Technical info
Alcohol
14.9%
Varietal
Red Wine
Blend
76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Merlot
Oak treatment
Aged 20 months in French Oak, 59% new, principally center of France Nevers Forest Coopers with Seguin Moreau, Alain Fouquet, and others with a mix of toasts to match the fruit and tannin structure of individual lots. At rest after bottling for an additional year.
Winemaking
With the focus on Napa Valley, each distinctive varietal lot is kept separate from the moment of harvest until final blending the following year. Each year, the Q Red Wine showcases a blend of traditional Bordeaux varietals with a foundation of Cabernet Sauvignon, the backbone and undisputed star of Beringer. In this vintage, the blend anchors with 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Merlot. The Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec were not harvested in 2020. The Merlot contributes to a round mouthfeel, soft tannins, and an elegance from the acidity to the final blend. The wines were aged in French oak (59 percent new barrels) for 20 months, and allowed to further integrate and gain complexity in bottle for another year.
Vintage
The 2020 vintage was a combination of a warm, dry winter, late March rains, and circumstance beyond the typical season. The mild spring weather provided a great early start, which was later tempered by the warmth of the summer growing season and the frequent heat spikes. 2020 with its low rainfall, low yields, and dynamic weather set the stage for fruit with pronounced micro-climatic and aromatic complexity. While vineyard and winery working conditions were adapted at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic with extensive safety protocols, further challenges were manifested by wildfires across California that would prove an even greater challenge to the latter half of the vintage. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot were harvested late September into October, while other varietals were not harvested. The limited supply of the resulting wines shows all the phenolic ripeness, acidic backbone, and exceptional nuance of this challenging vintage.
