When Robert Mondavi chose To Kalon Vineyard in west Oakville as the home for his new winery in 1966, he remarked that it was “a vineyard with a distinguished history and a magical nature. Ideal soils, sunlight, and rain—to my eye, the vineyard was a treasure.” Well-drained, low fertility soils, aided by optimal sun exposure, consistently yield impeccable fruit maturity and amazing quality. The 2017 is a blend of three of our finest blocks of Cabernet Franc on To Kalon®.

Named after the founder of To Kalon, H.W.C is produced from one single clonal selection of Cabernet Sauvignon within To Kalon. These vines were originally planted by Robert Mondavi, who was lured to To Kalon by the depth and richness of the wines he made from the vineyard in the 1960s. This incredibly low-yielding selection of Cabernet Sauvignon produces wines with high energy, a black-purple color, and exceptional aromatic and palate intensity—a high-resolution look at this noble variety. The inaugural vintage captures all the best attributes of 2018, with great balance, purity, and density. While not overly ripe or extracted, the wine has remarkable freshness, texture, richness, and length. Four extra months of barrel aging give it a high level of polish and a silky finish.

H.W. Crabb came to California looking for gold but stayed to become one of the pioneers of Napa Valley winemaking. He named his estate To Kalon Vineyard®, Greek for Highest Beauty, because of the lush bounty it provided. Soon, his wines became renowned around the world. And over the last 150 years, the vineyard’s consistent fine quality has made it one of the most coveted in the world.

Sited between the sheltering Vaca and Mayacamas mountain ranges deep in the valley, the vineyard has well-drained, gravelly soil that allows the vines to root deeply to find precious moisture and nutrients. The broad diurnal temperature shifts and reliable sun, wind, and fog provide the ideal blend of growth and rest for complex flavor development.

2018 was a spectacular growing season from start to finish. February brought a healthy dose of rain, fully replenishing the soils. Sunshine and mild temperatures followed, setting up nearly ideal conditions for flowering and fruit set. Light rains in early October, followed by breezy warm days, allowed the vineyards to fully mature and the grape harvest felt like the smoothest of landings.