisa. It was as good as a cabernet can be, so smooth, long, luscious dark fruit. I've had this bottle several times before and it was at it's best tonight. I only had one glass and did not notice the tannins or big acidity.
After 2 hours open the 2012 Tor To-Kalon Cabernet is relatively weightless for a cab, with mostly bright red fruits, pine needles and pine resin, integrated tannins and a long finish. At 3 hours it has begun to deepen, darken and put on weight, with more black fruits and some chocolate. A nice alternative to the massive California cabs that seem to require a knife and fork to drink. I enjoy both styles, and like the Red Sox and Yankees they each make the other more interesting.
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drank 2 bottles during an evening of great wines. Rich and smooth, with blackberry, plum, cocoa, and forest floor. The tannins are well integrated and do not interrupt the long finish.
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Drank with a 2009 Hundred Acre (97) and an Arietta 2007 H-Block (95), two hour decant. Initially the Hundred Acre stood out for both taste and smell, but by the end of the evening it was split as to which wine was best. The Hundred Acre softened while the Tor seemed to open up. The nose on the tor showed chocolate and cherry , flavor was black fruit and pepper, spice, good acidity, great wine. The Arietta H-block was cab franc and Merlot, excellent on it's own. A great night for celebration.
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I really like this wine. Great expression of ToKalon. I caravanned this wine over 4 months when I felt like a few sips of something special. Finished it off with a friend last night. Have one more will save for 3-5 years. Could go much longer but this stuff is hard to resist.
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Beautiful rich purple ruby/ garnet color and a nose of fresh violets. On the plate, nice dark berry fruit, cassis. Tasty, but not quite as good as my last bottle as the elements that make up the wine Seemed muted or suppressed, 93+ Points.
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Gave it an hour decant. Incredible nose black and blue berries, eucalyptus, with some floral notes. The body was a little muted at first but over the next hour the fruit burst open. Layers of berry, wood, and spice with a little green note on the end. A deliciously juicy 30 second finish. It's been 18 months since I first tried this, and while it's evolved, it still has a long way to go.
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A little bit of a let down having had this before and it was just terrific. Not as velvety as I remember, slightly more harsh on the mid palette. Still a lovely wine.
This is a powerful "full-throttle" wine, but I thought if was lacking the plush mouthfeel I like in the better To Kalon wines. It had a slight cedar/vegetal note on the finish that didn't really do much for me. I expect this will knit together more with time - give it another year or two before the next bottle. (My wife had a glass several hours after I opened the bottle and was effusive, so I raised my rating a bit.)
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On the heels of having thoroughly loved the 2014 TOR BTK Cabernet recently at the Tor tasting at Meadowood, I decided to pop this 2012 BTK Cabernet.
PnP with fairly restrained notes of dark red and black currant and berry fruit, cassis, and some alcohol. Not astringent, but a little flat and muted at first, especially mid-palate. Finish was soft and short (Worried?!).
After an hour in the decanter at 54 degrees, some espresso, dark chocolate, and a little spice emerged (Thank God!). Finish extended out a bit more. Still a little clipped, but started showing some of those BTK characteristics I was more accustomed to. A hint of black raspberry liqueur and a faint flavor I typically identify as Amarena Fabbri wild cherries peeked out.
Still, the depth never fully came to fruition the way I had hoped. Texturally, this felt ever so thin mid-palate. More time in bottle? Let's hope.
Gained points for a host of various flavors playing hide-and-seek on the palate, but lost some traction on the back end. 93-94+? points at the moment.
Update after 3+ hours in the decanter: Completely shut down. Giving nothing more at the moment.
DAY 2: I saved some in bottle for a day two evaluation, which actually showed pretty well all things considering. Flavors were somewhat more dominated by black currant, stone, black licorice, and some cedar. Not as vibrant as the first day, but also seemed to have filled in a little more in terms of viscosity on day two. Mid-palate felt like it had a hair more meat in it on day two. Gives me some hope for the future.
I'll hold remaining bottles until 2018+ if I can help it. Hoping it settles in and fattens out a little more with some additional short term cellaring.
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This is a great Napa cab. Decanted for 2 hours and it continued to develop and open over the next 3 hours in the glass. Vibrant fruit, well balanced. this may even get better with time. It was even better than the 011"s which I have had recently and are also great.
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Chef's Table (Wild Olives Rosemary Beach, FL): Deep ruby color. Terrific nose of dark chocolate and crème de cassis liqueur. Big, juicy, textured, full throttle Cabernet from one of my favorite vineyards finishing with ripe, sweet tannins.
