Beckstoffer To Kalon Old B Cabernet Sauvignon
⏳ Drinking Window
Typically best enjoyed 10–25 years from the vintage release, though it can benefit from decanting if opened in its youth.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Grilled ribeye steak, roasted rack of lamb, slow-braised beef short ribs
✨ Technical Specifications
The Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard in Oakville is widely considered the first growth of Napa Valley, originally planted in 1868 by pioneer Hamilton Crabb. Within this legendary site, the 'Old B' block holds a mythical status. Sourced from this specific parcel characterized by deep, gravelly bale loam soils, TOR's Old B Cabernet Sauvignon is a masterclass in power and elegance. Winemaker Jeff Ames employs a non-interventionist approach, utilizing native yeast fermentation and bottling without fining or filtration to preserve the block's intense dark fruit, exquisite mineral tension, and complex floral signatures. This wine represents a historic lineage of Napa Valley viticulture, showcasing the profound synergy between an iconic vineyard and meticulous, small-lot winemaking.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 2001 by Napa Valley veteran Tor Kenward and his wife Susan, TOR Kenward Family Wines represents the culmination of nearly five decades of immersion in California viticulture. Following a 27-year tenure shaping Beringer's private reserve programs, Kenward partnered with talented winemaker Jeff Ames to craft site-driven, artisanal single-vineyard expressions. The estate sources fruit exclusively from premier, sustainably farmed crus across Napa Valley and Carneros, including Beckstoffer To Kalon, Vine Hill Ranch, Dr. Crane, Hyde Vineyard, and Durell Vineyard. Winemaking is dictated by minimal intervention, featuring native-yeast primary and malolactic fermentations, parcel-specific French oak maturation, and bottling without fining or filtration. TOR's benchmark portfolio is anchored by cult Cabernet Sauvignons alongside sculpted, mineral-laced Chardonnays—notably the Durell Vineyard Cuvée Mimi, Torchiana Beresini Vineyard, and Hyde Vineyard bottlings—as well as the ultra-limited Bordeaux-blend cuvées Black Magic and Pure Magic.
🍇 Grapes
Cabernet Sauvignon