The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard Elysian is a selection from this Grand Cru vineyard just outside of St. Helena and was brought up in new French oak. This magical wine is still an infant, yet offers extraordinary notes of black and blue fruits, scorched earth, unsmoked tobacco, and cedar pencil. Rich, full-bodied, and powerful, it has slightly more density and depth than the straight Dr. Crane release yet stays elegant and weightless on the palate, with sweet tannins and flawless balance. It should hit full maturity in another 3-4 years and keep for two decades or more.

Ample and resonant on the palate, the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Elysian offers a little more depth than the straight Dr. Crane Cabernet, along with a darker profile. There is plenty of vintage 2012 radiance. Juicy dark cherries, cinnamon, violets and new leather add the final notes of complexity.