A Napa icon, Schrader Cellars was founded back in 1998 utilizing famed vineyard locations and the talents of Thomas Rivers Brown. The wines are crafted from some of the world’s most famous vineyards including Beckstoffer To Kalon, Las Piedras, and Georges III. These are seamless wines that carry Brown’s signature pillowy texture and weight without coming off overly heavy.
Brown has recently started his own winery with his wife and kids, Elusa. For years I have admired the Schrader ‘Old Sparky’ which is composed of fruit from the famed To Kalon Vineyard and is always made in 1.5L bottles. This current edition from 2019 is nothing short of perfection in the bottle. Pillowy and soft with magical length and a finish that doesn’t stop, this is a wine for any serious collector of Napa Valley Cabernet. Learn more about these outstanding wines at https://schradercellars.com and here is my review of the 2019 Schrader ‘Old Sparky’ Cabernet Sauvignon.
2019 Schrader Cellars ‘Old Sparky’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Dense and hedonistic without being heavy, the weightless. 2019 Schrader Cellars ‘Old Sparky’ Cabernet Sauvignon is a magnificent effort from this vintage. On the nose this evokes creosote and coffee ground tones that collide with creme de cassis and suggestions of Asian spices. The palate is soft and seamless as this wine effortlessly glides throughout the drinking experience. This is very generous in its dense dark and blue fruit profile, finishing extremely long with blackberry, black tea and copious minerals. Utterly sensational to savor now, this gratifying Cabernet Sauvignon will surely cellar well for another twenty years. Drink 2021-2041- 100