Carter 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand   

2018 Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon “The Grand Daddy” Oakville Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard
NVWE Notes: Seemingly the biggest and certainly the most backward and unrevealing of the great 2018 Carters, this monster needs lots of air before it unveils its darkly rich, ultra-ripe aromas of black currant, blackberry, mulberry, dark cherry compote, licorice root, bitter chocolate, date sugar, sweet vanilla, espresso bean and toasted laurel aromas. Heady-rich, ultra-ripe notes of black raspberry, black currant, mulberry, sour red cherry and pomegranate molasses take the lead on the palate, where laurel, cedar, mace and cocoa nib notes join substantial tannins to swing the tongue-coating flavors toward a harder dryness. The finish is extravagant in richness and very long, but it is tightly wound as well, so it could make take a few more years of cellering to see if this Clone 4 Block will prove as sophisticated as its siblings. In any case, it may need eight to twelve years more to really show all that it has to give.

Wine Advocate
96 Points
The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard The Grand Daddy has a deep garnet-purple color, barreling out of the glass with energetic notes of fresh blueberries, black raspberries, ripe black and red currants and black olives with hints of cedar chest, powdered cinnamon, pencil lead and camphor. The full-bodied palate is laden with taut, crunchy black fruit, framed by firm, ripe, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long with loads of mineral sparks. Drink Date 2023 - 2045. November 2020 Week 1