Schrader Colesworthy 2019 in magnum is a barrel selection from the Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard in St. Helena, and it sits at the top of Schrader's wines from that site. It is made entirely from Clone 337 Cabernet Sauvignon.
About This Wine
Las Piedras lies in north-west St. Helena on rocky ground, as its name suggests, and its vineyard history goes back to the 1840s, when Edward Bale planted the land. Beckstoffer bought it in 1983. From Schrader's first harvest there, a handful of barrel lots from one prime block stood out, and those are kept apart for Colesworthy. The 2019 was aged in 100% new Darnajou and Taransaud French oak. The winery lists 99 points from Jeb Dunnuck and 98 from both The Wine Advocate and James Suckling for this bottling.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Blackberry, black cherry and currant with savoury herbs, espresso, pencil shavings and crushed rock.
- Palate: Broad and layered, with ripe red and black fruit framed by grippy tannins and lively acidity.
- Finish: Long and firm, with dark fruit, sweet earth and a mineral close.
Serving & Food
Stand the magnum upright for a day, then decant for about two hours and serve at 16 to 18°C in large Bordeaux stems. The magnum format should let it age slowly for 20 years or more. Serve with a whole roast rib of beef, braised oxtail or grilled lamb shoulder.
How to Enjoy
A big-bottle Napa Cabernet for a dinner party of eight to ten.
Product Details
Producer: Schrader Cellars
Country: USA
Region: Napa Valley, California
Appellation: St. Helena
Vineyard: Beckstoffer Las Piedras
Vintage: 2019
Grape Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon (Clone 337)
Oak: 100% new Darnajou and Taransaud French oak
Winemaker: Thomas Rivers Brown
Volume: 1.5L magnum
About the Winery
Schrader's idea is to let each vineyard block and Cabernet clone speak on its own. At To Kalon, the three clones planted in the vineyard, 4, 6 and 337, are each bottled separately, and in strong years the top barrels from across To Kalon are blended into Old Sparky, named after Fred Schrader's nickname.
Colesworthy applies the same thinking at Las Piedras. Carol Schrader has explained that as the team worked with the Beckstoffer LPV fruit, some barrel lots showed a lustre and charm that deserved their own bottling. The wine is named for her, Carol Colesworthy Schrader, and like its To Kalon counterpart it is bottled in magnum.
To install this Web App in your iPhone/iPad press
and then Add to Home Screen.
