Beringer "Private Reserve" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

Winery Notes
With each vintage of the acclaimed Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, the Beringer Winemaker chooses the best lots from our reserve vineyards in the Napa Valley, each of which demonstrate remarkable expression of terroir. Beringer’s extraordinary collection of vineyards is the result of a significant and decades-long relationship between viticulture and winemaking.

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Tasting Notes
Deeply saturated in color with a rich depth and elegance, exhibiting a substantial backbone and structure, all hallmarks of this incredible 2018 vintage of Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, and will continue to reward after years of carful cellaring. Fresh, ripe berry notes of blackberry, black cherry, crème de cassis and dark plum all combine, offering a plush, juicy, mouthwatering character that is very approachable in its youth. Complex layers of wild bramble berry fruit, wild violets and notes of cocoa powder, dark chocolate, graphite and tobacco spice, from the well-integrated oak, seamlessly are interwoven with the full-bodied ripe tannins, supporting a firm structure with balanced acidity, leading to a long, persistent, textured finish.

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Vintage Notes
Welcomed winter rain in January and February of 2018 eased long drought conditions. After a relatively wet winter, both bud break and flowering occurred later than average, but under ideal weather conditions, creating plentiful and even fruit set. Warm summer temperatures with generous sun exposure moderated by cool marine influences in the mornings and evenings, allowed for a long summer growing season, virtually uninterrupted by any major heat spikes. The mild summer run was followed by extended fall sunshine with moderate heat and no early rains, creating near-ideal conditions to allow fruit extended hang time for gradual ripening, increase sugar levels and flavor complexity development.

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Vineyard Notes
Steinhauer Ranch (22%), Bancroft Ranch (15%), Pauli (3%) and Marc Mondavi Ranch (4%) vineyards atop Howell Mountain provide the foundation for the 2018 blend. Fruit from the St. Helena Home Vineyard (25%) and Chabot Vineyard (15%) add the warmth of the St. Helena appellation to the overall blend. Exceptional fruit from Spring Mountain’s Marston Vineyard (6%), Oakville’s Gamble Ranch Vineyard (4%) join contributions from Calistoga’s Bear Flats Vineyard (3%) and Mount Veeder’s Derr Family Vineyard (3%). As with previous vintages of Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, each vineyard lot is closely watched during the ripening period to determine ideal pick time. Grapes for the 2018 Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon were harvested between October 9 – 31st.

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Winemaking Notes
The Beringer reserve vineyards offer Cabernet Sauvignon of such quality that a minimalist approach to winemaking has long defined this special blend. Each vineyard is vinified separately and monitored carefully from the moment the fruit comes into the winery at Harvest. Tailored pump-over techniques are used for optimal extraction, and the wine is aged in hand-selected, custom-toasted barrels of new French oak (90% new). Each lot was aged for 18 months before selection of the final blend, to allow each vineyard to express the depth of its unique terroir.