By To Kalon Vineyard Company
2022 H.W.C. Cabernet Sauvignon

Background
Named after H.W. Crabb, the visionary steward and student of To Kalon who gave the vineyard its name in the late 1800s, our H.W.C is sourced from one block of vines planted to a heritage clone of Cabernet Sauvignon that produces impossibly small clusters of tiny berries, yielding wines with remarkable energy and concentration.

Wine Details
Appellation: Oakville, Napa Valley
Vintage: 2022
Vineyard: To Kalon Vineyard
Varietal: 100% Heritage clone Cabernet Sauvignon
Aging: In 100% new French oak
Winemaker: Tony Biagi

Vintage
The 2022 vintage serves as a bookend to California's historic drought, with limited water availability shaping the growing season. Early on, these conditions set the stage for lower yields and intensely concentrated fruit. Summer brought periods of elevated temperatures, culminating in an unprecedented Labor Day heatwave that rapidly accelerated ripening, quickly followed by much-needed rainfall, offering brief relief. Despite these extremes, Bordeaux varieties such as Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot flourished under meticulous vineyard and canopy management. Guided by Winemaker Tony Biagi's expertise in precise harvest timing, our 2022 portfolio showcases remarkable concentration, firm structure, and ripe tannins, a testament to To Kalon Vineyard's enduring resilience and legacy.

Tasting Notes
Aromas of black currant, blackberry, and dark chocolate soar from the glass. Savory notes of cocoa and black olive evoke the forest floor terroir of To Kalon. The palate mirrors the dark and rustic nose, framed by cedar, with a rich and robust, tannin-laden finish. This is a powerful wine, yet it retains precision and focus.
[Information provided by To Kalon Vineyard Company]

Wine: 2022 To Kalon Vineyard Company Cabernet Sauvignon H.W.C.
Score/Rating: 96
Suggested Drinking Window: 2027 - 2040
Review Date: 10/02/2025
Reviewed By: Joe Czerwinski
Tasting Notes: The product of a "really severe selection," according to winemaker Tony Biagi, the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon H.W.C. is a strong effort. Produced in roughly the same volume as the 2021, it smells purple, easily mixing cherries and cassis on the nose. Somehow in this torrid vintage, this medium- to full-bodied, rather open-knit wine retains a sense of freshness, adding hints of raspberry sorbet on the long, zesty finish.

Wine: To Kalon Vineyard Co. Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Oakville H.W.C. To Kalon Vineyard 2022
Score/Rating: 96
Review Date: 08/07/2025
Reviewed By: Jim Gordon
Tasting Notes: This sleek, almost sweet wine is delicious, floral and fruity, almost syrupy and ready to drink soon. Tasty raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, spearmint and milk chocolate flood the palate. Rather soft tannins add to its silky, agreeable character. Drink now or hold.

Wine: To Kalon Vineyard Company, HWC, Oakville, Napa Valley, California, USA 2022
Score/Rating: 95
Suggested Drinking Window: 2025 - 2040
Review Date: 02/19/2025
Reviewed By: Jonathan Cristaldi
Tasting Notes: The H.W.C. is named after Hamilton Walker Crabb, who established To Kalon Vineyard in 1868. This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon is a Heritage Clone selection sourced from a single block within To Kalon, planted by Robert Mondavi in the 1960s. The low-yielding clone was [...] in 100% new French oak. This voluptuous and expressive wine bursts with super-fragrant Bing cherry fruit and a lush, richly textured palate with gentle sweetness. The pronounced tannins are firm yet inviting, offering a softer grip than in the 2021 vintage. The perfumed character elevates the mid-palate, which is both incredibly dense and deeply layered. The long, persistent finish is marked by a saline-mineral, ironstone quality, giving this wine tension, depth, and remarkable ageing potential.

Wine: 2022 To Kalon Vineyard Co. Cabernet Sauvignon H. W. C.
Score/Rating: 94
Suggested Drinking Window: 2025 - 2035
Review Date: 12/22/2025
Reviewed By: Jeb Dunnuck
Tasting Notes: Red and black plums, spice, and flowery incense notes all define the aromatics, and the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon H. W. C. is forward, plush, and full-bodied, bringing a mouthful of sweet To Kalon fruit and richness. Tony commented that this was a hard blend to put together given the tiny berries of the clone, but unquestionably, it's a beautiful 2022. Drink bottles over the coming decade. Drink 2025-2035.

Wine: To Kalon Vineyard Company Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville H.W.C 2022
Score/Rating: 91
Suggested Drinking Window: Drink now through 2034
Review Date: 11/15/2025
Reviewed By: James Molesworth
Tasting Notes: Displays a hefty warm cocoa aspect at the fore that then holds sway over a core of black currant and fig compote flavors. Cocoa powder and singed walnut accents add a bit of burly bass line, and there's a strong warm earth aspect as well. The heat had its effect, but there's still a sense of terroir trying to push through. Best from 2026 through 2034.