World’s End Crossfire shows earlier than its fellow Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer stable mate from To-Kalon – coming out of the traps blazing! In the heart of the Rutherford AVA, the Georges III vineyard was planted in 1895 by Mrs. Thomas Rutherford. This 300-acre parcel was first purchased by Beaulieu founder Georges de Latour in 1928 and called Beaulieu Vineyard Number 3. Hence, ‘Georges’ and ‘III’.
Purchased by Beckstoffer Vineyards in 1988, the vineyard has since been replanted using new Cabernet Sauvignon clones with tighter spacing and advanced trellising systems, enhancing both quality and grape tonnage. The cropping level is held to the same low yield as is true for the To-Kalon Vineyard – under three tons to the acre.
After running through two sets of sorting tables – first by bunch and then, after the destemmer, grape by grape, there’s a long cold soak before fermentation occurs. Wooden vats from Cognac which allow a seamless take-on of wood. The wines undergo malolactic fermentation in new French oak, and are aged in the same oak for up to two years.