Winemaker Notes
This crowd-pleasing Cabernet Sauvignon is a beautiful Bordeaux blend, with soft, round tannins and a plush, rich mouthfeel. Built to age and develop further complexity, the wine in its youth is ripe and juicy upfront with aromas of fresh boysenberry, blackberry, and cassis, alongside dark berry fruit notes of fig, black cherry cola, and currants. The warm baking spice notes from the oak-integration work well with the more traditional Knights Valley tones of lavender, wild sage, and mocha. Lively and well-balanced with vibrant acidity, chewy tannins, and a long, smooth, satisfying finish.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Aromas of black tea, blackberry and tobacco leaf. Full-bodied with velvety, slightly tense tannins. Lovely black-fruited palate with dried-flower and herb character. Roses, violets and sage. Nicely balanced and long. Lovely density in the center-palate.
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Wine Enthusiast
Rich, softly tannic and saturated with black fruits, tobacco and dark chocolate, this full-bodied wine has a long life ahead. Ample flavors are gently but firmly held by fine-grained tannins that will need time to resolve and let more complexity shine through. Best after 2037.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Beringer's 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Knights Valley starts off life as a block selection from the huge vineyard's rockiest parcel, then gets trimmed down further in the winery by winnowing out lots and barrels that don't quite make the cut. The result is a wine that boasts lovely Cabernet florals and pretty cassis fruit. It's bigger, richer and fuller-bodied than the regular KV bottling, more concentrated, but also smoother, silkier and longer on the finish. The affordable price tag and widespread availability (5,717 cases produced) should make this a steakhouse staple.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Knights Valley Reserve is a smaller selection that was pulled from the top terroirs as well as some top barrels in the cellar. Darker currants, chocolate, graphite, and roasted herb notes give way to a full-bodied, concentrated, fruit-forward Cabernet with loads of charm. It's a solid step up over the base Knights Valley release.
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.