2013 Kata "Beckstoffer Bourn Vineyard" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

97 Points from Jeb Dunnuck: "There’s a whopping 20 barrels of the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Bourn Vineyard, which comes from a site just beside the Dr. Crane Vineyard in St. Helena. Incorporating 17% Petite Sirah, it’s a sensational Cabernet Sauvignon that blends power and finesse. Deep black (and some blue) fruits, toasty oak, chocolate and hints of lead pencil shavings all give way to a seriously concentrated, yet also incredibly elegant and balanced Cabernet Sauvignon that’s going to cruise in the cellar." (7/18/2017)

95 Points Robert Parker: "A new entry, this wine emerges from a Beckstoffer-owned vineyard right next to his more famous Dr. Crane Vineyard in St. Helena. A blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17% Petite Sirah, the wine has a dense purple color and a big, sweet kiss of pen ink and graphite as well as blueberry and blackberry fruit. Sweet tannins, an opulent, full-bodied mouthfeel, super-duper purity and a multi-layered finish of close to 45 seconds make for a terrific Cabernet Sauvignon from this great vintage. Drink it over the next 20+ years." (12/30/2015)

94 Points Vinous: "The 2013 Kata Beckstoffer Bourn Vineyard comes across as a bit ponderous in this tasting. Perhaps the wine is going through a closed phase, but today the aromatics are quite reticent, while the new oak is prominent in the wine's espresso and torrefaction flavors. There is plenty of depth to the dark cherry, plum and mocha flavors, but some of the energy that has been present in the past proves elusive today.

I still remember the first time I tasted David Beckstoffer's Kata from barrel. At the time, the wine did not have a name. It did not matter. The wine in the glass was striking and totally unique. Kata is a unique Cabernet Sauvignon/Petit Verdot from the Beckstoffer family's Bourn vineyard (formerly known as Hayne), one of the most pedigreed sites in St. Helena and Napa Valley. There are two wines here; the flagship Kata and the second label Ghost Dog. Benoit Touquette makes the wines." (10/2016)