ENJOY CLUB:

Tuck Beckstoffer Estate
Madhatter Red Blend 2016
Napa Valley, California

BOLD WINE STYLE

Since the beginning of Mad Hatter in 2003, our goal has been to craft elegant Bordeaux blend using grapes grown throughout Napa Valley. The 2017 vintage aptly continues that commitment, with vineyards in St. Helena, Calistoga, Rutherford and Oakville.   Under the winemaking and farming direction of Shawn Johnson and Tuck Beckstoffer, vineyard blocks were selected with a blend of micro climates and soils to highlight the best Napa Valley has to offer, creating a wine with complex aromas, purity of fruit, balance and a long silky finish.

A deep garnet hue precedes aromas of crushed cherries, black plum, warm cassis, and violets.  The palate is fleshy with suggestions of blackberries, licorice, and Indian spices. Chewy and approachable tannins lead into a long, silky finish.

Appellation: Napa Valley, California
Varietal: 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 8% Old Vine Petit Sirah, 3% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec
Analysis: 14.8% alcohol / volume
Winemaker: Tuck Beckstoffer

Tuck Beckstoffer Estate
Semper Homage 2016
Pinot Noir
Sonoma Coast, California

MELLOW WINE STYLE

Semper was conceived as a love letter to express enduring faithfulness.  Cultivated in a distinct region of the Sonoma Coast appellation, wines produced in this area have a rare and collectible quality that will only increase in value over time.  During the growing season the vineyard experiences bright sunshine during the day but is subject to a cool blanket of fog that hugs the coastline, creating the ideal conditions for that perfectly slow ripening.

The 2016 Semper Homage Pinot Noir pays homage to some of the great vineyards in the Russian River Valley and Petaluma Gap appellations.  The primary sourcing is Reuling Vineyard in the Russian River Valley, near Forestville.  In addition to having the ideal climate and well-drained soil for making great Pinot Noir, the vineyard is planted with three of the finest Pinot Noir clones, all of which was used in making the 2016 Semper Homage – Lat Tache, DRC and Calera.   The wine is blended with small amounts of two other vineyards – Sunchase Vineyard and Saltonstall Vineyard, both of which are located in the Petaluma Gap at the southern end of the Sonoma Coast appellation.

The 2016 Semper Homage Pinot Noir showcases powerful fruit with an elegant structure and medium body. Upon entry, this wine expresses aromatics of wild raspberry and strawberry, transitioning into a robust rhubarb and cranberry palate. Aged in French oak barrels for twelve months, the wine shows nuances of baking spices that complement the natural fruit components of the Russian River Valley.  While this wine is drinking beautifully now, it will continue to improve and develop in the bottle over the next five to ten years. 

Appellation: Sonoma Coast, California
Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir
Analysis: 14.5% alcohol / volume
Winemaker: Tuck Beckstoffer, Philippe Melka

THE BECKSTOFFER FAMILY

Tuck Beckstoffer

It began on back country roads and among the vines. The Beckstoffer family arrived in the Napa Valley in 1975 and the young son of a future pioneer spent his days in the vineyards throughout every growing season, cultivating deep roots.

Brought up to respect the land and its fruit, Tuck naturally sought out the practice of viticulture, learning from the masters around him. Much like his father before him, he is a farmer first. It was only after he mastered the art of first craft that he turned his attention to a second craft—winemaking. Over three decades after he first set foot in the valley, Tuck bottled his first wine. For him, it was not a whim or passion project, but the culmination of a life lived on the land, among the vines.

Today, Tuck is one of the few Napa stewards who is both a grower and a winemaker. It is this pedigree that makes his approach different: the process begins with the land itself and culminates with a reverence for the winemaking traditions of the past—sharing successes and failures among fellow craftsmen and appreciating the fruits of their labor over a beautiful bottle of wine.

The St. Helena estate opened in 2016, offering intimate tours and private tastings as a way to share this passion—connecting visitors to the land and sharing the knowledge of how the art of grape growing translates into every bottle. Since day one, the Estate was designed to exude a sense of genuine care and generosity of time and spirit.

As the story continues the unfold, Tuck is raising the next generation in the same way that he was raised—as stewards among the vines. He invites you to share in this journey and visit the estate.