Just saw on FB that Matt and Amber have sold Becklyn - and that Mike will continue to make the wines. Apparently this was in their latest release newsletter.
Anyone have any more info on it?
Yes, this was surprising news.
Here is what was in the release email:
With a mix of nostalgia and excitement, we announce that this will be Amber and my last release. We are thrilled to share that a group of long-time friends, clients, and fans have purchased Becklyn Cellars. Rest assured, while ownership is changing, the new team shares my vision, passion, and dedication to producing exceptional wines. The new owners also have a friendship and a deep admiration for Mike and Leah Smith, ensuring that Mike will continue as our esteemed winemaker. This transition is more of a ‘passing of the torch,’ promising exciting times ahead.
They have a family to raise and while this fulfilled a dream of theirs they now get to focus more on the kids and less on business. Cheers to Matt and Amber, good peeps!
I remember the first Becklyn Cab I ever tasted. Pobega’d off the bottling truck.
- 2012 Becklyn Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley (6/25/2014)
Got an early sample of this after bottling from Mike. Another Mike Smith Cabernet Sauvignon? Yup! A blend of Kennefick Ranch and McGah fruit. Going on 4 hrs of air right now. This is painfully young but has developed nicely since opening. Deep dark purple color. Nose is chock full of black olive, dark berry fruit and French oak. The palate is signature Mike Smith with rich black and red fruit, great depth, and balance. The acidity is fairly bright at this point and pierces through all the fruit. Mid palate shows some flinty minerality and it sports a juicy, spicy, chalky finish. Not sure of the release price but was told it would be in the 55-60ish range. Reminds me a lot of the '12 Myriad Napa Valley blend. Real nice drink for the dollar. Release is in the Fall.
Posted from CellarTracker
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I too was bitten very early. I have had about 8 2012s. I remember everyone I knew that tasted it fell in love with it. Mike & Leah brough it to an early CLONYC back in 2014.
Matt and Amber are fantastic people and I wish them much luck.
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I just had our last 2012. It was fantastic! Agree, great peeps indeed.
One of the very first wines I bought with consistency when I first was bitten by the wine bug. Great value and wonderful wines.
Just received via email:
Dear Friends of Becklyn,
We hope this message finds you well, and a big thank you for your support on our first release as the new owners of Becklyn Cellars.
We are a group of friends from North Texas, who enjoy drinking great wine and sharing it with friends. We have been fans and buyers of Becklyn wines since Matt and Amber’s 2nd vintage. We also have a long history with Mike Smith, going back 25 years and sharing meals, wine and stories about the wine industry. In fact, Mike was the one who encouraged us to purchase Becklyn and keep the brand going and growing.
Continued Excellence with Mike Smith
We understand that the heart and soul of Becklyn’s wines is their outstanding quality, crafted by the immensely talented Mike Smith. We are pleased to confirm that Mike will continue as our winemaker, ensuring that the wines you love maintain their exceptional character and quality. Under Mike’s skilled guidance, we look forward to bringing you more of the wines that Becklyn is celebrated for.
A Commitment to Our Members
As the new stewards of Becklyn, we are committed to delivering to you great wines, value pricing and an outstanding customer experience. We are excited about the journey ahead, and will be working with Mike to find innovative ways to push the high quality of Becklyn wines even higher, while maintaining value pricing.
Join Us for a Special Event
To celebrate this new chapter, we invite you to join us for an interactive, private, members only tasting event via zoom in mid/late September. It will be a wonderful opportunity for us to introduce ourselves, discuss the 2022 and 2023 vintages, share our vision and begin developing new friendships. Details will follow, and we hope to meet all of you on our first virtual tasting.
This says so much about the state of a large swath of the industry.
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The new owners, Rick and Tracey, used to be buyers of Piper. I’ve tasted through their next batch of wines and well… Mike Smith is Mike Smith. There is no change in quality and in fact the newest batch is as good as anything they have ever made. Their 2023 SB, from Mcgah, in Rutherford, is a stunner of a Sauv Blanc, for what I think will be $45. It comes out next year. That is just a stupid price for the quality. Total production is low, with total brand totals of just 275 cases in 2023, spread across 3-4 wines. Yeah, their price for the Napa Cab is $95 now, but there are not many Mike Smith wines at that price and frankly, at the old $70, it was losing money. Keep an eye on this brand as it’s a really good set of Mike Smith wines as you can get for the price. I liked the old Beckyns and the new ones are at least as good.
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