Wine Article
2010 Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Last edited on 10/23/2013 by Grinder
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Beringer's Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is crafted to reflect the Napa Valley appellation, but with stylistic differences from the Private Reserve – differences that highlight the range of terroir found in our Napa Valley vineyards. This wine is evocative of the rich terroir of our vineyards, but is still immediately approachable and appealing.
VINTAGE & VINEYARDS
Vintage 2010 welcomed the return of rainfall to the region with annual precipitation averaging about twenty percent above average. With few exceptions, the growing season was slightly cooler than normal overall with healthy grapevines appellation-wide. A heat spike at the end of August accelerated ripening in some vineyards and helped deliver a harvest of fine quality.
For the 2010 blend, the largest portion of the blend came from several of our reserve vineyards -- Bancroft Ranch Vineyard in the Howell Mountain AVA, the St. Helena Home Vineyard and Marston Vineyard on Spring Mountain, creating a blend that highlights the best of Napa Valley's valley floor and mountain-top terroir. Grapes for the 2010 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon were picked from October 2nd to November 4th.
WINEMAKING
Laurie was careful to retain the individual expressions of each of the vineyards in the blend by keeping each lot separate throughout fermentation and aging. This has become tradition for Beringer Cabernets, and allows Laurie to blend from a broad array of aromatic, flavor and structural components. After fermentation all of the lots were aged in French Nevers oak barrels (67% new) for 15 months. Each lot was monitored closely and tasted regularly, to ensure their development individually and to formulate how best to fit the lots together for the final blend. A small percentage of Petit Verdot was added to the blend, contributing additional aromatics and elongating the finish.
LAURIE'S TASTING NOTES
Ripe dark fruits are accented by hints of cedar and dark chocolate aromas. The mouthfeel is dense and lush, with juicy red and blue berries and a rich structure.
VINTAGE & VINEYARDS
Vintage 2010 welcomed the return of rainfall to the region with annual precipitation averaging about twenty percent above average. With few exceptions, the growing season was slightly cooler than normal overall with healthy grapevines appellation-wide. A heat spike at the end of August accelerated ripening in some vineyards and helped deliver a harvest of fine quality.
For the 2010 blend, the largest portion of the blend came from several of our reserve vineyards -- Bancroft Ranch Vineyard in the Howell Mountain AVA, the St. Helena Home Vineyard and Marston Vineyard on Spring Mountain, creating a blend that highlights the best of Napa Valley's valley floor and mountain-top terroir. Grapes for the 2010 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon were picked from October 2nd to November 4th.
WINEMAKING
Laurie was careful to retain the individual expressions of each of the vineyards in the blend by keeping each lot separate throughout fermentation and aging. This has become tradition for Beringer Cabernets, and allows Laurie to blend from a broad array of aromatic, flavor and structural components. After fermentation all of the lots were aged in French Nevers oak barrels (67% new) for 15 months. Each lot was monitored closely and tasted regularly, to ensure their development individually and to formulate how best to fit the lots together for the final blend. A small percentage of Petit Verdot was added to the blend, contributing additional aromatics and elongating the finish.
LAURIE'S TASTING NOTES
Ripe dark fruits are accented by hints of cedar and dark chocolate aromas. The mouthfeel is dense and lush, with juicy red and blue berries and a rich structure.