TN: 2012 Becklyn Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon (USA, California, Napa Valley)

[Joel_W]

Didn’t the same thing happen with Hobel when they came out? Their bottles were selling for a pretty high amount in winebid and that fizzled out.

But, I would venture to guess that $125 for this wine also has something to do with the fact that their nice pretty purple bottle is prominently featured in the middle on the Cali Cab banner ad when you go to WineBids site. That’s my thought… Also, it was also there last week and no one purchased, someone bit this week. Kudos to the seller!

I bought my full allocation and will gladly let them sit in my cellar for a while before popping. Not the Sauv Blanc though… I’ll pop one of those at thanksgiving.

[Greg_Smith]

Given the great notes on this wine I am bummed that I only bought 2

[Matthew_Denny]

@mike pobega

I wonder if a call to Blicker will find any left at $90??

It appears BP might have some

[Nolan_E]

@Erez_L.

That said, I was surprised to see how fast people play the economies of scale that it is already on winebid.

The economist in me won’t let this slide…this isn’t an example of economies of scale.

[Er_z_L]

Sorry Nolan, my bad… I was thinking about one thing and writing something else.

The last glass today was so tasteful. All in, nice long finish. Next bottle- in a year

[David_Hay]

I am elated I joined this list and purchased what I could, quite bummed my allocation was limited to two Cab’s. We just popped the 2012 Cab and I think it’s dynamite.

This is very smooth with little to no tannins to my palate. We will be pairing this with a ribeye shortly and I feel as I could just sit on the patio enjoying the nice cool break of weather in South Florida and enjoy this all night long. This will be purchased again.

[Merrill_Lindquist]

@David J. Haycock

I am elated I joined this list and purchased what I could, quite bummed my allocation was limited to two Cab’s. We just popped the 2012 Cab and I think it’s dynamite.

This is very smooth with little to no tannins to my palate. We will be pairing this with a ribeye shortly and I feel as I could just sit on the patio enjoying the nice cool break of weather in South Florida and enjoy this all night long. This will be purchased again.

Nice, David. I think a lot of 2012 Napa Cabs are going to fall (be opened) early - they are enticing and perhaps somewhat exotic in the bouquet. Not a wide sample size here, but indicators are such…

Can’t think of a better match than a nice ribeye.

[Alan_Eden]

Had this wine over the weekend with a ribeye

Not sure how long it takes to start closing down but thats what i tasted, it was reserved with layers of fruit and tannins there but well hidden and not being given up at all.

These need to go away for a few years i think, im a great fan of drinking young but for this bottle it was a mistake.

As a side note i have been seeing this a lot with 12’s ive opened a Booker Fracture eba abd Denner Syrah and found both shut down the Booker brutally, so much it was unpleasantly tannic. A further anamoly was the 12 james berry which showed really well with great fruit and a lovely velvet mouthfeel thar for me is a Saxum trademark

[ToddFrench]

@Alan Eden

Had this wine over the weekend with a ribeye

Not sure how long it takes to start closing down but thats what i tasted, it was reserved with layers of fruit and tannins there but well hidden and not being given up at all.

These need to go away for a few years i think, im a great fan of drinking young but for this bottle it was a mistake.

As a side note i have been seeing this a lot with 12’s ive opened a Booker Fracture eba abd Denner Syrah and found both shut down the Booker brutally, so much it was unpleasantly tannic. A further anamoly was the 12 james berry which showed really well with great fruit and a lovely velvet mouthfeel thar for me is a Saxum trademark

So it’s not one to have now? It quickly entered a closed phase?

[Alan_Eden]

Todd

Thats what it seemed like to me, im not an expert on cabs though. It was good just seemed like it was hiding everything

[mike_pobega]

Todd, did you purchase any of these?

[ToddFrench]

@mike pobega

Todd, did you purchase any of these?

I have a whopping single bottle, so I don’t want to drink it when it is not representative of the wine, as it sounds like it will sell out in seconds for the next vintage release also

[Brian_Tuite]

@Todd F r e n c h

@mike pobega

Todd, did you purchase any of these?

I have a whopping single bottle, so I don’t want to drink it when it is not representative of the wine, as it sounds like it will sell out in seconds for the next vintage release also

I have one slated for Christmas. I’ll check in afterwards with my thoughts.

[Dave_McCloskey]

@mike pobega

@Merrill Lindquist

These threads scare the crap out of me.

To my mind, based on my limited experience, there is a lovely honeymoon phase for newly bottled wines. This does not include the first few days post-bottling, when the wine just says, “What did you just do to me?”

