One of the famed Napa houses, TOR was founded by Tor Kenward who formerly spent 26 years building Beringer Vineyards into a national power. As their vice president he was instrumental in helping develop the brand into national prominence before retiring in 2001. I loved the Beringer Reserve wines of the 1990s and 2000s which were some of Napa’s great wines 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 makes some of the finest Chardonnay in the Napa Valley. I adored the thrilling 2024 ‘Cuvee Susan’ (OB, 97) which is up there with the finest California Chardonnay I have tasted in the past year. Once again I was totally blown away with the 2024 TOR ‘Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 100) which is a perfect wine made from this powerful vintage. Learn more about these dazzling wines at https://torwines.com Here are the gorgeous new wines by TOR.
2024 TOR ‘Cuvee Susan’ Chardonnay- One of the outstanding Chardonnay bottlings I have tasted in the past year, the thrilling 2024 ‘Cuvee Susan’ comes from the Hyde Vineyard in the Carneros region. It is big, deep and powerful, yet maintains amazing freshness and salty minerality. Ripe melon and roasted pineapple fruits combine with shades of salted Macadamia nut on the palate. This finishes for nearly a minute long! Enjoy this beauty now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2026-2038- 97
2024 TOR ‘Oakville’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2024 ‘Oakville’ Cabernet Sauvignon comes from the Double H Ranch and Renteria 360 Vineyards. As far as entry level Cabernets go, you are going to be hard-pressed to find one more evocative. Once on the nose this shows lifted black and red florals that mingle well with graphite, green herbs, espressos grounds and shades of black licorice. The palate is neatly-textured and elegant, as this comes off remarkably weightless — with no rough edges. Glorious now, watch this evolve over the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2026-2039- 95
2024 TOR ‘Vine Hill Ranch’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The world-class 2024 TOR ‘Vine Hill Ranch’ Cabernet Sauvignon comes from this famed location in the Oakville AVA. The wine was basket pressed and then stored in roughly 80% new French oak for 20 months before bottling. It is dense and inky in the glass, offering Turkish coffee violets and tar on the nose with pencil lead notes. The palate is refined and concentrated, showing both amazing power and tension, with great loamy soil character. Very elegant despite the obvious opulence and refined mouthfeel, this is already drinking beautifully now. Give it an hour or two in the decanter if savoring in its heady youth. Drink 2026-2048- 98
2024 TOR ‘Vaca Ridge Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Another gorgeous edition of this wine, the 2024 TOR ‘Vaca Ridge Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon is a four-barrel wine sourced from iron-rich, rocky slopes of the Vaca Mountains. On the nose this shows off red and dark rose petals with smoldering stones, dark currants and hints of sweet pipe tobacco. The palate is heady and rich with great minerality and stony character. Leading long with copious rocky minerals, savor this beauty now and over the next twenty plus years to come. Drink 2026-2048- 97
2024 TOR ‘Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The otherworldly 2024 ‘Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon was stored for twenty months in a combination of Darnajou and Taransaud French oak barrel (80% new) before bottling. It is weightless, powerful and concentrated wine that really needs several hours in the decanter before it fully unveils. Plush blue and black fruits line the palate with gravelly loam, cigar box, Asian spices and shades of creme de violette on the palate. Really just an infant, the non-fruit character of this wine is really singing in its high octave. Drink 2027-2052- 100