Professional reviews
Vinous (93)
The 2022 Cabernet Franc Lithology Dr. Crane Vineyard is a super-expressive, polished wine. Even in this torrid vintage, the Dr. Crane Franc retained terrific varietal character. Mocha, espresso, rose petal, spice and menthol lend notable exotic inflections throughout. There is a bit of aggressiveness in the tannin, but this is otherwise nicely done.
Jeb Dunnuck (96)
The 2022 Cabernet Franc Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard is darker and more brooding compared to the To Kalon and offers tons of black fruits, sappy herbs, sage, and chocolate on the nose. This rich, full-bodied, beautifully balanced 2022 has plenty of tannins, a layered, balanced mouthfeel, and a great finish. A blend of 96% Cabernet Franc and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in 70% new French oak, it’s a beautiful 2022 that should evolve nicely over the coming 10-15 years.
Decanter (97)
The Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard is sourced from blocks CF–A3 and CS – A5. Vinified in stainless steel, with 4% fermented in an oak tank, then aged for 20 months in 70% new French oak. The Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc are fermented separately and blended later. Picked on 8 September 2022. A super-focused nose of black-toned fruits, tinged with fragrant sagebrush, pipe tobacco, and toasted cedarwood, with hints of dried fennel. The wine is powerful and concentrated, with robust tannins layering the mid-palate around a core of sweetness and generosity. Suave and complete, with balanced mineral-acid tension building a precise freshness that defies the warmth of the vintage. All that black-toned fruit stays black on the palate, with perfectly ripe blackberry, black cherry, and spiced plums, nuanced by sweet cedar, thyme, and rosemary that build toward the long finish—a remarkably suave and generous expression in 2022. The previous vintage was pure, layered, and dense, and this one follows suit—perhaps just a touch more generous and softened in structure, but equally rewarding. A wine that will age gracefully yet drink beautifully in the near term.