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Randy and Steve visit Cleveland (Napa vs. Bordeaux) (Colonial): Gorgeous wine and my WOTN. Thanks Steve K! Purple in color. Bright. The nose has cassis and black raspberries with a bit of dark chocolate and some blueberries. Also some spice. On the palate, this is so well balanced. Smooth and accessible. Big but not overblown. delicious. Great fruit; black raspberries and some blueberries. Also some dark chocolate shavings. Good acidity. I am sure it will have a long life but it is so good right now.
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About a 2hr decant and had at a restaurant, so no formal notes. My first time with Tor and despite high expectations, I was not terribly impressed. The nose was terrific BTK, but the wine itself had high pitched tones of red fruit and significant tannins, which made for a pucker inducing experience. It probably needed a lot more air, but I didn't get the feeling this wine had the depth and structure of other high end BTK offerings. I didn't taste significant layering, and it just generally felt pretty clumsy. Hopefully just a one off not super great bottle, as it seems most on here have had excellent things to say. Definitely advise lots and lots of air if going to drink soon.
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Exceptional, albeit surprisingly nuanced. I was initially perplexed because I expected a bomb and this is anything but; flowerly almost, more light cherry than dark fruit, but the finish is long and complex. Second glass was particularly wonderful, once over the anticipation of deep purple and velvet, and more attuned to how interesting the various flavors were in playing off one another.
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NYE - Orange Bowl and Dinner (Our House): Drank as part of a lot of great wines for Orange Bowl game. This was open with the 2013 Becklyn and 2013 Carter OG. All were open for 10 hours prior to drinking.
This one was not as dark/black in fruit profile as the Carter. A little more red/brick. Very lean on the palate and smooth on the finish. Others noted is was the most open/accessible in their opinion. I think that was due to the finish vs. the other two open at this time. Overall a fine showing with very fine company.
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Wow! Elegant ripe red and dark fruit, complex and very showing well. Layers of cherry, blue and black ripe berries, cream de cassis, cedar, lavender, currants. On the palate, plush, velvety mouthfeel with soft, tannins and long pleasing, lingering finish. Absolutely exquisite.The only thing close to this Beckstoffer is the 2013 Carter "3 Kings and that is my top Cab. One can only wonder about how beautiful 2013 might be?
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It's tough to pick a favorite between this and the Cimarossa. 2 Hour decant and this was soft, silky and full of fruit. Complex, this wine comes at you in layers. First was dark cherry, blue and blackberried, with creme de cassis. Then a layer of cedar and spice comes at you, followed by some 15.1% heat, which was really unique to have it show near the finish, but somehow be controlled and smooth. A fantastic finish leaves you wanting more of this rollercoaster ride. From what I remember, the Cimarossa, which is how I fell in love with TOR wines, is a little more intense, but not as complex, but I really can't wait for a special occasion to try both of them back to back in a few years.
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Simply put this is a great wine which should not be drunk yet. We brought to dinner at the Angus Barn in Raleigh NC and had with meal of charred steaks. The wine was decanted for 2 hours and required the entire time to open. First hour was pure velvet but light and mild on the fruit. The second hour you can sense the beginning of the berry, vanilla, and cassis notes all while maintaining the velvet mouthfeel. I will revisit in 2 years
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Its really good but not amazing. I think its still to young to show its best. Very very close to Caymus. Lots of sweet Vanilla and toffee notes. A little heat. 15.1% alcohol. I didn't decant this and it needs a long decant. Still very drinkable now.
It was much better on day 2!
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Drank at Bistro Jeanty in Yountville. Bought the wine that afternoon. Decanted an hour before. I know its too young but this wine is really good. Plush, velvety mouthfeel with soft,fine tannins and long finish of blackfruit and cocoa. Really impressive.
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This big and full bodied wine shows the markers of long, full vintage. Exciting black and red fruit on palate and nose. Powerful. It's impressive effort from an excellent vintage. PDQ94+
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Only open for about 30 minutes, but this was open for business. Nose just draws you in and compels you to sip - and then you have a massive finish that is absolutely seamless.
I am sure this will age for 20+ years. However, I bought two bottles, and I will not hesitate to open one of them in the very near future.
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Floral and perfumed aromas of casis and currant segway into a soothing, saturating mouthful of wine. Powerful, concentrated flavors of dark berries, vanilla, spice and sweet oak end on an insanely smooth finish balanced with just the right amount of tannin and fruit. Superb potential but also superb now.
