Deep ruby color; black cherry, raspberry, blackcurrant, blackberry, black plum, blueberry, violets, pepper, sage, vanilla, oak, earth on the nose and palate.
Dry; pleasant but significant tannins–decanting is recommended; balancing medium acidity. Medium-plus body, silky mouthfeel after decanting—or more bottle age (this will enter its best drinking time 2026-2030). Serious, elegant wine with delicious layers of dark fruit flavors. Nicely extended and very pleasant finish. 14.8% ABV
This is Beringer’s premier general release effort. Because of 2020’s Glass Fire, grapes came from Borrow Pit (49%), Lampyride (47%), and St. Helena Chabot Vineyard (4%) were used for this effort rather than the usual heavy input from Howell Mountain. Production was down to 847 cases—usually it is well above a thousand. Winemaker Ryan Rech noted they had to stop picking in late September because of the Glass Fire and took fruit from their three Knights Valley estates instead of Howell Mountain. This makes this atypical for Beringer’s Private Reserve, but they still managed to produce an impressive higher-end Napa pour.
Beringer’s minimalist approach has long defined their Private Reserve efforts. Each vineyard is vinified separately. The website notes: “Tailored pump-over techniques are used for optimal extraction, and the wine is aged in hand-selected, custom-toasted barrels of new French oak (65% new). Each lot was aged for 20 months before selection of the final blend, to allow each vineyard to express the depth of its unique terroir.”
Beringer prides itself on being California’s oldest continually operating winery. It began in 1875 when Jacob Beringer and his brother Frederick purchased land and became one of the first Napa Valley wineries. Beringer survived Prohibition by making sacramental wines for churches. At end of Prohibition, Beringer became the first winery to offer public tours, starting the Napa Valley tourism era.
In 1967, the 91-year-old Beringer Winery received State Historical Landmark designation. Five years later, the Rhine House on the property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1990, The Wine Spectator named Beginger’s cab the wine of the year, and six years later, a Beringer chardonnay took the same honor. Beringer is the only winemaker to have both a red and white named The Wine Spectator’s wine of the year. Ryan Rech is the winemaker at Beringer. He joined Beringer in 2016 and became chief winemaker in 2021.
Beringer is a brand of Treasury Wine Estates, an Australian-based global winemaking and distribution operation that traces its roots to Penfolds Wine and Foster’s Group beer. Treasury is a major international player in the wine world, making wine in 12 countries, selling more than 35 million cases of wine a year, and generating more than $2 billion in sales.
Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2020 is product of testing vintage that involved climatic challenges and 2020’s fires, lowering production and forcing Beringer to abandon fruit from Howell Moutain, traditionally a core of its Private Reserve. No matter, they produced another outstanding high-end Napa cab with black fruit deliciousness, depth, and ageability. Just entering its drinking window in 2025, decant or hold for next couple of years. $175
Pairing—Grilled ribeye steak, New York strip, porterhouse, T-bone; grilled/charred lamb chops, venison, duck breast; slow braised beef short ribs, pot roast, lamb shank; hearty stews, beef bourguignon, cassoulet, lamb stew. Cheese—Aged gouda, aged cheddar, gruyère, manchego curado, ossau-iraty, aged comté, parmigiano-reggiano, grana padano. Avoid soft-ripened cheese, brie, camembert; very young goat cheeses; overly creamy cheeses.
