Winemaker Notes
Deeply saturated in color with a rich depth and elegance, exhibiting a substantial backbone and structure, all hallmarks of this incredible 2018 vintage of Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, and will continue to reward after years of carful cellaring. Fresh, ripe berry notes of blackberry, black cherry, crème de cassis and dark plum all combine, offering a plush, juicy, mouthwatering character that is very approachable in its youth. Complex layers of wild bramble berry fruit, wild violets and notes of cocoa powder, dark chocolate, graphite and tobacco spice, from the well-integrated oak, seamlessly are interwoven with the full-bodied ripe tannins, supporting a firm structure with balanced acidity, leading to a long, persistent, textured finish.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Wild blackberry, cassis, dark chocolate, tobacco and dark spice on the nose. Dried violets, too. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, powdery tannins and a creamy texture. Intense, yet restrained and refined, with a solid core of dark berries and bitter chocolate. Really focused and crafted with exemplary Napa cabernet character. Try from 2024.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve is based on 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, brought up in 90% new French oak. It’s a beautiful wine that shows the vintage’s pure, elegant, yet concentrated style perfectly. Gorgeous crème de cassis, violets, blueberries, and cedar pencil notes emerge from the glass, and this beauty builds incrementally on the palate, with full-bodied richness, a lively, pure, layered texture, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It can be enjoyed any time over the coming 20-25 years.
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Tasting Panel
One of California's marquee wines, this expres- sion doesn't disappoint, coating the tongue in velvet while delivering a combination of ripe plum, toasty new oak, spice, and hints of chocolate and fresh-baked bread. Balanced, long, and stunning.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve is a blend of 98% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it opens with subtle notes of fresh blackberries, mulberries and crushed blackcurrants, plus emerging hints of redcurrant jelly, bay leaves, unsmoked cigars and cedar chest. Full-bodied, rich and plush, it delivers mouth-coating black fruits and loads of savory layers with plenty of freshness and great length.
Rating: 95+ -
Wine Spectator
Dark in profile, but fresh, with vibrant black currant and black cherry preserve flavors laced with streaks of violet, iron and tobacco. Shows good energy throughout. Best from 2022 through 2032.
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Wine Enthusiast
Thick and tannic on the palate in its youth, this wine shows a great deal of structure and integration, having spent 18 months aging in 90% new French oak. Red fruit shines in the form of currant, cassis and cranberry, with leathery texture and accents of dried herb and sage. Enjoy best from 2028 through 2033. Cellar Selection
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.