The Schrader Oakville Heritage Clone To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 emanates from the respected To Kalon Vineyard, located in the heart of Napa Valley, California. This exquisite wine is a product of the world-renowned winemaker, Thomas Rivers Brown, who brings an exceptional level of dedication and nuanced understanding to the art of winemaking. Impeccably balanced, this wine is characteristic of the Schrader's dedication to expressing the vibrant fruit characteristics time and again.

The 2018 vintage offers an opulent layering of blackcurrant, dark cherry, and wild blueberry with delicate brushstrokes of exotic spices, graphite and potent dark chocolate. The final blend reveals an alluring, complete and textured experience, attributed in part to the 20 months of ageing in 100% new French oak barrels. A fine testimony to the producer's mastery of 'Heritage Clones', the Schrader Oakville Heritage Clone To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 takes pride in its magnificent display of complexity and elegance.

The Schrader T6 Beckstoffer To Kalon Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 is a testament to the prowess and discernment of vintner Fred Schrader. Exquisitely crafted from the award-winning Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard in Napa Valley, California, this refined expression of Cabernet Sauvignon is graced by the region's distinctive terroir. The hand-selected grapelusters, procured from the T6 block of the vineyard, are afforded an extended maceration period, ensuring a deep, robust extraction of flavours.

An intimacy with the Schrader T6 Beckstoffer To Kalon Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 reveals a bold, complex palate of dark fruits, layered with nuanced aromatics of tertiary tones. This stunning wine, aged for 20 months in custom-made Taransaud oak barrels, unveils a textured depth with each successive sip. A singular representation of uncompromised quality and precision, the Schrader T6 Beckstoffer To Kalon Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 merits its position in the pantheon of the world's most sought-after wines.

Honoured with a place among Napa Valley's finest, the Schweiger Cabernet Sauvignon 1996 showcases brilliant artistry and consistent excellence. This exquisite vintage is crafted by the Schweiger Vineyards, a family-owned property located in upper Spring Mountain. The fruit is sourced from a high altitude microclimate offering terrain-driven intensity, enhanced by hand-harvesting techniques. Its expert maceration on the skins strengthens its rich tapestry of flavours.

Experience the symphony of black fruit variants interlaced with hints of cedar and leather. The maturation for 20 months in custom French oak barrels endows it with an eloquent expression of spice and a fine-grained velvety structure. An enduring finish bears the testament to its outstanding quality. Indeed, the Schweiger Cabernet Sauvignon 1996 is a remarkable depiction of the vintage, reflecting the dedicated craft of winemaker Andrew Schweiger. This wine serves as a perfect toast to the classic Napa style and the passion that flows into every bottle.

Honoured with a place among Napa Valley's finest, the Schweiger Cabernet Sauvignon 1996 showcases brilliant artistry and consistent excellence. This exquisite vintage is crafted by the Schweiger Vineyards, a family-owned property located in upper Spring Mountain. The fruit is sourced from a high altitude microclimate offering terrain-driven intensity, enhanced by hand-harvesting techniques. Its expert maceration on the skins strengthens its rich tapestry of flavours.

Experience the symphony of black fruit variants interlaced with hints of cedar and leather. The maturation for 20 months in custom French oak barrels endows it with an eloquent expression of spice and a fine-grained velvety structure. An enduring finish bears the testament to its outstanding quality. Indeed, the Schweiger Cabernet Sauvignon 1996 is a remarkable depiction of the vintage, reflecting the dedicated craft of winemaker Andrew Schweiger. This wine serves as a perfect toast to the classic Napa style and the passion that flows into every bottle.

Wine Advocate (98)

This 2003 was showing spectacularly well, and based on my recollection, I think I may have liked it even more than the 2002, which is the reverse of how I felt a decade ago. One of the biggest (14.6% alcohol) wines made by Screaming Eagle during this period, it boasts an opaque ruby/purple color as well as classic, pure, creme de cassis, cedarwood and hints of Asian soy sauce and forest floor notes. The multidimensional aromatics are followed by a full-bodied, silky-textured, opulent, rich, atypically big wine that is impeccably well-balanced. It is just starting to come into its own. Four to five more years in the cellar will prove magical, and this 2003 is one of the candidates for the wine of the vintage. It should last another 20+ years.

Wine Advocate (97+)

Aged 20 months in 72% new French oak, this blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc comes from a great vineyard on the valley floor in Oakville, just south of Rudd Estate and Plumpjack. The wine’s dense ruby/purple color is followed by a beautiful, Pauillac-like (think Pontet Canet or Mouton), ethereal perfume of creme de cassis, or as Michael Broadbent used to say, “celestial black currants,” full body, a velvety texture, fine tannins, a multidimensional mouthfeel, and a terrific finish. While there were no real surprises tasting this wine, I was somewhat intrigued by just how youthful the 2004 Screaming Eagle is showing. I had expected it to reveal slightly more evolution. I thought the 13% Merlot in the blend would push the evolution more quickly. The finish lasts for a full minute. As it has been in just about every vintage, the 2004 is a profound wine. It is for others to decide if it is overpriced, but this is undeniably a great wine that competes on the world stage with the best that exist.

