Winemaker Notes
This Cabernet is built each vintage on the notion of a Bordeaux blend, with soft and silky tannins crafted for immediate enjoyment. Aromas of lavender and clove join flavors of dark red fruit led by boysenberry, huckleberry, raspberry, black cherry and evident oak spice are joined with more traditional Knights Valley tones of black and blue fruits. Fine acidity and elegant structure lead to a touch of licorice and mocha, rounding out a lingering, pleasant finish.
Blend: 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petite Verdot
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This is a solid red with iron and dark berries, as well as currants and hot stones. Full-bodied, layered and rich. Reserved and tight. Beautiful finish. One of the best values in serious cabernet from California.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Moving to the reds, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon comes from the northern end of Knights Valley and is a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% each of Cabernet Franc and Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot, brought up in 30% new French oak. Savory notes of dried herbs, cedar box, spice, and red and black fruits all give way to a medium to full-bodied, charming, nicely balanced Cabernet Sauvignon that offers serious bang for the buck. I suspect it will keep for a decade or more.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Blended of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot aged in 30 new French oak for 16 months, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Knights Valley features crème de cassis, Black Forest cake and wild blueberry scents with suggestions of wild sage, black soil and tapenade. Full-bodied with a wonderfully plush, fine-grained frame, it has a lively line cutting through the densely packed fruit, finishing long. 82,215 cases produced.
As California's longest continuously operating winery, Beringer has been defining Napa Valley winemaking since it was founded by Jacob and Frederick Beringer in 1876. By continuing that pioneering spirit, Beringer established many 'firsts' as leaders in the wine industry. They were one of the first gravity fed facilities and among the first to operate using hand dug caves and cellars. Beringer were the first to give public tours in 1934, starting a Napa Valley hospitality tradition. They are the first and only winery to have both a red and a white wine named #1 Wine of the Year by Wine Spectator Magazine. Today, they proudly celebrate and remain true to their pioneering legacy.
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.
A small and picturesque valley separating Napa Valley on its south border and Alexander Valley to its north, Knights Valley excels in similar varieties as the two aforementioned appellations, namely red Bordeaux varieties and blends, as well as Sauvignon blanc. Originally established by Beringer Vineyards, today several outstanding producers claim acreage here. The circadian cooling effects of the nearby Pacific Ocean create a nighttime respite for vineyards during the hot growing season.