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“The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Kingly Project is fabulous. A wine of vertical power and thrust., The 2019 sours out of the glass, showing magnificent intensity from start to finish. Black cherry, scorched earth, licorice, plum and chocolate give this substantial Cabernet tons of complexity. I would cellar the 2019 for at least a few years to allow the tannins to soften.” 65 cases
– Antonio Galloni, Sept. 2021, Drinking Window: 2024-2034
“The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Serpent’s Back shows a more aromatic, high=toned side of this site. Bright red/purplish berry fruit, pomegranate, cinnamon and sweet floral accents are all laced together. The Serpent’s Back is the most refined of these three Cabernets, but it has plenty of Calistoga punch.” 120 cases
– Antonio Galloni, Sept. 2021, Drinking Window: 2024-2034
“The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Winfield Vineyard is a blend taken from three blocks in this vineyard. A potent, layered Cabernet, the Winfield is super-expressive today. Dark cherry, licorice, incense and savory herbs all flesh out in a potent, resonant Cabernet that hits all the right notes. This is impressive, to say the least.” 200 cases
– Antonio Galloni, Sept. 2021, Drinking Window: 2024-2034
“The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Kingly Project is endowed with tremendous richness and concentration. It emerges from the best spots within Block 5 which is a bit more protected from the elements. This potent Calistoga Cabernet needs time to shine, but is impressive today just the same. Time in glass brings out layers of inky dark fruit and the savory minerally notes that are signatures of the Kingly Project.”
– Antonio Galloni, Dec. 2020, Drinking Window: 2023-2033
“The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Winfield Vineyard is an absolutely gorgeous wine that conveys a striking interplay of richness, power and nuance. Silky and restrained for this site, the Winfield offers up a compelling melange of red fruit, iron, cedar, tobacco, rose petal and dried herbs, all in a mid-weight style that is incredible appealing. The Winfield is a selection taken from Blocks 1, 4 and 5.”
– Antonio Galloni, Dec., 2020, Drinking Window: 2023-2033
The 2017 vintage was declassified due to smoke taint influence from The Tubbs Fire on the Cabernet berries during the period just prior to harvest.
“A bigger, richer version of the Serpents Back release, the mammoth-sized 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon The Kingly Project (100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged 19 months in 90% new French oak) comes from the Winfield Vineyard, which sits above the valley floor, just outside of St. Helena. This is primarily rocky, gravelly loam soils, and this 2016 reveals a saturated purple color as well as a huge perfume of sweet crème de cassis, black raspberries, toasted spice, vanilla, and licorice. The most powerful and hedonistic in the lineup, it’s nevertheless perfectly balanced and seamless, with a texture to die for. This majestic Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon will keep for two decades or more.”
– Jeb Dunnuck, Jan. 2019
“Also from the Winfield Vineyard in Calistoga, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Serpents Back knocks it out of the park with its incredible purity, concentration and elegance. It too is deep purple color and has a complex, nuanced bouquet of crème de cassis, white chocolate, lead pencil shavings, and white flowers. These carry to a full-bodied Cabernet that has a stacked mid-palate, beautifully integrated acidity, and sweet, sweet tannins. Unfortunately, there are only 100 cases made. But it’s undeniably brilliant wine that will keep for 20-25+ years.” 100 cases.”
– Jeb Dunnuck, Jan. 2019
“Coming from the Winfield Vineyard in Calistoga, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is another brilliant wine from the hands of winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown. This deep purple-colored effort boasts tons of blueberry and jammy blackberry fruits as well a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, yet elegant style on the palate. It has the purity of fruit that’s the hallmark of the vintage, ripe, sweet tannins, and no hard edges, and is already hard to resist.”
– Jeb Dunnuck, Jan. 2019
“The GRADE’s 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Winfield Vineyard is gorgeous. Dark and sweeping in its grandeur, the 2015 possesses notable depth and pedigree from the very first taste. As compelling as the 2015 is today, it also needs time in bottle to be at its very best. Hints of blood orange and pomegranate add an exotic flair to this deeply expressive, nuanced Cabernet.”
– Antonion Galloni, March 2018, Drinking Window: 2022-2035
“The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Kingly Project is the most intriguing and complete of the three 2015 Cabernets I tasted. Powerful and structured, while also wonderfully nuanced, the Kingly shows once again why it is one of the most compelling wines in Napa Valley. The graphite, crushed rock, licorice, black cherry and menthol notes are all finely etched. I very much admire the explosive energy and nuance here.”
– Antonion Galloni, March 2018, Drinking Window: 2022-2035
“Sporting a deep ruby/purple color, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Winfield Vineyard comes from three separate blocks (block 1, 4, and 5) and was raised in 60% new French oak. It’s another layered, ripe, sexy, and seamless wine from winemaker Thomas Brown that boasts loads of blueberry, graphite and white chocolate aromatics, full-bodied, richness, no hard edges, and remarkable purity of fruit. Despite showing great today, I suspect this beauty will be even better with 2-4 years of bottle age and keep for 15+ years.”
– Jeb Dunnuck, Dec. 2017
“The GRADE’s 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Winfield Vineyard is gorgeous. Dark and sweeping in its grandeur, the 2015 possesses notable depth and pedigree from the very first taste. As compelling as the 2015 is today, it also needs time in bottle to be at its very best. Hints of blood orange and pomegranate add an exotic flair to this deeply expressive, nuanced Cabernet.”
