Oakville, Napa Valley
Vintner Tor Kenward was hired by Beringer Vineyards as a winemaker in 1977 and within three years he was promoted to vice president. He remembers early meetings with wine legends Robert Mondavi, Louis Martini, and Andre Tchelistcheff with great fondness, but it was his 1981 trip to France that was the impetus to change the way people viewed hospitality in Napa Valley. Simply stated, Kenward felt that the extraordinary level of hospitality he received from each French winery should be introduced to the wine region back home. He later went on to start a culinary series at Beringer and became good friends with Julia Child. Today he is the proprietor of Tor Wines, where he works alongside winemaker Jeff Ames.
Kenward is delighted to offer his Tor Wines 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon from Oakville to Robb Report 672 Napa Valley Wine Club members. Grapes used to produce this stellar bottling were sourced from three exceptional vineyards in the Oakville appellation including Tench, Double H, and Renteria. Kenward tells 672, “With famous neighbors such as Screaming Eagle, Tench is in eastern Oakville where the Vaca Range and valley floor converge to form the Eastern Oakville Bench. Its signature rocky and nutrient deficient soils promote optimal vine stress producing exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon. Double H Ranch Vineyard is a small hillside vineyard on the western slopes of the Vaca Range directly below Dalle Valle. This iron rich site gives 2021 Oakville its signature dark fruit and perfumed characteristics, whereas Renteria 360 Vineyard is in the northeastern part of Oakville and has a long history of producing excellent Cabernet Sauvignons.”
When asked when members should drink this wine Kenward stated, “Our first vintage of TOR was 2001 and it is showing brilliantly today. Based on that the drinking window is as long as each collector choses to take. I think it is extremely personal finding drinking windows. Some collectors like youth in their wines, while others enjoy the wisdom of age.” We couldn’t agree more.
TOR – 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon