2022 Vidi Vitis Cabernet Sauvignon Old Federal Vineyard Oakville Napa Valley 750 ml

There is little argument: To Kalon is the most legendary vineyard in Napa Valley. Situated in Oakville at the intersection of Highway 29 and Oakville Crossroad, it produces some of the most precious Cabernets made in the world: Opus One, Schrader, Carter Cellars, and many more blue-chip wineries rely heavily on To Kalon fruit.

To Kalon, whose history as a vineyard dates back to the mid 1800s, is built of many blocks with varied stories and varied owners. Andy Beckstoffer, Mondavi, the MacDonald family, the Detert family—they all farm a precious piece of To Kalon.

So does UC Davis. The “Harvard of Winemaking” meticulously farms a 20-acre block in the western portion of To Kalon’s “1881” section. Known as the Old Federal Vineyard, this block is essentially an island in the heart of Mondavi’s portion of To Kalon, which supplies the winery’s iconic To Kalon Cabernet as well as Opus One. 

In the spectacular 2022 vintage, vintner Benjamin Leachman of Forgotten Union got access to some of this fruit. We’re not talking much here: Only enough to make about six barrels of wine, or 150 cases. 

The iconic To Kalon Vineyard was originally planted by H.W. Crabb, who was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, on the first day of 1828. Twenty-five years later, H.W. moved west and settled in California. 

Most easterners moving west were in search of gold. But after landing in Napa Valley in 1865, Crabb became far more interested in growing grapes. He purchased land outside of Oakville, close to the Napa River, and at first, he grew table grapes. Then, in 1872, he planted a vineyard, built a winery, and named his property “To-Kalon”—Greek for “the highest beauty.”

Crabb planted 400 different varieties on his Oakville property, hoping to determine which were best suited to the gravelly, sandy soils. While To-Kalon Zinfandel won an award at the San Francisco Midwinter Fair of 1894 and the gold medal at the Alaska-Yukon Exposition of 1909, over time it became evident that the site was particularly well-suited to growing Bordeaux varieties, most specifically Cabernet Sauvignon.