2011 Myriad Cellars Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Cabernet Sauvignon

Myriad Cellars in St. Helena is owned and run by Mike and Leah Smith. Mike is an assistant winemaker to Thomas Brown, one of Napa’s most acclaimed winemakers. Mike also makes his own Myriad wines from grapes sourced from prominent area vineyards, including Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard and Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard. Myriad makes Cabernet Sauvignon and Semillon. The wines have received ratings in the mid- to high-90s from Wine Advocate and other reviews.

Dr. Crane Vineyard was originally planted in 1858 by Napa Valley pioneer Dr. George Belden Crane. It was acquired by Beckstoffer Vineyards in 1997. Located in the city of St. Helena, the 25-acre vineyard is planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Beckstoffer Vineyards owns and farms more than 3,600 acres of highly prestigious grape growing vineyards in Napa Valley, Mendocino County and the Red Hills of Lake County. A senior executive with Heublein in the 1960s, Andy Beckstoffer is credited with steering Napa Valley vintners towards improving farming and the quality of the grapes used for wine. Grapes from any Beckstoffer vineyards are considered among the finest available in California.

One of the most widely grown grape varieties, it can be found in nearly every wine growing region. A cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. It’s a hardy vine that produces a full-bodied wine with high tannins and great aging potential.