2021 Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

A big and juicy red with blackberries, lightly dried fruit and blueberries. Crushed stone. Dried orange peel. Shows muscle yet it is toned and tensioned. Grows on you as you taste it. Give this time to soften. Best after 2028. (11/2023)

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard is straight-up awesome, and the talents of winemaker Benoit Touquette cannot be overstated. Incredible blue fruits, dark chocolate, graphite, Haut-Brion-like scorched earth and smoke all soar from this majestic, full-bodied, massively concentrated Cabernet Sauvignon. It reminds me of the 2013 and has that rare mix of power, opulence, and elegance. This utterly classic Dr. Crane deserves 4-5 years of bottle age and will blow you away over the following 20 years. Even after tasting 8 to 12 thousand wines for close to 15 years now, this beauty still stopped me in my tracks. (12/2023)

The 2021 Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard, with 5% Petit Verdot in the blend, is deep garnet-purple in color. Quite closed to start off, it requires a lot of shaking to wake up notes of blackcurrant pastilles, juicy blackberries, and fresh plums plus suggestions of crushed rocks, candied violets, dark chocolate, and licorice with a touch of iron ore. The full-bodied palate delivers a firm, fine-grained texture and seamless freshness supporting the taut, muscular black fruits, finishing with a firework display of mineral, floral and chocolaty notes. (02/2024)