Napa Valley living legend, Tor Kenward, is a genius, this we
know! 2019 marks his 43rd year as a Napa Valley vintner. The first 27 years
were spent paving the way for Beringer Vineyards, helping to build a wine
company known to collectors for their Reserve and Single-Vineyard Cabernet
Sauvignons and Chardonnays. In 2001, Tor made the difficult decision to retire
from Beringer, and with his wife, Susan, they started their own dream: TOR
Kenward Family Wines. The plan was simple: to make wines using only the best
blocks from great vineyard sites in which Tor had discovered and studied over
the years. All of their wines would be hand-made in every sense and in very
small quantities. Tor Kenward, an expert and vigneron extraordinaire in the
wine industry, and his talented winemaker, Jeff Ames (who learned alongside
Thomas Brown), produce absolutely gorgeous, intense, seamless wines every year,
no question. Regardless if the grapes come from Oakville, Howell Mountain,
Pritchard Hill or really anywhere under the Napa Valley sun, these guys know
where to get the best fruit and how to WOW any Cabernet fan. The TOR wines are always some of Napa's best
representations of Cabernet produced.
A co-ferment of Vine Hill Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit
Verdot, the 2018 Pure Magic VHR is another simply awesome Bordeaux blend from
this singular site nestled up against the western Oakville hills. The palate is intensely rich and dense yet
seamless at the same time. Very dark
fruited and loaded with black fruits and baking/Christmas spices, this wine may
not be immortal, but it will give immense pleasure for many years to come. 53% Cabernet Sauvignon and 47% Petit Verdot. 150 cases produced.
