Winemaker Notes
Fresh fruit pops right now with blackberry, blueberry, cassis and fruit basket like characteristics. Sweet oak, vanilla and brown spice with brown sugar notes. Rich, ripe tannins. Touch of orange zest off the top and hints of mint and cocoa.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The best wine of this group is the 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve. For statisticians, the composition includes 32% from the St. Helena Home Vineyard, 19% from the Steinhauer Ranch, 12% from Marston Vineyard, 12% from Bancroft Ranch, 8% from the Quarry Vineyard, 6% from Rancho del Oso, 6% from Chabot, 3% from Bancroft, and 2% from Steinhauer Ranch. All these grapes were hand-picked between September 19 and October 28. This is a winner that is seemingly just entering its plateau of full maturity. It boasts a dense ruby/purple color along with a sweet bouquet of black currants, creme de cassis, chocolate fudge, subtle barbecue scents, and hints of lavender, forest floor and tobacco leaf. Full-bodied, rich and dense, it is a classic Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, as it has been in just about every vintage. The acidity is relatively low, and the 14.1% alcohol is average for a ripe Napa Cabernet. The pH is 3.71, which is just above average.
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.
One of the most prestigious wines of the world capable of great power and grace, Napa Valley Cabernet is a leading force in the world of fine, famous, collectible red wine. Today the Napa Valley and Cabernet Sauvignon are so intrinsically linked that it is difficult to discuss one without the other. But it wasn’t until the 1970s that this marriage came to light; sudden international recognition rained upon Napa with the victory of the Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon in the 1976 Judgement of Paris.
Cabernet Sauvignon undoubtedly dominates Napa Valley today, covering half of the land under vine, commanding the highest prices per ton and earning the most critical acclaim. Cabernet Sauvignon’s structure, acidity, capacity to thrive in multiple environs and ability to express nuances of vintage make it perfect for Napa Valley where incredible soil and geographical diversity are found and the climate is perfect for grape growing. Within the Napa Valley lie many smaller sub-AVAs that express specific characteristics based on situation, slope and soil—as a perfect example, Rutherford’s famous dust or Stags Leap District's tart cherry flavors.