TN: 2007 Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon "Old Sparky" To-Kalon Vineyard (TCA?)

D.Callahan · October 29, 2018, 7:52pm

2007 Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon “Old Sparky” Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville (10/27/2018)
First magnum of Schrader I’ve ever tasted and while it was fantastic I thought it could use even more time to develop. The nose was somewhat reticent but the rest of the experience was top notch. Power, balance and complex flavors start on the entry and continue throughout the palate and into the long finish. This was a 99+ wine but the low intensity of the nose detracts somewhat so I can only give it a 97. The cork on this wine was very soft and crumbled on first attempt at extraction. Luckily I have Durand and I was able to extract the remains with no problem. I wonder if the cork affected the lack of nose on this wine (TCA?). Hopefully for those of you that haven’t drunk all your bottles, you have better luck with the cork and you can let this mature another 5+ years. If you have one, use the Durand first for extraction. Fantastic wine.
(decanted for 4 hours) (97 pts.)

I can’t readily determine TCA, at least in the early stages, other than being disappointed in the flavor/nose. Any thoughts?

Kris_Patten · October 30, 2018, 1:11am

Sounds like heat damage or bad cork, that wine at that age shouldn’t have a cork like the one described.

David_Glasser · October 30, 2018, 12:51pm

The TN does not sound at all like TCA.

Gabe_Berk · October 30, 2018, 8:23pm

Temp fluctuations for 11 years will take away some of the fruit intensity. Oxidation from a poor cork too. Sounds like a bad combo, but being the wine is so solid, they didn’t do much harm. If it were TCA, you wouldn’t be describing power and complex flavors. Always wanted to try an aged Schrader mag

Blake_Brown · October 31, 2018, 9:16am

Dennis, as I understand it, there is a bell shaped curve re the effects of TCA. This implies that there are stages where the fruit has been stripped and although the wet cardboard is absent, the wine is still effected by TCA. I read once that TCA= the absence of fruit, but we all know it when we get that horrible aroma off the cork and out of the glass.

But, you had a muted nose and not taste, so Id say this was not a TCA matter, just a down or somewhat closed side during the wines evolution. A long decant may have allowed it to opened up aromatically.

I just had an 05` version of this wine which was decanted and it showed beautifully from the nose through the finish albeit with much youthfulness.

Chris_Roberson · October 31, 2018, 3:35pm

I have a 3L of this as a birthyear wine for my son. Hoping it will be good in 10 more years…

D.Callahan · November 2, 2018, 7:35pm

I agree the cork should not have been like that but the wine went from shipment to offsite wine storage with no delay and remained there ever since so there should not ave been any (or minimal) temp variations.

I did not get any odor of TCA and the wine was very flavorful so I can agree.

Unfortunately I only had the one mag from 2007. I didn’t rate any more than one a year for a year or two after 2007

Thanks for the ideas guys! I’ll just have to wait until I can’t resist opening another Old Sparky to see if the corks held up. Anyone out there who has some older mags that you pop please post your experience with the cork.