To Kalon Vineyard Co.

Eliza's Red Blend

Oakville, Napa Valley, California

2021

Vintage

Varietal

Red Blend

ABV

Peak 2030-2045

Where it is, June 2026

Too Young: holding.

The 2021 Eliza's Red Blend will not open its drinking window until 2028. In 2026, at five years old, it is still too young to show its best. The Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon blend from To Kalon's Oakville estate is tight and structured, with firm tannins and high natural acidity carrying the fruit core. The 2021 vintage (WS 97, Classic) produced wines of exceptional precision and longevity, and this bottle is no exception. Hold until at least 2028, ideally 2030 for peak expression.

Related vintages

The ‘21 Eliza's Red Blend.

Oakville's legendary To Kalon vineyard in a Cabernet Franc-forward blend from the classic 2021 vintage - designed for long cellaring.

Drinking window

The arcYou are here · too young, 2026

Tasting note

Eliza's Red Blend draws on To Kalon's Oakville Cabernet Franc for exotic spice and floral lift, balanced by Cabernet Sauvignon's weight, structure, and deep black fruit. Red and black fruit, mint, tobacco, bay laurel, dark berries, incense, and violet accents lead a long, persistent finish. The wine reflects the 2021 vintage's remarkable precision - a clean, focused profile with floral lift and a strong sense of Oakville place. The tannins are present and structured; the fruit is concentrated. Everything is in place for a long, rewarding development curve.

The 2021 vintage

The 2021 Oakville vintage (WS 97, Classic) was shaped by a low-yield growing season. Vines that had struggled to ripen in 2020 produced smaller canopies and reduced crops in 2021. Further thinning maintained balance through a season with no damaging heat spikes and a cool, even August. The result was wines of fresh, vibrant, precisely fruited character with floral lift and a pronounced sense of place. Wine Spectator wrote that 2021 cements the new style in Napa - wines of structure and elegance rather than simply power and concentration.

About To Kalon Vineyard Co.

To Kalon Vineyard Co. wines draw directly on one of Napa's most storied vineyards, long synonymous with top-tier Oakville Cabernet and Cabernet Franc. The combination of a legendary site name and limited, estate-driven bottlings makes these wines highly sought by label- and terroir-conscious collectors. With a collectibility score of 99 and iconic prestige, To Kalon occupies a unique position at the intersection of Napa history and contemporary fine winemaking.

From the cellar: pair with

Herb-crusted rack of lamb with pan jus

Eliza's Cabernet Franc-forward character, with its violet, tobacco, and herb notes, is the classic partner for lamb - the herb crust echoes the wine's mint and bay laurel profile.

Duck breast with huckleberry sauce

The wine's dark fruit, incense, and floral lift bridge the richness of duck and the tart sweetness of huckleberry, with the tannic structure cutting the fat cleanly.

Grilled portobello with garlic and thyme

The earthy, tobacco-and-herb character of this red blend finds a natural vegetarian partner in meaty portobello with roasted garlic - the wine's structure handles the umami depth well.

Service & cellaring

Serving Temp: 62-65F (17-18C)
Decanting: Do not open before 2028. When you do, decant 60 minutes to allow the Cabernet Franc aromatics to express fully. Peak drinking runs from 2030 through 2045.
Cellar Storage: 55F (13C), 60-70% humidity, bottle on its side.

Track this bottle Read the Oakville, Napa Valley, California guide

The drinking window on this bottle is calculated with the Cellared Ageability Index (CAI) v1.0, a 10-factor model. Try the free drinking window calculator on any wine, or read when to drink wine for the practical signals.

Frequently Asked

What is the blend composition of Eliza's Red?

Eliza's Red is a Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon blend from To Kalon's Oakville estate. The Cabernet Franc provides exotic spice and floral aromas; the Cabernet Sauvignon adds weight, structure, and deep black fruit.

Why is the To Kalon vineyard historically significant?

To Kalon is one of Napa's most historically important vineyard sites in Oakville, long associated with benchmark Napa Cabernet production. The name means the highest good in Greek. Its deep, well-drained alluvial soils and ideal Oakville exposition have made it a source for celebrated wines over more than a century.

When is this wine ready to drink?

The 2021 Eliza's Red Blend opens its drinking window in 2028, with peak drinking from 2030 through 2045. Opening it now in 2026 means encountering a tight, structured wine that has not yet shown its full personality.

How did the 2021 Oakville vintage perform?

The 2021 vintage received WS 97 (Classic) for Oakville - one of the strongest ratings in recent memory. Low yields, no damaging heat spikes, and a cool August produced wines of exceptional precision, floral lift, and longevity. This is a vintage for the cellar.