Technical info
Alcohol
14.5%
Varietal
93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc
Appellation
Howell Mountain, Napa Valley
Oak treatment
21 months in French oak (55% new)
Winemaking
Beringer’s reserve vineyards offer Cabernet Sauvignon of such quality that a minimalist approach to winemaking best preserves the integrity of each site’s terroir expression. Each parcel is vinified separately and monitored carefully from the moment the fruit comes into the winery at harvest. Tailored pump-over techniques are used for optimal extraction, and the wine is aged in hand-selected, custom-toasted barrels of French oak. This 2021 Bancroft Ranch Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon aged for 22 months in 100% French oak barrels (86% new).
Vintage
The first half of the 2022 harvest started calm and early, with healthy vineyards offering fruit with bright acidity, fruit-forward flavors, and strong yields for white varietals and thin-skinned reds, like Pinot Noir. Then, California experienced a historic heat wave in early September that ramped up the pace of ripening, compelling a fast and furious harvest as winemakers worked to pick fruit at its best quality. Fortunately, strong vines and proactive irrigation helped many vineyards survive the heat. The second half was much more predictable with cooler temperatures through October, so that later-ripening red varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, could develop their full flavor and tannin profile.
Vineyards
Howell Mountain rises just to the northeast of Beringer's winery in St. Helena, and Bancroft Ranch lies at an elevation of 1,800 feet on its western slope. The soil here --gritty white tuff of volcanic origin --is shallow, infertile and extremely well drained. The vines produce small, intensely flavored berries with powerful, concentrated fruit flavors and thick skins that yield robust tannins.