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2014 New York Wine Experience Trip; 10/14/2014-10/21/2014 (New York City, NY): This opaque ruby wine, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, was blended with grapes sourced from six different blocks within the To Kalon vineyard. It is intensely floral and distinctly feminine, with lavender, black currants, anise, smoke and loamy earth on both the nose and palate. Full-bodied, round, seamlessly alcoholic and with big sweet tannins, it maintains a velvety texture from the get-go, all the way through its solid middle and lengthy finish. This gem is already drinking well and should continue to do so for a decade or more. Drink now-2024.
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3/30/2024 - mdvillaverde Likes this wine: 92 Points
Enjoyed with Flori. Consistent notes.
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12/31/2023 - mdvillaverde Likes this wine: 94 Points
Consistent with past notes
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12/25/2023 - SMagowan Likes this wine: 94 Points
If you have this, let it be for five years. It is not quite ready.
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10/1/2023 - mdvillaverde Likes this wine: 94 Points
Consistent with past notes
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8/25/2023 - Red Sox Fan Likes this wine: 95 Points
Really nice, probably at its peak. Opened the bottle 30 minutes before serving, but did not decant.
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8/7/2023 - mdvillaverde Likes this wine: 95 Points
Still going strong. Consistent with past notes
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7/15/2023 - Red Sox Fan Likes this wine: 96 Points
Spectacular, the best of 5 bottles. Sorry I have only one more.
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6/12/2023 - lvjohn Likes this wine: 94 Points
A beautiful wine if there ever was one. Still fresh and luxurious after many years in our cellar. Very complex on the palate and to the nose.
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2/27/2023 - mdvillaverde Likes this wine: 94 Points
Conaiatent with past notes
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2/11/2023 - Napacablover Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wow! This is spectacular!
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11/17/2022 - jimyeni Likes this wine: 95 Points
Super surprising. Tasted single blind and thought it was merlot with the softness (tricked by the vintage) and how amazingly open and expressive it was. Definitely modern. Not too weighty but in that style.
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11/15/2022 - mdvillaverde Likes this wine: 95 Points
Consistent with Nov 2019 form.
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6/18/2022 - hoservin Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for one hour. Nose of black raspberry, currant, mocha, anise and baking spice. Ripe black fruit, mocha, anise and spice on the palate. Elegantly balanced with a long lingering finish. Full bodied. A gorgeous wine that is drinking very well. Served with reverse seared ribeye steaks and blue cheese, black truffle butter.
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5/1/2022 - Elkcims Likes this wine: 95 Points
95 day 1, 95+ Day 2. Creme de cassis, dark fruit, pine, 20 second finish. Needed a couple hours of air to integrate.
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1/2/2022 - jeffmudd wrote: 94 Points
Time to drink these up, just don’t think this is going to improve, not built to age much more.
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11/27/2021 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
4th Saturday Group: Uptown Brown Bag: Double blind. Aromas of coffee, black fruit, green tobacco and mole sauce. Complex and deep. Chewy, slightly plush tannins. Cherry, currant, plum and spice flavors with a long finish. Guessed 2012 Napa cab. (T&L)
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11/1/2021 - Encinitas_Joe Likes this wine: 97 Points
What a nice bottle at this point. Extremely long finish with great balance. All of the rough edges are now gone as it was also helped with a two hour decant. Unfortunately this was our last bottle.
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9/6/2021 - mmilanam Likes this wine: 95 Points
Tasted amazing. Got better with time. Recommend at least 3 hour decant.
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8/27/2021 - Odedis.Wine.reviews Likes this wine: 96 Points
This is a gorgeous Bordeaux blend from Napa Valley, from the great 2012 vintage. Rich, extracted, generous and fruit forward.
Full bodied and smooth, with medium acidity and a long finish.
Showing black fruits with cedar, vanilla, leather, earth, chocolates, licorice, sweet tobacco, cola, coffee, mocha and peppercorn.
Drinking very nicely right out of the bottle, and better after 2 hours of airtime.
Shows a really nice nose, that I kept on smelling for a while. Tasty and delicious. Showing great complexity and a great mouthfeel.
This 9 year old Magnum is delicious now, and will continue to age nicely in the next 20 years.
Robert Parker 96 points.
Grapes are from the To kalon and Beckstoffer Vineyards. A blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon and 48% Cabernet Franc. A tiny production of only 3 barrels.
15.1% alcohol by volume.
96 points.
$450 (Magnum).
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7/31/2021 - mdvillaverde wrote: flawed
Not scoring this tasting bc this bottle was not properly stored it seems.