But then there is that newness…that fresh love that emerges. Bright, full, energetic. But for how long?

You are pulling corks and finding what I think is a phase. This is not commentary on any particular wine, and certainly not on Mike’s! But it is a comment on things developmental, concerning wine, of course. For many wines, there comes a day…and no one knows when that day will come. But the wine will go backwards and hide. Some vintages this does not happen - mostly my 2007 and 2009 did not do this. But all the others? Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. To me, my 2005 and the 2005s I have had over the years are the best examples: yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. I call it the cha-cha. Back and forth: some steps forward and then fewer steps back.

May the 2012s never do this - for any label, any producer. But I will bet that I will pull a cork one day soon and people will just…prefer another vintage. For a while.

I think I’ll go pull a cork.

Interesting.
I think there comes many days…
Keep in mind what we are discussing is winemaker reliant and to discuss without Mike Smith here would be unfair, so I will pontificate just a thought or two. I think much depends on style and vision. There are many styles available today in the valley, more than ever before. There really is something for everyone. Having had your wine I must say you and your winemaker would appear to be on a different path. Its a wonderful path and I am almost positive that your wines may be more ageworthy. Your are more on the Cathy Corison path. You pick a bit earlier than Mike and vignify different, or at least I think you do.
Your 2007 is interesting and I have a theory about it and how it shows, all good by the way. I just need to remember it and read my notes. I sum it up that you took advantage of the vintage in ways others might not have. I believe it was one of your longest hang-times. I could be wrong and probably am. If I a right, keep reading. If I am wrong throw your hands up in the air and wave them like you just don’t care…
If no cursing ensued, I will continue: 2007 almost forced you to draw out of the lines a bit. The wine was showy young and probably still great.
Wines like this may not be built for 20 years, or even fifteen, but they drink so well when early, I think most will be gone by by then, at least that’s my thinking. Don’t be afraid of wines like this, embrace them for what they are, no what they are not. That’s my plan.
If none of this makes sense, forgive me. I’m tired and weary from my week. Tomorrow I get to start a whole new one…

Mike I’m a newbie, so perhaps you can satisfy a curiosity I’ve had for quite some time. Based on what I’ve highlighted in your above post, we as a wine community seem to reflexively measure the greatness of a wine by its age worthiness. It would appear on the surface we’re either conscientiously or unconsciously comparing or benchmarking Napa Cabs to Bordeaux’s. Such comparisons seem odd when one considers the circumstances of wine making are so entirely different between the two regions. Based on what I’ve been able to glean, depending on the year, Bordeaux juice when it first enters the bottle is way out of balance (very high acidity and tannins) and requires years if not decades to reach drinkable maturity, again owing to conditions such as sun exposure, harvest times, Brix levels etc. Whereas, Napa wines can reach full drinkable potential much more quickly, due to the generally advantageous growing conditions.

I realize these are sweeping generalities, but at the 20K view, am I missing something?

[mike_pobega]

All valid points, Dave. Was there a further question?
I am in no way qualified to compare Bordeaux to Napa cab, and in this thread specifically Becklyn Cab, but I am sure many differences exists.
20K view? You on a plane?

[Dave_McCloskey]

@mike pobega

All valid points, Dave. Was there a further question?
I am in no way qualified to compare Bordeaux to Napa cab, and in this thread specifically Becklyn Cab, but I am sure many differences exists.
20K view? You on a plane?

No further question. I’ve enjoyed this thread and reading your notes about Becklyn. I look forward to purchasing one of their Cabs in the future.

[Jay_Allen]

Opened my first one yesterday, and I didn’t think it was closed at all. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it was better than I would have guessed. Considering over the weekend I went to a wine fest that had just about every conceivable Napa Cult Wine - Levy McClellan, Shafer Hilliside, Hobel, Yao Ming, Mascot, Continuum, Bond, Scarecrow, Hundred Acre, Harlan, Colgin, Tusk, Futo…- the Becklyn can definitely hold its own, and in most cases, outperformed the big boys. Then you consider that it was $60 on release…oh man!

At any rate, this data point didn’t suggest that the wine is closed down at all. If it was, I’d like to taste it when it isn’t closed down.

[Matthew_Denny]

Jay very kind comments. Mike and I are grateful.

[Jay_Allen]

@Matthew Denny

Jay very kind comments. Mike and I are grateful.

Keep up the good work. I was very impressed with the wine, and this is coming from a self professed francophile.

[mike_pobega]

wow, one for the US.