2009 Vintage Reviews

2009 Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon, Napa Valley

Cellar Selection “There’s a very fine wine lurking inside this bottle, but right now, everything’s disjointed. There are big tannins over here, oak over there, and sandwiched in between are huge, intense flavors of blackberry, blueberry and cassis liqueur. It’s nowhere near ready, but there’s no reason why this dramatic young wine shouldn’t come together and improve over the years. Cellar it until 2017 and check up on it; this could be really something in 2025.” –Steve Heimoff

Wine Enthusiast, December 1, 2012

“A robust effort that delivers a big, rich array of flavors with a measure of restraint, offering dense, chewy coconut oak, blackberry, black licorice, spice and cedar. Best from 2014 through 2024.” –James Laube

Wine Spectator, October 31, 2012

"The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon is a big, fleshy wine endowed with tons of textural richness and sheer depth. Layers of fruit flow across the palate in this large-scaled, dramatic Cabernet. This should be accessible relatively early. The open, radiant personality of the vintage is on full display. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024." –Antonio Galloni

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, December 2011

2009 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

Cellar Selection “The question with this dramatic Cabernet is: How will it age? It’s a big wine, dry and impressively rich in blackberry, black currant, dark chocolate and crème de cassis. It’s also tannic, and the considerable new oak hasn’t fully integrated yet. If you have a good cellar, stash it away until 2015.” –Steve Heimoff

Wine Enthusiast, December 1, 2012

“Favors the red berry spectrum, with snappy pomegranate and red raspberry notes that show a touch of black licorice. Elegant, with firm, fine-grained tannins. Best from 2013 through 2022.” –James Laube

"20 Outstanding New Wines from California," Wine Spectator, July 16, 2012

"The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon emerges from the glass with plums, black cherries, tar and sweet spices. It is a big, muscular wine loaded with more than enough fruit to fill out its structured, muscular frame. Powerful tannins frame the long, insistent finish. This is yet another fabulous wine from Macauley. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024." –Antonio Galloni

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, December 2011

2009 Macauley Petite Sirah, Napa Valley

Score: 92

"The 2009 Petite Sirah is another deep, brooding wine. Black cherries, herbs, crushed rocks and new leather are some of the many nuances that flow from this imposing Petite Sirah. This shows fabulous richness and concentration, not to mention significant varietal character. It needs a few more years in bottle, but is striking even today. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024." –Antonio Galloni

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, December 2011

2009 Macauley "Old Vine" Zinfandel, Napa Valley

"Extraordinarily rich and heady, this has gigantic cherry and raspberry jam flavors. So sweet and pure, it tastes like the essence of Zinfandel, but at the last moment acidity and tannins emerge, bringing necessary structure. Drink now." –Steve Heimoff

Wine Enthusiast, December 1, 2012

"The 2009 Zinfandel Old Vine is a huge, super-ripe wine bursting with varietal fruit in its dark plums, licorice, tobacco and smoke. This shows gorgeous inner perfume and striking complexity in a big, rich style. All of the elements flow gracefully to the textured, beautifully articulated finish. I loved it. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2021." –Antonio Galloni

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, December 2011