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2/9/2021 - GRoz Likes this wine: 96 Points
Powerful but very complex. Tons of black raspberry with sage and eucalyptus notes. Awesome stuff.
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10/26/2020 - WineCPA wrote: 97 Points
Outstanding. Aging so gracefully. Wish I had another case. Blackberry, cassis, long long finish. Not sweet or cloying at all. Firm tannins on day one. Day two showed lower heat and smooth tannins. Wow. Just a hint of graphite on the nose. Crazy long finish. Drink now-2025.
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10/16/2020 - iamandyc Likes this wine: 95 Points
Pure drinking enjoyment. Just fabulous dark fruit, body and mouthfeel. Great balance with nice smooth luxurious finish. More complexity would have really knocked my socks off but this was a beam of beautiful wine that made me smile.
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7/11/2020 - Red Sox Fan wrote: 94 Points
Very nice. I’ve been drinking TOR wines regularly for the last 4 or 5 years and, IMHO, for drinking within 10 years of the vintage they are about the best and most reliable of the Napa Cabernets. And, for anyone scrolling through the recent notes on this wine, I think it’s time to retire the phrase “I wouldn’t kick it out of bed.” If this wine were a woman, she’d be out of reach for someone who thought that way.
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6/21/2020 - DawgByte Likes this wine: 94 Points
On initial decant I received black cheery and mocha notes with a slight hint of anise and leather. It was a little tight out of the gate. We didn't consume the wine for another 3+ hours, so it had plenty of time to open up.
We paired three reds with the main course (beef tenderloin) that included a 2015 JL Chave St. Joseph, 2015 Venge Family Reserve Cab and the '12 Tor BTK. The Tor continued to evolve and provide tertiary flavors, but overall I agree that it was less concentrated and didn't provide the wow factor I've come to expect from BTK. I sensed alcohol on the nose that hid some of the beautiful red and blue fruits that were lurking in the background. Overall, on the palate it seemed a bit thin and not as well integrated between the acid and tannins. By contrast the Venge Family Reserve was hitting on all cylinders and was the WOTF.
I gave this wine a high score, because it's a very good Napa Cab. However, I've come to expect greatness from BTK, so I'm critiquing this wine with those expectations in mind.
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5/30/2020 - Geaux Tigers wrote: 96 Points
Initial nose of butterscotch as it went into the decanter. After 45 min, went for a spin. Mulberry, hint of blackberry, menagerie of red fruits, cherry liqueur. Acidic but tannins are fine. Long finish. A bit alcoholic on the nose. Some tertiary earthy tones. At 90 min a beauty queen that smelled heavenly emerged—alcohol and acid notes receded expanding and amplified all those above, plus cherry cola, caramel, perfume and dried herbs and flowers. Crazy what air in a decanter can do. 92 early - 96 late.
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5/14/2020 - Rider88 wrote: 93 Points
1 hour decant and another 30 minutes sitting in glass. Tight and thin at first. Then different flavors developed. My wife got fruit I got some barnyard and second glass start opening w/ some swirling and the blue and surprisingly red fruit came out. Kept getting better. Good wine but not as much depth and concentration as expected. I think some more time would help this wine, but not quite a top tier BTK I would expect. I wouldn't kick it out of bed, but I'd like more.
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4/27/2020 - Hi.its.Don.4.Wine Likes this wine: 96 Points
It’s Only Quarantine If It’s From the Quarante Province of France, Otherwise It’s Sparkling Isolation
I didn’t invent the above phrase; I just saw it on a couple of occasions and thought it funny, especially from a wine world perspective. I’m not trying to make fun of, de-sensitize, or minimize the virus thingy going on (I use virus thingy as I don’t wish to cause even more panic). That’s one of the reasons I decided to write this post; not only to (hopefully) bring a little humor into the situation, but to also see another side to all this, at least from my perspective.
First off, when I awoke and took to my computer this morning (this morning being yesterday), I saw that several stores, principally grocery stores, were going to open an hour earlier for Seniors (I capitalized that to show the importance, at least to me). One of those was Whole Foods. It’s where I do most of my shopping, and where, just the other day as I went in to do my REGULAR (note, not panic) shopping I found a host of items; produce, fruits, basics like eggs all gone! Thankfully (and here’s a silver lining), I drink Lactose-Free milk and there were still cartons in the refrigerated section, (guess not as many lactose-intolerant people out there) and darned if it wasn’t on sale too!
