“Dark, sumptuous and racy, the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Chabot Vineyard is all about texture. This is one of the more voluptuous wines in the Beringer range. As such, it will drink nicely right out of the gate. The radiant, expressive finish is striking in its immediacy, but there is plenty of finesse and nuance here as well.” - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media, December 2014.
"Distinctive for the loamy earth, cedary oak and lead pencil frame around rich dark berry and licorice notes that are sharply focused, deep and persistent, with tannins that echo the core flavor themes, providing grip and traction. Drink now through 2030. 491 cases made." - James Laube, Wine Spectator
The inky, highly structured, deeply flavored Cabernet from this vineyard was the first that Beringer Vineyards elected to bottle as a Private Reserve, in 1977, and we have continued to bottle a small amount each year since as a single-vineyard Cabernet. Chabot Cabernet has finely knit tannins, and layers of black currant with hints of mint and cedar.
Chabot Vineyard lies east of the Silverado Trail, just north of the road that leads up Howell Mountain to Bancroft Ranch and Steinhauer Ranch. The chunks of shiny obsidian heavily strewn through its soil reflect the locale, known as “Glass Mountain.” An underlying layer of pumice and bedrock ensures excellent drainage.
The relaxed, high-quality 2012 harvest was a winemaker’s dream. The ideal growing season—well-timed rains, no frost during bud break, and perfect weather for bloom, berry-set and ripening—was textbook Napa Valley. Long stretches of sunny days coupled with foggy nights gave our 2012 wines exceptionally rich, expressive avors and impeccable balance. We had no weather pressures—from either pending rains or excessive heat—to rush the harvest. Instead, we had the luxury of waiting until the grapes reached absolute perfect maturity.
The 2012 Chabot was harvested between October 12th and 20th and was aged for 18 months in 90% new French oak barrels. With Cabernet of this quality, Laurie believes in taking a minimalist approach to winemaking. Vinifying the fruit from each vineyard separately, Laurie used tailored pump-over techniques for optimal extraction, and then aged the wines in hand-selected, custom-toasted barrels of French Nevers oak from coopers with whom she has long-established relationships. 100% Chabot Cabernet, 491 cases produced.
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