93
Points
Technical info
Alcohol
15.0%
Varietal
Cabernet Sauvignon
Blend
100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Appellation
Napa
Oak treatment
100% French Oak (100% new)
Vintage
Early season rains brought yields back to normal levels this year, mitigating the extended drought that afflicted most of California over the previous few years. A cool spring resulted in normal timing for bud break, in late March. Temperatures remained fairly cool in May and June, but high temperatures in July and again in September triggered an early start to harvest. Quality was solid for the vintage overall, with little impact from fall wildfires since most fruit was already harvested and in barrel.
Vineyards
Chabot Vineyard lies east of the Silverado Trail, just north of the road that leads up Howell Mountain to Bancroft Ranch and Steinhauer Ranch. The chunks of shiny obsidian heavily strewn through its soil reflect the locale, known as “Glass Mountain.” An underlying layer of pumice and bedrock ensures excellent drainage. The inky, highly structured, deeply flavored Cabernet from this vineyard was the first that Beringer Vineyards elected to bottle as a Private Reserve, in 1977, and it continues to be a frequent component of contemporary vintages of Private Reserve
