2007 Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon "Old Sparky" Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Community Tasting Notes (12) Avg Score: 97.7 points

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View jjhsom's profile
  • Report Issue

  1/1/2023 - jjhsom Likes this wine: 99 Points

  Fabulous. Generally agree with other reviews. I opened it at noon, poured a small glass out and thought it was moderatly tannic. I put the cork back in until 6pm. I pulled the cork out at 6 and left the cork out (tried a little a few times) until we drank it at 8. It was great each time, but I thought it was better at 6-7pm than at 8pm. I don’t see it needing a long decant, but it depends on how soft you want it to be.

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View Bcw1989's profile
  • Report Issue

  10/9/2021 - Bcw1989 wrote: 96 Points

  This is one massive wine. Cork flaw to start and decanted 2 1/2 hours before dinner. Tannins still present. Lots of tobacco and cedar on the nose. Taste has lots of lush ripe fruits. Finish has a bit of loamy earthy tones and a chocolate feel. This wine still has lots of years left in the cellar. It’s a shame that it is my only bottle.

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View tp096255's profile
  • Report Issue

  3/2/2019 - tp096255 Likes this wine: 97 Points

  This is prob 97+, maybe 98, which would make it nudge out the 2007 Schrader CCS we had 5 years ago or so. Once again, special anniversary dinner at Craft in Los Angeles.
  
  The bottle threw about 3 oz of the finest sediment I've ever seen from a CS. And boy were they glorious on their own!
  
  But on to the main event: We had 12-hour braised short ribs, hen of the woods, yukon gold puree, wheat sourdough bread, salads and some garlic-driven pasta. The amazing thing is that this wine played nicely with every element of the meal. It was like a member of the orchestra, never overpowering any other member, but perfectly melding into the symphony.
  
  The nose is everything you want in a Schrader CS, esp a Sparky. Nose of blueberry pie filling, vanilla, Saigon cinnamon, even bruleed brown sugar. It almost smelled over-ripe on initial opening but calmed down considerably over the 5-hour decant. The mouth was definitely still tannic, so small molecules here, but super ripe once again and just bursting at the seams with black and blue fruits. Almost veered again into stewed plum, but then brought it back from the edge. I have been cellaring this bottle since release a decade ago, so while hopeful I still had plenty to worry about. My worry proved unfounded.
  
  The finish was a magnificent melding of creme de cassis and more fall-seasoned pie crust. Cherry pipe-tobacco shows up about 15 seconds in, then espresso and then 70% dark cocoa powder. It just keeps reverberating on my palate and retronasal cavity. Yep, it was amazing. What a blessing and privilege to share this with our friend Ruthie. Too bad Jimmy don't drink wine foo!

  4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View D.Callahan's profile
  • Report Issue

  10/27/2018 - D.Callahan Likes this wine: 97 Points

  First magnum of Schrader I've ever tasted and while it was fantastic I thought it could use even more time to develop. The nose was somewhat reticent but the rest of the experience was top notch. Power, balance and complex flavors start on the entry and continue throughout the palate and into the long finish. This was a 99+ wine but the low intensity of the nose detracts somewhat so I can only give it a 97. The cork on this wine was very soft and crumbled on first attempt at extraction. Luckily I have Durand and I was able to extract the remains with no problem. I wonder if the cork affected the lack of nose on this wine (TCA?). Hopefully for those of you that haven't drunk all your bottles, you have better luck with the cork and you can let this mature another 5+ years. If you have one, use the Durand first for extraction. Fantastic wine.
  (decanted for 4 hours)

  2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View Haystack's profile
  • Report Issue

  7/18/2018 - Haystack wrote: 99 Points

  It is possible there is better wine to be drunk, but in the Big Napa Cab tradition this is ethereal.
  
  Warning: The Schraders I have had have varied quite a bit from bottle to bottle, likely due to transport conditions, and especially the CCS and Old Sparky. Ensure provenance and proper shipping in low-temp months if you pull the trigger on this one. If you bought at offering, you are sitting on an exquisite wine.

  1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment

View all 12 Community Tasting Notes

Professional reviews have copyrights and you can view them here for your personal use only as private content. To view pro reviews you must either subscribe to a pre-integrated publication or manually enter reviews below. Learn more.