Professional reviews
Robert Parker (94)
The 2021 Lithology Cabernet Franc Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is 81% Cabernet Franc, with the balance Cabernet Sauvignon. Scents of crushed stone, pencil shavings and pipe tobacco accent mixed cherries and dark chocolate, all with a gently leafy undertone. This complex, full-bodied wine is moderately tannic, with a long, softly dusty finish and hints of mocha and espresso.
Vinous (94)
The 2021 Cabernet Franc Lithology Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is a powerhouse. Much less forthcoming than the Dr. Crane Franc, the To Kalon version is seriously tannic. Inky dark red fruit, gravel, crushed rocks, incense, lavender and rose petal scream out of the glass, supported by incisive, driving tannins that never let up. This young Franc needs at least several years to soften.
Jeb Dunnuck (98)
A co-fermented blend of 81% Cabernet Franc and 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2021 Cabernet Franc Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is a small step up over the Dr. Crane Cabernet Franc, but both are incredibly impressive, seamless wines. Deep purple-hued, with a kaleidoscopic array of black raspberries, cassis, spring flowers, incense, and spicy oak, this beauty hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, ultra-fine tannins, and a flawlessly balanced, seamless, elegant profile that ranks with the best in the vintage. Give bottles 3-4 years if you can and it will evolve for at least two decades.
Decanter (99)
Lithology’s Beckstoffer To Kalon Cabernet Franc is a riveting, opulent, flashy red, embodying everything there is to love about a full-flavoured California red wine. Loaded with blue fruit that will surely mellow with age, but for classicists looking forward to a finesse-driven Cabernet Franc, look elsewhere. This is larger-than-life Cabernet Franc, and there’s no denying the delicious factor, fueled by layers of blueberry, plum, and boysenberry fruit tinged with sweet cedar spices. A generous dose of minerality overtakes the mid-palate, and dusty tannins build on the finish, which gains in savoury saline edges. One can see a window into the future of this wine, which is bright and more refined as it will eventually shed some of its youthful exuberance.
