Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The spectacular 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve came in at 14.2% natural alcohol. The good news is that winemaker Ed Sbragia produced 10,000 cases of this beauty. Just hitting late adolescence, this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon cuvee exhibits an opaque dark purple color along with a beautiful, smoky, sweet black currant, licorice, truffle, toast and underbrush-scented nose. With fabulous concentration, great intensity and tremendous purity, this voluptuously textured, full-bodied classic is one of the all-time great Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignons.
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Wine Spectator
A massive youngster, with a fine structure and firm, chewy tannins. Dense and concentrated, only offering glimpses of what lies ahead. Shows dried currant, herb, sage and wild berry flavors. Needs time.
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.