Beckmen Vineyards Santa Ynez Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

The 2018 vintage was fantastic throughout Santa Barbara County and especially in Santa Ynez Valley, which enjoyed near perfect ripening and abundant yields of the highest quality Cabernet Sauvignon. “The greatest SYV Cabernet we have yet to produce, the 2018 balances its power and intensity with great texture and structure,” declared Steve Beckmen. And not only do we agree with that assessment, we would go several steps further. The 2018 Beckmen Santa Ynez Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (94 Points – Vinous) is a tour de force in winemaking and more than ample testimony to the benefits of organic biodynamic farming and Steve Beckmen’s acumen. Nearly impenetrable in color, the 2018 Beckmen SYV Cabernet Sauvignon is rich, ripe, and explosive on the palate, offering deep blackberry and cassis flavors, hints of fennel and wild herbs, dark chocolate and loamy earth, all wrapped in luxuriously deep, ripe tannins. Deep and complex, this Cabernet possesses a center and a soul that continue to expand as it airs. Although it is already profound and a real knockout, the 2018 Beckmen Santa Ynez Valley Cabernet Sauvignon still has more to offer and should continue to improve further in bottle for up to a decade or more. For optimal enjoyment, we suggest at least 30 minutes of aeration before serving at cool room temperature (58°-62° F). Anticipated maturity: 2021-2035. Enjoy!

Given the balance, complexity, and intensity of the 2018 Beckmen Santa Ynez Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, one can make a strong case for serving only the finest of meals with this wine, unless one considers this ebullient Cabernet a meal in itself. Some of our tasting panel members did. Although there is no shame in enjoying this youthful Cabernet Sauvignon with nary a morsel, all kinds of meats, including lamb, beef, and duck provide superb accompaniments. Braised Lamb Shanks or better still a Rack of Lamb, served with lentils and haricots verts; Prime Rib of beef served with au gratin potatoes and roasted root vegetables; and Grilled Duck Breast with duck confit hash and seasonal vegetables all make splendid dinner companions to a bottle of Beckmen’s exquisite 2018 Santa Ynez Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. For those who prefer simplicity and subscribe to the philosophy that less is more when it comes to enjoying top notch Cabernet Sauvignon, we suggest serving a hearty charcuterie and cheese plate comprised of naturally dry cured meats and soft rindless cheeses, but almost any aged, finely crafted cheese will shine in the presence of Beckmen’s 2018 Santa Ynez Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Bon Appétit!

“When you open a bottle of BECKMEN, you are opening a piece of our history. Good wine comes from good grape juice – that comes from good grapes, that comes from great plants, that grew on the right soil, all nurtured by the vision, passion and dreams of a family.” – Beckmen Family

After many years as leaders and pioneers in the electronic music business, Tom and Judy Beckmen, joined by their son Steve, set out to make wines as distinctive and well-crafted as the keyboards and synthesizers that built their successful careers as founders and pioneers of Roland Corporation U.S. In 1994, their vineyard search led them to a 40-acre winery near the picturesque town of Los Olivos, which they purchased, and in 1996 to the theretofore undiscovered Ballard Canyon. In 1996, the Beckmens purchased an unplanted 365-acre ranch in Ballard Canyon and named it Purisima Mountain Vineyard after the name of the ranch.

Today, Beckmen wines are truly a family affair, with the Beckmens’ older son Jeff joining the family business and Steve Beckmen making the wine. All estate farming is done biodynamically and Beckmen’s wines emanate almost exclusively from the estate’s 150 acres of vines in Ballard Canyon’s Purisima Mountain Vineyard, which is renowned for world-class Syrah, and Beckmen’s outstanding Los Olivos vineyard, which is responsible for the highly acclaimed 2018 Beckmen Santa Ynez Cabernet Sauvignon (this month’s feature).

Although Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah reign supreme at Beckmen Vineyards and consistently garner high praise and 90+ point scores from critics, including Vinous, Robert Parker Jr.’s Wine Advocate, and Wine Spectator, Steve Beckmen also fashions exceptional Grenache and Rhône style blends. Beckmen is simply uncompromising about quality. Taste and see for yourself!