The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Missouri Hopper Vineyard is another wine in this lineup that’s a dead ringer for a top wine from the Pessac-Léognan region of Bordeaux. Revealing a dense purple/plum color as well as classic Cabernet notes of blackcurrants, smoked tobacco, chocolate, and gravelly earth, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a deep, layered mid-palate, building tannins, and a great finish. It has enough fruit to be approachable today yet is going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and keep for 20-25+ years.

Sourced from one of Napa Valley’s oldest and most prized vineyards, the Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Cabernet Sauvignon is an absolute knockout from Amici Cellars. It instantly bursts open with seductive aromatics of ripe blackberries, blueberries and creme de cassis that are laced with exotic spices, brown sugar, loam and dark chocolate that all explode from the glass. On the palate this is full-bodied with incredible depth and intensity. This is a big, concentrated and richly layered, Cabernet that is well-structured and retains excellent freshness through the long supple finish. Overall, this is a serious wine from Amici Cellars and looks to be the most impressive wine from this outstanding lineup in 2018.

Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the deep garnet-purple colored 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard is redolent of blackcurrant jelly, kirsch and blackberry preserves scents with hints of bouquet garni, beef drippings and Sichuan pepper. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is charged with fantastic energy and freshness, delivering intense black fruits lifted by a whole array of red berry and herbal accents, supported by ripe, grainy tannins and finishing long and savory. 

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Missouri Hopper is fabulous. A rich, explosive wine, the Missouri Hopper is endowed with tremendous intensity as well as pedigree. Dark fruit, gravel, chocolate, smoke, menthol, licorice and dried savory herbs infuse the 2018 with tons of character and nuance. It is unquestionably one of the highlights in this range.

Lots of dusty-dirt, tile and warm-soil character to the blueberries on the nose. Full-bodied with a lovely, creamy texture and ripe fruit in the center palate. Fine tannin texture. Best Missouri Hopper from here in a long time. Drinkable now, but a year or two of bottle age will make it better.