Technical info
Alcohol
15.4%
Varietal
Malbec
Blend
95% Malbec, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon
Appellation
Howell Mountain, Napa Valley
Oak treatment
20 months in 100% French oak (57% new)
Winemaking
Beringer’s reserve vineyards offer fruit 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 select, custom-toasted barrels of French oak. This 2022 Bancroft Ranch Vineyard Malbec aged for 20 months in 100% French oak barrels (57% 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 Malbec, 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.
