Schrader Old Sparky Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2018 1.5 Liter / Magnum

Winemaker Notes
Blended from the finest barrels of Cabernet in the cellar, Schrader Old Sparky is a wine for the ages. Magnificent and important, it reveals an extraordinarily dense fruit core, especially blackberries and blueberries, layered with gorgeous notes of dark chocolate, roasted coffee, sweet earth, and cedar. Profoundly rich, the purity and concentration of this wine is legendary. The well-woven tannins provide great texture and natural acidity that perfectly support the broad volume of fruit. The 2018 vintage is extraordinary and will continue to evolve and gain further complexity with time in the cellar.

Critical Acclaim

100 Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
Produced predominately from clone 4, as always, the Old Sparky label is a best barrel selection from Beckstoffer’s To Kalon vineyard in Oakville. The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard was aged in 100% new Darnajou and Taransaud French oak barrels for 18 months. Deep garnet-purple in color, it needs a little coaxing to begin to reveal fragrant notions of crushed black currants, mulberries, juicy red and black plums and lilacs with hints of dark chocolate, rose oil and tilled soil plus a waft of unsmoked cigars. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is rich yet not at all heavy, featuring loads of bright red fruit accents among the profound black berry and savory elements. Multilayered, shimmering with energy and beautifully perfumed, it has gorgeous, ripe, plush tannins and a lively backbone, finishing very long and mineral laced. Bottled in magnums, 418 nine-liter cases were made.

100 Jeb Dunnuck
There are few vintages of Old Sparky that don’t merit a perfect rating, and the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky isn’t one of them. This flawless wine offers up a wild smorgasbord of aromas and flavors, with loads of crme de cassis, blueberries, scorched earth, lead pencil, violets, blood orange, tobacco, and flowery incense all developing with time in the glass. Deep purple-hued and incredibly full-bodied, it has ripe, silky tannins, perfect balance, and a finish that won’t quit. This magical wine stays weightless and elegant on the palate, never seeming heavy, cumbersome, or over the top, and it’s a wine that just begs to be drunk yet will evolve for decades. Hats off to winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown for yet another heavenly Napa Cabernet Sauvignon that could come from nowhere else in the world. Life is too short not to have experienced this cuve!