Now when I learned of this Senior benefit, I got to thinking about my teenage years. Yes, I do remember THAT LONG AGO! I remembered how a number of my friends tried to get drivers licenses that would miraculously transport us into the future and claim our age to be OVER 21. For the record, I never got one; I was a good boy, still am. BUT, what if people would do the same thing and try and claim they were older to get some of these Senior (capitalized for the same reason as above) benefits. As I looked at others in the store, it appears they were doing pretty much the same thing. No 3 shopping carts full of whatever. I mention all this so others don’t have to worry about us Seniors grabbing everything in sight and leaving others with very little, as was done the last time to me on my previous visit.
Now while the benefit the store has provided was useful and I will continue to avail myself of it, there was a downside. It dawned on me (interestingly that was the name of my cashier – Dawn) that if I was in the store, people now had confirmation that I was a senior (not capitalized as now it’s less important). I had mixed feelings about that! I don’t hide from my age, and for the most part, I don’t think I look my age (all that Norwegian blood in me and gallons of oil in my facial pores keeping me well-lubed), but for some reason, this time, I FELT old at that moment.
Remembering the old saying about “When life gives you lemons” thing, I brush off the old-timer thing and sail on home, with a new found purpose of making this night special. Putting away my groceries and before anything else, thoroughly wash my hands as we’ve been instructed to do. Let’s hope that helps, the good thing is, it can’t hurt.
There’s another benefit to being a Senior (back to being important) and retired; unless I HAVE to do something, I pretty much stay at home, sort of a self-imposed quarantine that I’ve been doing for the better part of 3 years. Not looking for sympathy or ideas on what I can do, I’ve been through all that and rather like my life as is. Guess I was ahead of the curve on that one, or maybe I helped flatten the curve? Isn’t that what they’re using these days?
Time to get to the meat and potatoes of this post; luckily I had potatoes before all this and meat seemed to be one of the exceptions to hoarding. Moving on. Just as I am trying to bring a little (I admit to “little”) humor to the situation, and trying to make lemonade (see above), I found myself telling moi (French for me) that in amongst all this, why not splurge on dinner? Fix a nice meal and open a great bottle of wine. Get back on the wine train and go gangbusters. So I did.
All I needed now was the wine. Wanting to break out of any doldrums, I settled on a masterful piece of work:
Tor Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon 2012
Sort of the Triple Crown of wine; A winemaking team that has been together since their inception, one of the most highly coveted vineyards in Napa Valley, and a vintage that produced some of the greatest wines. If this doesn’t float my boat, nothing will.
I’m not going to dally on the food, the picture will give you all you need, except the actual taste, and that was superb. Let’s get right to the wine. I usually try and make a wine of this caliber last at least over two dinners, not necessarily two consecutive nights, as I generally use my Coravin for a wine like this. Tonight was the “Splurge.” A couple of hours before dinner I opened the bottle and decanted, allowing it to develop more intensity and nuances.
Once dinner was plated and all was set, it was just a matter of what’s first; a taste of that succulent tenderloin finished with sweet bourbon Go-Chu-Jang spiced mushrooms or the wine. The wine won!
Time seemed to stand still upon that first sip. The cares and worries that prevailed were now gone and all I could focus on was the rich, lush black and red fruit wine that swirled around seemingly able to set off every sensory cell on my tongue. Mingling together with an oak presence that leaves you with an intensity yet softness of tannins that is satisfying till it disappears from your palate, no short time may I add.
While I generally don’t like to consume a complete bottle in one evening, this was a wine that I now know was best enjoyed in its entirety, allowing it not only to be a main feature for dinner but something that could be enjoyed into the evening. For the moment, taking me away from the world and all its extraneous matters, allowing me to enjoy life without interference for this brief time, or in this case, and since I’m not in France, to have my Sparkling Isolation.
Cheers
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4/12/2020 - mreinhard74@gmail.com Likes this wine: 95 Points
Am exceptional wine that’s really drinking well after a few years in the bottle. Very much a California cab but brings out the beauty of the BTK vineyard without being overbearing or jammy. A muted nose but explodes on the palate with cassis, kirsch and tannins that still manage to give a lot of structure without overpowering the fruit. Sad to say this was my last bottle and I’m not ready to touch the 2013s...
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2/14/2020 - bplant13 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Much more elegant with its age, but that nose is just as intoxicating! Still so much going on. Silky smooth, tons of depth and brilliant flavors. Too many post dinner drinks to give a proper review lol.
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1/5/2020 - TomOfCT Likes this wine: 97 Points
Drank from a magnum.
Drinking exceptionally well at present. Complex fruits and a solid backbone. Measured tanins.
