2001 Sbragia Family Cabernet Sauvignon Rancho del Oso
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Tasting notes
Saturate ruby-red! Slightly high-toned aromas of blackberry, cassis, licorice and tropical dark chocolate. Densely packed, fairly full and sweet, with the high-toned quality carrying through on the palate, where the very ripe, seamless dark berry, chocolate, licorice and spice flavors display good energy. A bit burly and unsubtle but still has some evolving to do. The wine's substantial dusty tannins are supported by fruit; in fact, it comes across as rather rich and soft for a wine from Howell Mountain fruit.
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Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
A big, mountain-styled Cabernet Sauvignon from longtime Beringer winemaker, Ed Sbragia, this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon has become even more impressive than I initially thought. Lots of crushed rock, blueberry, black raspberry and black currant fruit intermixed with a distinctive earthiness as well as subtle oak make for a full-bodied wine that is still in its pre-adolescent stage of development. The color remains an opaque ruby/purple and the wine smells and tastes more like a 4-5 year old Cabernet than one that is a decade old. Tel. (707) 473-2992
Good deep ruby-red. Brooding aromas of blackberry, licorice, cedar, menthol and baking spices. Dense, bright and nicely delineated, with dark berry flavors offering enticing sweetness. In a rather gentle, fruit-driven style for Howell Mountain cabernet. Finishes with substantial tongue-dusting tannins and subtly sweet, persistent fruit. (The only disappointment in the current line-up of wines bottled under the home label of Beringer winemaker emeritus Sbragia was a supple but rather herbaceous cabernet sauvignon from Dry Creek Valley .
Ruby-red. Superripe aromas of cassis, cocoa powder, minerals, licorice, cappuccino and graphite, along with a whiff of honey. Then sweet, fat, dense and ripe, with good breadth of flavor in the middle palate and on the aftertaste. Finishes with ripe, mouthdusting tannins and excellent length. This is the new label of Ed Sbragia, who has directed winemaking at Beringer for the past two decades.