2013 | Schrader Cellars | Old Sparky (Magnum)

The 2013 release boasts a warming 14.5% abv and reveals ripe black fruits such as blackberry and blueberry mixed in with notes of espresso roast and dark chocolate.

Reviews:

• Wine Advocate: The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Sparky, which is essentially made from clone 4 from two separate blocks, clone 6 and clone 337, is another perfect wine from the Schraders. I suppose it’s a little boring to say, and perhaps I can be accused of creating unrealistic expectations on the part of readers, but this is as great as Cabernet can be. Tasting like a first-growth Pauillac, the wine is opaque purple and has a fabulous nose of lead pencil, spring flowers, blueberry and blackberry and the telltale cassis. There is also some licorice and sweet oak, the tannins are ripe, and the wine full-bodied. Built like a skyscraper, with an incredible finish (like most of these wines) going on for 50 seconds to a minute, this amazing wine should still be drinking splendidly well at age 25 or 30.

• James Suckling: A wine with wonderful definition and length. Very fine-grained tannins. Full-bodied yet compacted. Shows blueberry, rosemary, lavender and stone character. Terra-cotta. Pretty blend of top To Kalon vineyard of Schrader. Shows balance and length.

Producer Information

Schrader Cellars is a cult Napa Valley winery founded by former antiques dealer Fred Schrader. Its focus is on premium Cabernet Sauvignon from single parcels and single vineyards – the most famous of which is the Old Sparky label, produced from the renowned Beckstoffer To Kalon vineyard. Schrader entered the wine industry in 1992, founding Colgin Schrader Cellars with his then-wife Ann Colgin (who would go on to found Colgin Cellars). In 1998, he left to start his own label, bringing on board winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown and grape grower W. Andrew Beckstoffer. Schrader makes a range of wines from Napa, most of which are made from Cabernet Sauvignon. The most significant vineyard associated with the label is the Beckstoffer To Kalon vineyard in Oakville, which provides an excellent growing environment for Cabernet Sauvignon: high mineral content and superb drainage in the soil, lots of sun exposure, and a coastal breeze for cool nights. In 2008, Schrader Cellars became the first winery to receive 100-point reviews from US critic Robert Parker for the same wine across four consecutive vintages, a recognition that it received for two labels, both the Schrader CCS (from the initials of Carol Colesworthy Schrader, Schrader's partner) and the Old Sparky. The small production of Schrader Cellars is mostly distributed through its mailing list, which can have a wait time of two to three years. Schrader Cellars was bought by drinks giant Constellation in 2017 in a reported US$60 million deal.

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