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12/26/2019 - hoservin Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted for one hour. Nose of blackberry liquor, blueberry, currant, mocha, tobacco and spice. Black and blue fruit, mocha, leather, spice and fine tannins on the palate. Very long finish with good depth. Full bodied. Served with a Swedish buffet.
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11/11/2019 - mdvillaverde Likes this wine: 96 Points
100% Cabernet Sauvignon. 15.1% ABV. I let it breathe for 45 minutes. Drank over the next 2 hours. Really enjoyable Tor, which in my experience produces well made wines. Sweet, perfumed nose. Pure, ripe and dense fruit, with excellent balance of acidity that floats on the palate. A long, juicy finish. Really an outstanding wine.
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10/19/2019 - jcampano Likes this wine: 96 Points
One of the best 2012s I’ve had. Sweet black fruit and floral aromatics followed by powerful plum and blackberry fruit, cedar and some spice on the palate. Sooo smooth with a 20-second.
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3/2/2019 - seijaro Likes this wine: 96 Points
Actually 95, 95, 96, 97 around the table... a biggie with huge flavor and a ton of caramel. Long finish. A big boy!
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1/6/2019 - Superjack29 wrote: 94 Points
Yuuuuuge!
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9/30/2018 - In vino potestus est Likes this wine: 92 Points
Cocoa and mocha are the prominent features here. Fragrant notes of cinnamon and cocoa on the nose.Rich notes of chocolate and mocha on the palate that linger. Balanced tannins, silky in texture, almost sweet. Obviously well made but a surprise and not in the best way. One glass was more than enough. Against the 2012 Hidden Ridge 55 slope. The Hidden Ridge was far superior.
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11/14/2017 - tcarter Likes this wine: 95 Points
Gorgeous, lush, velvety, deep cab. Still a baby with years ahead of it, but already drinking beautifully. Quintessential big, cult Cali cab.
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10/7/2017 - michigan dogs Likes this wine: 97 Points
I took it to Mabel Grey in Hazel Park (great restaurant)with Kate, Mark, Mike and Lisa. It was as good as a cabernet can be, so smooth, long, luscious dark fruit. I've had this bottle several times before and it was at it's best tonight. I only had one glass and did not notice the tannins or big acidity.
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9/29/2017 - Red Sox Fan Likes this wine: 94 Points
After 2 hours open the 2012 Tor To-Kalon Cabernet is relatively weightless for a cab, with mostly bright red fruits, pine needles and pine resin, integrated tannins and a long finish. At 3 hours it has begun to deepen, darken and put on weight, with more black fruits and some chocolate. A nice alternative to the massive California cabs that seem to require a knife and fork to drink. I enjoy both styles, and like the Red Sox and Yankees they each make the other more interesting.
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8/30/2017 - michigan dogs Likes this wine: 95 Points
wow, so smooth
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7/8/2017 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 96 Points
drank 2 bottles during an evening of great wines. Rich and smooth, with blackberry, plum, cocoa, and forest floor. The tannins are well integrated and do not interrupt the long finish.
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5/19/2017 - michigan dogs Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drank with a 2009 Hundred Acre (97) and an Arietta 2007 H-Block (95), two hour decant. Initially the Hundred Acre stood out for both taste and smell, but by the end of the evening it was split as to which wine was best. The Hundred Acre softened while the Tor seemed to open up. The nose on the tor showed chocolate and cherry , flavor was black fruit and pepper, spice, good acidity, great wine. The Arietta H-block was cab franc and Merlot, excellent on it's own. A great night for celebration.
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4/12/2017 - dutradan@msn.com Likes this wine: 96 Points
I really like this wine. Great expression of ToKalon. I caravanned this wine over 4 months when I felt like a few sips of something special. Finished it off with a friend last night. Have one more will save for 3-5 years. Could go much longer but this stuff is hard to resist.
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3/18/2017 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 93 Points
Beautiful rich purple ruby/ garnet color and a nose of fresh violets. On the plate, nice dark berry fruit, cassis. Tasty, but not quite as good as my last bottle as the elements that make up the wine Seemed muted or suppressed, 93+ Points.
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3/4/2017 - bplant13 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Gave it an hour decant. Incredible nose black and blue berries, eucalyptus, with some floral notes. The body was a little muted at first but over the next hour the fruit burst open. Layers of berry, wood, and spice with a little green note on the end. A deliciously juicy 30 second finish.
It's been 18 months since I first tried this, and while it's evolved, it still has a long way to go.
