A world-class wine lineup, for many years I have admired the wines of TOR. Tor Kenward is one of the great talents in the Napa Valley and spent 26 years building Beringer Vineyards. As their vice president he was instrumental in helping develop the brand into national prominence before retiring in 2001. For years the Beringer Reserve wines were truly some of the finest in Napa and Tor played a major role in that project. Beringer actually paid for Tor to study viticulture and enology following his retirement, as Tor built his brand as an ultra-premium producer single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons, sourcing from the top blocks within premium sites throughout Napa Valley. This electric lineup sources from famed sites such as Beckstoffer To Kalon, Vine Hill Ranch and Tierra Roja in Oakville, and Melanson on Pritchard Hill.
TOR has rather quietly been making some of the finest Chardonnay in the Napa Valley and I am totally blown away with the 2023 TOR ‘Cuvee Torchiana’ Chardonnay (OB, 97) which is amongst the finest Chardonnays from California that I have tasted this year. An otherworldly wine, the perfect 2023 TOR ‘Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 100) leaves no question that this is Napa Cabernet perfected. Learn more about these dazzling wines at https://torwines.com Here are the gorgeous new wines by TOR.
2023 TOR ‘Cuvee Torchiana’ Chardonnay- A world-class Napa Chardonnay, the 2023 TOR ‘Cuvee Torchiana’ comes from old vine plantings. It is deeply colored and impeccably perfumed in the glass. Honeysuckle water and shades of sweet peach combine with salted Macadamia nut and vanilla creme brûlée on the nose. The palate is dense , opulent and seamless as this glides throughout the drinking experience. It is loaded with rich melon and tropical fruits, that meld well with tis seamless texture and salty nuances. This is amongst the finest editions of this wine that I have ever tasted. Drink 2025-2038- 97
2023 TOR ‘Oakville’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2023 ‘Oakville’ Cabernet Sauvignon comes the Double H Ranch (Harter) Vineyard, and Renteria 360 Vineyards in the Oakville AVA. Wines from this sites were were fermented apart but then blended back together during numerous blending trials spanning 15 months. Allspice, clove and cardamom dusted black fruits mark the nose alongside shades of violets, tar and black licorice. The palate is pure and fresh with terrific tension and great loamy/rocky soil character, with iron and beef dripping accents. Complex, delicious and also wonderfully nervy, this has a long way to go in the cellar. Drink 2025-2040- 95
2023 TOR ‘Vaca Ridge Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The Vaca Ridge Vineyard is a higher elevation site in Napa that is set on rocky soils, as this scenic location has grand views of the valley floor. This 3-acre hillside vineyard neighbors both Screaming Eagle and Dalle Valle. Red clay, creme de violette, and creosote notes mark the nose alongside dense blackberry compote. The palate is soft, heady and intense, with marvelously freshness that runs through its veins. It comes off weightless, as a gorgeous melange of black and blue fruit flavors caress you with graphite, crushed wet gravel and dark chocolate shaving accents. Wonderfully stony and bright, enjoy this highly complex bottling now and over the next twenty plus years to come. Drink 2025-2040- 98
2023 TOR ‘Vine Hill Ranch’ Cabernet Sauvignon- An utter joy to consume right now, the ethereal 2023 TOR ‘Vine Hill Ranch’ Cabernet Sauvignon comes from this Oakville location first planted back in 1978. It is now farmed by Bruce Phillips, as TOR sources from two blocks of Cabernet Sauvignon at this historic location. It is ultra-dark in the glass, offering loamy soils and pencil lead that collide with Black Forest cake, anise, and suggestions of Asian spices. The palate is utterly pillowy and seamless throughout the drinking experience. This is powerful, very eye-catching stuff that has a finish that won’t stop. Rocky, and loaded with dense dark and blue fruits, with savory herbal accents on the palate, do not miss out on this total stunner. It is an unforgettable wine that has a long life ahead of it. Drink 2025-2050- 100
2023 TOR ‘Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The otherworldly 2023 TOR ‘Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon is easily one of the best wines I have tasted out of thousands this year. It is extremely dark in the glass, showing off sweet pipe tobacco and dark currant cordial notes alongside loamy soils, violet rose petals and suggestions of Middle-Eastern spices. The palate is silky smooth and opulent with tremendous viscosity and underlying finesse. A head-turning wine from a great vintage, enjoy this beautiful wine over the next twenty five plus years to come. This is quite simply perfection in a glass. Drink 2025-2050- 100