Legendary vineyards & even higher scores

When it comes to finding unsung heroes of the wine world, hardly anyone would think to look in Napa Valley. An appellation with such history, hype, and density of incredible producers may seem like the last place to find underrepresented wines. But we do occasionally find ourselves with a collection from a Napa winery that feels like it hasn’t gotten the attention it deserves. And sometimes, you might be surprised to learn that you already know the seriously undersung name. 

Schrader Cellars quickly made a name for itself after its founding in 1998, and is still on track to cement a similarly iconic legacy to that of Shafer Vineyards. Fred Schrader was an early appreciator of legendary Napa grower Andy Beckstoffer, so when he founded his eponymous winery, he secured a contract for a small section of Beckstoffer’s crown jewel vineyard: To Kalon. When the first wines made an immediate impact on the Cabernet landscape, the Beckstoffer grape contracts grew to include fruit from other renowned vineyards, including Georges III and Las Piedras. Most well known for their To Kalon bottlings (especially the magnum-only Old Sparky), Schrader has done perhaps the best job of any Napa producer in showcasing the diversity of the valley’s most famous vineyard. In just 25 years, they’ve earned a whopping 35 perfect scores from critics like Robert Parker at The Wine Advocate, no doubt because of their superstar winemaker’s (Thomas Rivers Brown) respect for the epic terroir, letting the parcels speak for themselves, with minimal cellar intervention. 

And yet, as Schrader continues to produce astounding wines year after year, still earning 100-point scores, their name seems to have vanished from the Napa Cabernet discourse. We’re not entirely sure why—maybe they got lost in the tidal wave of new brands that arrived on the scene over the last two decades—but that’s certainly no fault of Schrader’s. Hence today’s offer, a comprehensive retrospective of this incredible producer’s historic portfolio. It’s an absolute embarrassment of riches, going all the way back to 2004 and covering 14 vintages. Be sure to visit our store, where we’ve got tasting notes from The Wine Advocate and Vinous available for most of this selection, so you don’t have to take just our word for how great these wines are!