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Schrader Cellars is one of the most awarded wineries in the history of American wine. The Schrader name is synonymous with outstanding, high-scoring Napa Valley Cabernet that is very limited and very expensive. Winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown has made so many 100-point and near-perfect wines, we've lost count. 

There is not much to be said about Schrader that hasn't already made headlines. Fred Schrader, an art and antiquity trader, attended the Napa Valley wine auction in the late '90s. He fell in love with Napa and then met Andy Beckstoffer and Thomas Rivers Brown. From that time, they sourced outstanding fruit from the To Kalon vineyard and set the wine world ablaze with some of the most sought-after, collectible, and delicious Napa Valley Cabernets ever created.

Monastery Block, a part of our To Kalon Vineyard in Oakville, is home to some of the oldest Cabernet Sauvignon vines in California. Dry farmed in the highly gravelly soil, the block is nestled into the foothills of the Mayacamas next to the Carmelite monastery from which it takes its name. Great wines start with great vineyards and a great winemaker. For nearly two decades, we have researched, trialed, and procured what we feel are the finest vineyard sites for producing benchmark Cabernets in the Napa Valley. This new exploration is truly worthy of the Schrader name.

The 2023 vintage stands out as one of the most remarkable in Schrader’s history. Napa Valley enjoyed its longest growing season in over a decade, defined by steady, moderate temperatures that allowed the fruit to ripen slowly and fully. The result was exceptional balance—grapes with both power and finesse, depth and purity. These ideal conditions yielded wines of outstanding concentration, structure, and harmony. As winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown shared, “It should end up being one of the best vintages of Schrader we’ve ever bottled.”

Aged in 100% new Darnajou and Taransaud French oak barrels.

100% Cabernet Sauvignon.

The wine is produced from select clones of Cabernet Sauvignon – 685, 31, & 169 – and is planted on well-drained, gravelly soils, showcasing a classic Oakville expression that balances rich black fruit with minerality and a floral component. Elegant and classically styled, this wine is generous, layered, and fresh.

The 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon To Kalon Vineyard Monastery Block comes from a smaller parcel of this block and is a region that Thomas feels is clearly superior dirt. Deep purple-hued, with an absolutely insane nose of blackcurrants, smoked tobacco, lead pencil, and crushed stone, it has a First Growth Pauillac-like stature on the palate and is full-bodied, with building tannins and flawless balance. This brilliant Cabernet Sauvignon is going to require patience, but it’s worth it. ~ 97-100, Jeb Dunnuck

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