Tasting Notes

Combining fruit from four distinct vineyards results in classic Cabernet earthiness and flavors of ripe, sweet blackcurrant joined by wild blackberry, ripe Asian plum and dried cherry. Spice, mocha and espresso complete this flavor profile. Approachable now, this special winery only Cabernet will continue to evolve and offer pleasure for another decade or more.

Vineyard Notes

The majority of this wine was made from grapes grown on Beringer’s Home and Chabot vineyards in St. Helena. The other primary vineyards blended in this Cabernet Sauvignon are Beringer’s Marston and Hornberger Vineyard. Mountain vineyards typically produce small, intensely flavored berries with evident tannins and robust, concentrated aromas and flavors. The Valley floor offers more fruit forward tones.

Vintage Notes

The growing season began with unseasonably warm temperatures in late winter and early spring, resulting in an early bud break and bloom. Colder temperatures in May caused uneven fruit set which ultimately resulted in much smaller 2015 crop, compared to both average yields and the three abundant years that preceded it. As a result, winemaking employed new technologies, like optical sorting, to ensure they picked and crushed only the best quality grapes. The harvest was one of the earliest on record in Napa Valley, beginning on July 22 with the picking of grapes for sparkling wine, and concluding for most all vintners and growers in the valley by mid-October. While ongoing drought was of great concern to farmers around California, Napa Valley received 75% of normal rainfall for the year, leaving fewer water concerns for Napa Valley's vintners.

Winemaking Notes

Vineyard lots are carefully separated to allow each lot to be evaluated for inclusion in these limited release wines. Individual lots are evaluated for specific flavor profiles before blending and aging. This wine was 100% barrel aged for nearly two years (20 months) in 61% new French Oak.