Wine Advocate (98)

The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon is stunning. A wine that is only now beginning to shed its tannin, the 2006 stands out for its vibrancy and energy. All of the classic Screaming Eagle notes are in the glass, but with a little more edge and cut than in most vintages. Sweet red berries, crushed rocks, flowers and spice box are alive in the glass. Over time, hints of sage, mint rosemary and pencil shavings add complexity. The 2006 is a decidedly cool-weather wine with less opulence than either the 2007 or 2009, but it is absolutely singing today. Another few years will only help the wine come together even more fully, but it is impossible to miss the 2006’s utterly breathtaking beauty. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2026.

Wine Advocate (100)

The 2007 Screaming Eagle is wonderfully harmonious and drinkable at this stage, showcasing fabulous scents of cigar box, ripe cherries and cassis. Full-bodied, creamy and lush yet not showing any excess weight, it's a beautiful aged Oakville Cabernet, soft, silky and elegant, with great length on the finish. Given its flawless sense of proportion and balance, it should drink well for at least another decade. Readers who prefer their wines more mature may opt for additional cellaring time, but when a wine is this good it's hard to resist.

James Suckling (97)

This has a wonderful balance to it. It shows intense aromas of flowers and dark fruits with hints of incense and sandalwood. Changes all the time. Then goes to currants and flowers. Full and firm with a wonderful core of silky tannins that are polished and beautiful. Dark chocolate, vanilla bean, and dark fruit. Solid and firm. You could easy drink this but it has structure for aging as well. 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Caberent Franc and 5% Merlot.

Wine Advocate (100)

Utter perfection, the 2010 Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon (a 610-case blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot and 9% Cabernet Franc; 14.5% natural alcohol) boasts a dense ruby/purple color along with a staggering bouquet of spring flowers, graphite, creme de cassis, kirsch, licorice and subtle toast in the background. Opulent and full-bodied with a multidimensional personality, gorgeous purity and a stunning, flawless texture, this spectacular wine is among the wines of the vintage.

James Suckling (99)

Extremely perfumed with blackberries, currants and flower. Rose petals, too. Seductive. Medium to full body. It grows on the palate with an extremely long finish that goes on for minutes. The tannins are ultra-fine and polished. Purity and essence to this. Feminine yet wild and unpredictable. Available in March. Better in 2021.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

The 2015 Screaming Eagle is another monumental wine from this address, and it's one of those cases where if you afford it, you should buy it. A blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc, this magical elixir boasts a deep purple color as well as a blockbuster bouquet of blueberries, creme de cassis, violets, incense, and cedarwood. Reminding me of the 2015 Château Margaux with its off the charts class and purity, it’s full-bodied, thrillingly textured, and has a finish that just won't quit. This legendary wine is going to keep for 30-40 years.

Wine Advocate (98)

The newly-released 1996 Cabernet Sauvignon reveals lots of structure, an opaque purple color, and the hallmark blackberry and cassis liqueur-like notes. Silky-textured, fabulously-concentrated, and gorgeously-balanced, it has every component part - acidity, alcohol, tannin, and extract - flawlessly presented. Anticipated maturity: 2002-2020.

Vinous (98)

I loved the 2011 Screaming Eagle when it was in barrel and then as a young, recently-bottled wine. It is every bit compelling today. Bright red/purplish fruit, rose petal, sage, mint and white pepper lend notable energy throughout. At age ten, the 2011 positively bristles with energy and freshness. Winemaker Nick Gislason waited until the end of October to harvest. Among other things, the 2011 is unique for its high percentage of Cabernet Franc (12%). Today, the 2011 is spectacularly beautiful. Readers who own it should be thrilled.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

Another perfect wine is the 2012 Screaming Eagle which checks in as 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc. While just as good as the 2013, it’s made in a very different style and has a lush, opulent, sexy profile as well as the hallmark crème de cassis, white flowers, graphite and spice. With a silky, full-bodied, seamless texture, incredible complexity, ultra-fine tannin, and blockbuster length, this quintessential Screaming Eagle will continue drinking beautifully for 20-25 years.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

The grand vin 2013 Screaming Eagle is pure perfection in a glass and has everything you could want from a wine. Possessing a Château Margaux-like perfume of crème de cassis, sandalwood, dried flowers/violets, and graphite, it’s full-bodied, beautifully concentrated, ultra-pure, and incredibly elegant, all of which is very much in the style of this iconic estate. There are plenty of tannins on the finish so this will ideally be given another 3-4 years of bottle age, but it should keep for 25-30 years.

