2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve

(14.5% alcohol): Bright, medium ruby-red. Deep, scented aromas of black plum, cassis, flowers, minerals and licorice, plus a hint of spicecake. Very smooth, dry and seamless if a bit youthfully streamlined today. Shows a medicinal cast to its dark berry, licorice and menthol flavors. Still quite primary and in need of additional bottle age to soften. Finishes with a major dusting of slightly drying tannins. This is evolving very slowly and should go on for at least another 15 years.

(14.5% alcohol; 31% Bancroft, 25% St. Helena, 17% Steinhauer, 8% Rancho del Oso, 7% Marston, 5% Chabot, 2% Lampyridae and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon): Healthy deep red. Pure, vibrant but reticent aromas of dark berries, violet and espresso suggest a very concentrated wine with firm acidity. Dense and plush but also sharply delineated and youthfully imploded, conveying a strong impression of inner-mouth tension to its intense black fruit and mineral flavors. Finishes very long and tight, with pliant, fine-grained tannins and outstanding energy. A real live wire of a Cabernet and nowhere near peak drinkability: this wine has tightened up in recent years.

Beringer’s 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve comes from the top selection from all their different holdings, with each vineyard aged separately for close to two years, then blended for quality. This blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc is a gorgeous example of the Private Reserve. Of course, it probably suffers from the fact that Beringer is part of a gigantic international conglomerate, but this is just a stunning wine – inky purple, with plenty of cassis, a hint of espresso, subtle background oak and forest notes. The color is opaque and the wine full-bodied and opulent, with sweet tannin and a multilayered mouthfeel. It has silky tannins, good freshness and uplifting acid, which should ensure a considerable longevity of 15-20 additional years. This is a stunner.