– Antonion Galloni, March 2018, Drinking Window: 2022-2035
“Like the Kingly Project (which is all block 5), the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Serpent’s Back is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Block 4 of the Winfield Vineyard that was raised in 65% new French oak. It’s a riper, perfumed, lifted wine and has tons of incense, potpourri and spice to go with a beautiful core of sweet dark fruits. Possessing full-bodied richness, a big mid-palate, sweet tannin, and a perfumed complex style, drink it anytime over the coming 15+ years.” 75 cases”
– Jeb Dunnuck, Dec. 2017
The GRADE Cellars, 2015
“Made by Thomas Brown and all from the estate Winfield Vineyard in Calistoga, The Grade wines are named for passages by Robert Louis Stevenson who wrote about ‘The Grade’ in his book “The Silverado Squatters”. These are all beautiful wines.”
– Jeb Dunnuck, Dec. 2017
“I loved the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Kingly Project which comes all from the Winfield Vineyard in Calistoga and was raised in 75% new French oak. It reveals a saturated purple color as well as notes of crème de cassis, toasty oak, truffle, and just a hint of graphite. With a ripe, sexy, polished style, ample tannin, and a big finish, it shows the forward nature of the vintage yet has the class to keep for 15+ years.”
– Jeb Dunnuck, Dec. 2017
“The GRADE’s 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Kingly Project has turned out beautifully. Vibrant, delineated and super-classy, the 2014 is nuanced, but the tannins also need time to soften. Red stone fruit, rose petal, chocolate and leather are fused together in an effortless, highly expressive Cabernet Sauvignon from The GRADE.”
– Antonio Galloni, Dec. 2016, Drinking Window: 2019-2029
“The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Winfield Vineyard is dark, inky and powerful. Black cherry, smoke, leather and licorice, along with the wine’s density, convey and impression of virile intensity and richness. The Winfield has more sweetness and pure power than the Kingly Project, which I prefer slightly in 2014. Even so, both wines are distinctive.”
– Antonio Galloni, Dec. 2016, Drinking Window: 2018-2026
“The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon the Grade Winfield Vineyard exhibits impressively saturated bluish/purple color, reminiscent of a moonless night. The wine has impressive fruit quality, loads of cassis, blackberries, floral notes and a hint of earthy minerality. The wine, full-bodied and rich, was aged 20 months in French oak prior to bottling. It is a generous wine and wonderfully endowed. This can be drunk now or cellared for up to 10-15 years.”
– Robert Parker
“The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is just as fabulous as it was last year. Nuanced, chiseled and finely cut, the 2013 possesses remarkable precision throughout. White pepper, flowers and mint add a super-appealing upper register that balances some of the wine’s darker leanings. This is a fabulous showing from The GRADE.”
– Antonio Galloni, Oct. 2015, Drinking Window: 2020-2033
“Made of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged 20 months in 60% new French oak, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Kingly Project is very deep purple-black in color with pronounced notes of baked plums, blackberry pie and crème de cassis with hints of mocha, tar, black soil and sautéed herbs. Big, concentrated and full in the mouth, it delivers a wall of ripe, seductive fruit with a chewy frame and powerful fruit on the long finish.” 150 cases produced.”
– Wine Advocate, Oct. 2018, Drinking Window: 2018-2030
“The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Kingly Project is made in a more extracted style than the Estate, with tons of richness and new oak influence. Dark red cherries, plums, mint and flowers emerge from a shroud of tannin. There is considerable depth, but a ton of new oak. I find the Estate better balanced and more harmonious.”
– Antonio Galloni, Oct. 2015, Drinking Window: 2020-2033
The GRADE Cellars, 2013
“Tom Thornton and Brenda Mixson’s property sits at the northern edge of Calistoga, near Jericho Canyon. Thomas Rivers Brown took over winemaking in 2012, but 2013 is the first vintage he and his team have overseen farming and winemaking from the beginning of the year through the harvest. Tasted from the barrel, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon is terrific, and most importantly, full of promise. The GRADE is going to be a fascinating project to follow over the coming years, and hopefully, beyond.”
– Antonio Galloni, May 2014
“I was deeply impressed with the wines I tasted from The GRADE this past spring. My October tasting confirmed those impressions; The GRADE is one of the most intriguing and promising properties in Napa Valley today. Winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown is doing a remarkable job coaxing wines of superb pedigree from this Calistoga site on Old Toll Road.”
– Antonio Galloni, Dec. 2014
“There are 375 cases of the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon The Grade from the Winfield Vineyard, which spent 20 months in French oak. It exhibits a dense purple color in addition to beautiful aromas of crème de cassis, forest floor and spice box, a deep, opulent, multidimensional mouthfeel, tremendous purity and silky tannins. It can be drunk now or cellared for 10-15 years.”
– Robert Parker
“Made by brilliant winemaking consultant Thomas Brown, the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Kingly Project (100 cases; aged 20 months in French oak) comes from the Winfield Vineyard, which sits at the alluvial base of Mt. St. Helena. Sweet cassis, graphite, high-class, unsmoked cigar tobacco and background oak characteristics are present in this full-bodied, opulent, multidimensional, majestic Cabernet Sauvignon. It should age effortlessly for two decades.”
– Robert Parker
Wine Spectator : “10 Remarkable California Cabernets:
New Reviews of Cellar-Worthy Wines from Napa Valley”
“Consider making space in your cellar for the 2012 Napa Cabernets. The vintage boasts an embarrassment of riches, backed by a substantial crop. Moreover, many producers are expanding their lineups with more choices. The bottles here are a good place to start, with accessible Cabernets from established producers spanning a cross section of Napa’s appellations. Thomas Brown stands tall, with a pair of Cabernets that showcase the character of their respective appellations. Brown is behind the structured effort from The GRADE, a relatively new label from founders Thomas Thornton and Brenda Mixson’s Winfield Vineyard in Calistoga, planted on a sloping bench above the valley floor.”
–Augustus Weed, Wine Spectator, July 13, 2015