James Suckling (100)

The subtle and nuanced aromas to this are so enticing with perfumed, floral, blackcurrant and blackberry character. Roses, too. Some lavender. Full-bodied yet so refined and polished with the most transparent and polished texture. Firm and seamless. So beautiful now. Give it three or four years to come around, but this already sings.

Vinous (96+)

The 2017 Screaming Eagle is a deeply intriguing, fascinating wine, as it represents just a small portion of the harvest in that only pre-fire lots were used here (and in The Flight). As a result, the 2017 is unusually bright and tightly wound, with a decidedly savory, mineral-infused, old school-leaning personality. I won't be surprised if the 2017 turns out to be even better than this note suggests, although I also don't expect I will taste it too often given that the entire production was bottled in magnum.

Wine Advocate (100)

Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Screaming Eagle soars out of the glass with vibrant notions of ripe blackberries, black cherries and fresh red and black currants plus wafts of licorice, candied violets, cedar chest and clove oil with a beguiling touch of sea spray. Medium-bodied with jaw-dropping elegance, the palate is finely textured and yet built like a brick house with a super taut backbone and exquisitely knit acidity. The intense black and red fruit flavors are accented by layers of mineral and floral notions, finishing with incredible length and depth. Undeniably stunning. “I loved it!” winemaker Nick Gislason told me when I asked him for his thoughts on the 2018 vintage. “Everything is just really perfumey with a lot of verve and a lot of freshness. It’s a wholesome vintage, if that makes sense? The canopies were big and healthy; there was a lot of life in the vineyard. After 2017, it felt like the bloom that comes afterward.” He went on to say, "We made a little 2017 red. Only four barrels of the Cab! Ten barrels of The Flight. Only from grapes that came in before the fires—mainly Merlot and a couple of blocks of Cabernet." Whereas Screaming Eagle is mainly sourced from Cabernet Sauvignon grown on the western side of the estate, there is one plot of old Merlot (1980s plantings) on the eastern side of the vineyard that continually makes the backbone of this Second Flight/The Flight. This is planted on very gravelly, well-drained soils. Gislason explained, “The Cabernet Sauvignon for The Flight is always about being fresh, light and perfumey, without the firmer tannins that Cabernet can sometimes give. There is a ‘fresh’ end of the property that this tends to come from. There is some other Merlot on the other side of the property that doesn’t have the acidity, perfume or brightness we’re looking for. We don’t use this in The Flight.”

Vinous (100)

The 2019 Screaming Eagle is a wine of mind-blowing elegance and finesse that stand apart from the generally more potent style of so many wines in this vintage. Deep, sensual and beautifully layered, the 2019 is simply magnificent from the very first taste. A whole range of red/purplish fruit, spice, leather, dried herb and blood orange accents give the 2019 its vivid, wonderfully detailed personality. Because of its price, both on release and in the secondary market, Screaming Eagle is the most talked about wine in Napa Valley. It is hype or not? All I can say is that I was very fortunate to drink a number of older vintages during lockdown and all those wines lived up to their reputations.

James Suckling (99)

Fabulous aromas of cabernet sauvignon with blackcurrants, blueberries, bark, fresh mushrooms and violets, follow through to a full body with an elegance that builds at the finish, leaving you with a freshness and minerality that goes on for minutes. Unique wine in so many ways. A blend of 76% cabernet sauvignon, 18% merlot and 6% cabernet franc. Best after 2028.

Wine Advocate (100)

The 2021 Screaming Eagle soars on the strengths of the vintage—concentration and structure—taking them to the highest peak of wine quality. Dark and concentrated, this medium- to full-bodied wine is sturdy and tannic, yet it delivers waves of black cherries and cassis, melded together into a solid core of fruit that's never hard or astringent, just impressively rich, velvety and incredibly long-lasting on the finish. If one were capable of and willing to spend $100 per ounce for wine—approximately what you might pay on the secondary market for this tour de force—I doubt you would be disappointed.

Jeb Dunnuck (95)

The only wine produced in the vintage with no Flight cuvée made, the deep ruby/purple-hued 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon offers classic aromatics of cassis and ripe darker cherries intermixed with blue fruits, graphite, roasted herbs, and wildflowers in a nicely perfumed, spicy, complex, classic Cabernet Sauvignon perfume. It's medium to full-bodied on the palate, with quality tannins and outstanding length, and certainly avoids any of the over ripeness and blousy character that can be common in the vintage. This beautifully classic, balanced, sound effort will evolve gracefully for two decades if well stored. Drink 2025-2045.