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1/27/2017 - ashikoh Likes this wine: 94 Points
Continue to drink very well right now. Tannins are very soft and sweet but not as textured as I previously remembered.
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12/3/2016 - tomoem wrote: 93 Points
A little bit of a let down having had this before and it was just terrific. Not as velvety as I remember, slightly more harsh on the mid palette. Still a lovely wine.
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9/9/2016 - jeffm_fla Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is a powerful "full-throttle" wine, but I thought if was lacking the plush mouthfeel I like in the better To Kalon wines. It had a slight cedar/vegetal note on the finish that didn't really do much for me. I expect this will knit together more with time - give it another year or two before the next bottle. (My wife had a glass several hours after I opened the bottle and was effusive, so I raised my rating a bit.)
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8/31/2016 - csimm wrote: 94 Points
On the heels of having thoroughly loved the 2014 TOR BTK Cabernet recently at the Tor tasting at Meadowood, I decided to pop this 2012 BTK Cabernet.
PnP with fairly restrained notes of dark red and black currant and berry fruit, cassis, and some alcohol. Not astringent, but a little flat and muted at first, especially mid-palate. Finish was soft and short (Worried?!).
After an hour in the decanter at 54 degrees, some espresso, dark chocolate, and a little spice emerged (Thank God!). Finish extended out a bit more. Still a little clipped, but started showing some of those BTK characteristics I was more accustomed to. A hint of black raspberry liqueur and a faint flavor I typically identify as Amarena Fabbri wild cherries peeked out.
Still, the depth never fully came to fruition the way I had hoped. Texturally, this felt ever so thin mid-palate. More time in bottle? Let's hope.
Gained points for a host of various flavors playing hide-and-seek on the palate, but lost some traction on the back end. 93-94+? points at the moment.
Update after 3+ hours in the decanter: Completely shut down. Giving nothing more at the moment.
DAY 2: I saved some in bottle for a day two evaluation, which actually showed pretty well all things considering. Flavors were somewhat more dominated by black currant, stone, black licorice, and some cedar. Not as vibrant as the first day, but also seemed to have filled in a little more in terms of viscosity on day two. Mid-palate felt like it had a hair more meat in it on day two. Gives me some hope for the future.
I'll hold remaining bottles until 2018+ if I can help it. Hoping it settles in and fattens out a little more with some additional short term cellaring.
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8/12/2016 - michigan dogs Likes this wine: 96 Points
This is a great Napa cab. Decanted for 2 hours and it continued to develop and open over the next 3 hours in the glass. Vibrant fruit, well balanced. this may even get better with time. It was even better than the 011"s which I have had recently and are also great.
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8/7/2016 - Cuellar's Cellar Likes this wine: 94 Points
Incredible notes. Why can't I have 6 bottles of this. Worth every penny. Long lasting. Berries that explode in every sip
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7/29/2016 - ashikoh Likes this wine: 97 Points
Chef's Table (Wild Olives Rosemary Beach, FL): Deep ruby color. Terrific nose of dark chocolate and crème de cassis liqueur. Big, juicy, textured, full throttle Cabernet from one of my favorite vineyards finishing with ripe, sweet tannins.
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5/26/2016 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 95 Points
Randy and Steve visit Cleveland (Napa vs. Bordeaux) (Colonial): Gorgeous wine and my WOTN. Thanks Steve K! Purple in color. Bright. The nose has cassis and black raspberries with a bit of dark chocolate and some blueberries. Also some spice. On the palate, this is so well balanced. Smooth and accessible. Big but not overblown. delicious. Great fruit; black raspberries and some blueberries. Also some dark chocolate shavings. Good acidity. I am sure it will have a long life but it is so good right now.
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3/26/2016 - Cristal2000 wrote: 93 Points
About a 2hr decant and had at a restaurant, so no formal notes. My first time with Tor and despite high expectations, I was not terribly impressed. The nose was terrific BTK, but the wine itself had high pitched tones of red fruit and significant tannins, which made for a pucker inducing experience. It probably needed a lot more air, but I didn't get the feeling this wine had the depth and structure of other high end BTK offerings. I didn't taste significant layering, and it just generally felt pretty clumsy. Hopefully just a one off not super great bottle, as it seems most on here have had excellent things to say. Definitely advise lots and lots of air if going to drink soon.
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2/6/2016 - awise45 wrote: 95 Points
Exceptional, albeit surprisingly nuanced. I was initially perplexed because I expected a bomb and this is anything but; flowerly almost, more light cherry than dark fruit, but the finish is long and complex. Second glass was particularly wonderful, once over the anticipation of deep purple and velvet, and more attuned to how interesting the various flavors were in playing off one another.
