The Beringer Caves
Welcome to the historic wine-aging tunnels of Beringer Vineyards, affectionately known as the “wine caves.”
Beginning in 1876, Beringer and Schramsberg in Calistoga pioneered this ingenious approach to wine aging—creating the perfect, naturally controlled environments by excavating into the hillside. Jacob Beringer’s vision to situate these tunnels directly behind the gravity-flow winery was a stroke of genius, making Beringer the first winery in Napa Valley to implement such a design.
Set hundreds of feet into the limestone mountainside, the labyrinth of tunnels maintains a constant year-round temperature of 58°F—with no air-conditioning—and the black moss that lines the walls keeps the air dry and pure, providing ideal conditions for wine maturation. Remarkably, these conditions have remained unchanged since 1876.
The caves were dug entirely by hand, using chisels and pickaxes—no mechanized equipment ever touched this space. The project took fifteen years to complete, from 1876 to 1891, and resulted in a labyrinth of two parallel tunnels, each approximately 400 feet long, connected by two cross tunnels, with several smaller tunnels and alcoves branching off. In total, the space spans 13,000 square feet.
In 1972, the tunnels underwent a major renovation: collapsing timbers were replaced, and concrete footings, pillars, and floors were installed, reinforced with steel arches and gunite backfill, giving the caves a renewed life while preserving their historic character.
How Do We Age Our Wines?
At Beringer, the majority of our wines are aged in French oak barrels from the prestigious Nevers region. The standard barrel holds 225 liters (about 60 gallons)—roughly 300 bottles or 25 cases of wine. Today, our luxury portfolio produces over 250,000 cases per vintage, requiring more than 10,000 barrels to achieve the perfect maturation.