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12/31/2015 - ageverett Likes this wine: 95 Points
NYE - Orange Bowl and Dinner (Our House): Drank as part of a lot of great wines for Orange Bowl game. This was open with the 2013 Becklyn and 2013 Carter OG. All were open for 10 hours prior to drinking.
This one was not as dark/black in fruit profile as the Carter. A little more red/brick. Very lean on the palate and smooth on the finish. Others noted is was the most open/accessible in their opinion. I think that was due to the finish vs. the other two open at this time. Overall a fine showing with very fine company.
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12/13/2015 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 97 Points
Wow! Elegant ripe red and dark fruit, complex and very showing well. Layers of cherry, blue and black ripe berries, cream de cassis, cedar, lavender, currants. On the palate, plush, velvety mouthfeel with soft, tannins and long pleasing, lingering finish. Absolutely exquisite.The only thing close to this Beckstoffer is the 2013 Carter "3 Kings and that is my top Cab. One can only wonder about how beautiful 2013 might be?
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10/13/2015 - bplant13 Likes this wine: 96 Points
It's tough to pick a favorite between this and the Cimarossa. 2 Hour decant and this was soft, silky and full of fruit. Complex, this wine comes at you in layers. First was dark cherry, blue and blackberried, with creme de cassis. Then a layer of cedar and spice comes at you, followed by some 15.1% heat, which was really unique to have it show near the finish, but somehow be controlled and smooth. A fantastic finish leaves you wanting more of this rollercoaster ride. From what I remember, the Cimarossa, which is how I fell in love with TOR wines, is a little more intense, but not as complex, but I really can't wait for a special occasion to try both of them back to back in a few years.
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10/1/2015 - tomoem Likes this wine: 95 Points
Simply put this is a great wine which should not be drunk yet. We brought to dinner at the Angus Barn in Raleigh NC and had with meal of charred steaks. The wine was decanted for 2 hours and required the entire time to open. First hour was pure velvet but light and mild on the fruit. The second hour you can sense the beginning of the berry, vanilla, and cassis notes all while maintaining the velvet mouthfeel. I will revisit in 2 years
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8/4/2015 - floridawinedrkr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Its really good but not amazing. I think its still to young to show its best. Very very close to Caymus. Lots of sweet Vanilla and toffee notes. A little heat. 15.1% alcohol. I didn't decant this and it needs a long decant. Still very drinkable now.
It was much better on day 2!
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7/25/2015 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 96 Points
Drank at Bistro Jeanty in Yountville. Bought the wine that afternoon. Decanted an hour before. I know its too young but this wine is really good. Plush, velvety mouthfeel with soft,fine tannins and long finish of blackfruit and cocoa. Really impressive.
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4/13/2015 - michigan dogs Likes this wine:
Big, long, but I think way too early to drink. I bought a case so I was willing to try one and we decanted for several hours.
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4/13/2015 - pdemaio Likes this wine: 95 Points
This big and full bodied wine shows the markers of long, full vintage. Exciting black and red fruit on palate and nose. Powerful. It's impressive effort from an excellent vintage.
PDQ94+
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4/9/2015 - ageverett Likes this wine: 96 Points
2015 Napa Trip - Day 1 (Napa, CA): This is incredibly good.
Only open for about 30 minutes, but this was open for business. Nose just draws you in and compels you to sip - and then you have a massive finish that is absolutely seamless.
I am sure this will age for 20+ years. However, I bought two bottles, and I will not hesitate to open one of them in the very near future.
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2/25/2015 - PerfectVintage Likes this wine: 96 Points
Floral and perfumed aromas of casis and currant segway into a soothing, saturating mouthful of wine. Powerful, concentrated flavors of dark berries, vanilla, spice and sweet oak end on an insanely smooth finish balanced with just the right amount of tannin and fruit. Superb potential but also superb now.
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10/17/2014 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 93 Points
2014 New York Wine Experience Trip; 10/14/2014-10/21/2014 (New York City, NY): This opaque ruby wine, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, was blended with grapes sourced from six different blocks within the To Kalon vineyard. It is intensely floral and distinctly feminine, with lavender, black currants, anise, smoke and loamy earth on both the nose and palate. Full-bodied, round, seamlessly alcoholic and with big sweet tannins, it maintains a velvety texture from the get-go, all the way through its solid middle and lengthy finish. This gem is already drinking well and should continue to do so for a decade or more. Drink now-2024.
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