Beringer Vineyards Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Beringer Vineyards Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Brand: Beringer Vineyards
SKU: 04cdb7e8b102ebadc114f3357e642eec
Rating: 4 (300 reviews)

Napa Valley, USA

- Avg Price (ex-tax)
- $ 165 / 750ml

4 from 300 User Ratings
94 / 100 212 Critic Reviews
Style Red - Bold and Structured
Grape Variety Cabernet Sauvignon
Food Pairing Beef and Venison

- A number of critics have rated this Napa Valley wine extremely highly.
  
  Critic tasting note: (2022 vintage) "Complex and layered aromas of blackcurrants, raspberry coulis, spices, potpourri and dried herbs. The palate is full-bodied with seamless tannins and integrated acidity, showing mulberries, olive tapenade, blueberry compote, dark chocolate and mahogany. A blend of 80% cabernet sauvignon, 10% cabernet franc, 8% petit verdot, 1% merlot and 1% malbec. Drink or hold." - James Suckling
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Highlights

Winery

Beringer Vineyards

191 products ranged between $4 - $424 (Avg. price ex tax)

Region or Appellation

Napa Valley

Napa County / North Coast / California / USA

Grape Variety / Blend

Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc & Petit Verdot

Style

Red Wine

Red - Bold and Structured

Food Pairing

Beef and Venison

The general rule with all red meat is the leaner the meat, the...

- This wine has won many awards: the 2009 vintage was awarded Gold Outstanding from the International Wine & Spirit Competition as well as Double Gold from the CWSA - China Wine & Spirits Awards.
- A number of critics have rated this Napa Valley wine extremely highly.
- - Among the highest-priced wines from Napa Valley. The price has been stable over the past year.

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Details

About the Product

Producer Notes: Beringer Private Reserve represents the pinnacle of the portfolio. Former Chief Winemakers Myron Nightingale and Ed Sbragia created the Private Reserve program in 1977 with the goal of crafting Napa's finest Cabernet Sauvignon.

Analytical Data

Alcohol ABV: 13.5 - 15.5%
Sweetness: Dry

Production Attributes

Maturation: Oaked
Oak Type: French
Winemaker: Mark Beringer
Closure Type: Cork
Winemaking: Vineyard lots harvested and vinified separately.
Ageing: Aged 18 months in new French oak (90% new), 16 months in bottle.

Awards

(10)

Silver
The Asian Cabernet Sauvignon M

2012 Vintage

Awarded: 2017

The Global Masters

Silver

2012 Vintage

Awarded: 2016

International Wine Challenge

Lovely purity; plenty of fruit, edges of earth with structured tannins, herbal perfume and a minty lift. Has great energy.

Silver

2012 Vintage

Awarded: 2016

International Wine & Spirit Competition

Bronze

2010 Vintage

Awarded: 2015

International Wine Challenge

Jammy nose, black fruit on the palate. Mingling with coffee and menthol

Silver

2010 Vintage

Awarded: 2015

International Wine & Spirit Competition

Bronze

2012 Vintage

Awarded: 2015

Hong Kong IWSC

Bronze

2009 Vintage

Awarded: 2014

International Wine Challenge

Ripe blackberry and spicy oak aromas. Soft fleshy berry palate with smooth tannins on finish.

Gold Outstanding

2009 Vintage

Awarded: 2014

International Wine & Spirit Competition

Double Gold

2009 Vintage

Awarded: 2013

CWSA - China Wine & Spirits Awards

Bronze

2008 Vintage

Awarded: 2012

International Wine Challenge

red fruit compote notes with spice. good structure tannins on finish

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Suggested Dishes to Pair With This Wine

Pigeon pastilla Starter Course: Contains: pistachio, cinnamon; Moroccan

Beef brisket, BBQ Main Course: American

Beef short ribs Main Course: American

Gouda Cheese Course: Dutch

Details

About the Product

Producer Notes: Beringer Private Reserve represents the pinnacle of the portfolio. Former Chief Winemakers Myron Nightingale and Ed Sbragia created the Private Reserve program in 1977 with the goal of crafting Napa's finest Cabernet Sauvignon.

Analytical Data

Alcohol ABV: 13.5 - 15.5%
Sweetness: Dry

Production Attributes

Maturation: Oaked
Oak Type: French
Winemaker: Mark Beringer
Closure Type: Cork
Winemaking: Vineyard lots harvested and vinified separately.
Ageing: Aged 18 months in new French oak (90% new), 16 months in bottle.

Awards

(10)

Silver
The Asian Cabernet Sauvignon M

2012 Vintage

Awarded: 2017

The Global Masters

Silver

2012 Vintage

Awarded: 2016

International Wine Challenge

Lovely purity; plenty of fruit, edges of earth with structured tannins, herbal perfume and a minty lift. Has great energy.

Silver

2012 Vintage

Awarded: 2016

International Wine & Spirit Competition

Bronze

2010 Vintage

Awarded: 2015

International Wine Challenge

Jammy nose, black fruit on the palate. Mingling with coffee and menthol

Silver

2010 Vintage

Awarded: 2015

International Wine & Spirit Competition

Bronze

2012 Vintage

Awarded: 2015

Hong Kong IWSC

Bronze

2009 Vintage

Awarded: 2014

International Wine Challenge

Ripe blackberry and spicy oak aromas. Soft fleshy berry palate with smooth tannins on finish.

Gold Outstanding

2009 Vintage

Awarded: 2014

International Wine & Spirit Competition

Double Gold

2009 Vintage

Awarded: 2013

CWSA - China Wine & Spirits Awards

Bronze

2008 Vintage

Awarded: 2012

International Wine Challenge

red fruit compote notes with spice. good structure tannins on finish

See more See less

Critics Scores & Reviews

(212)

All vintages

94 / 100

212 scores

95 - 100

90 - 94

138

85 - 89

80 - 84

75 - 79

0 - 74

? / 100 James Suckling

2022 Vintage Tasted: Jan 2025

Complex and layered aromas of blackcurrants, raspberry coulis, spices, potpourri and dried herbs. The palate is full-bodied with seamless tannins and integrated acidity, showing mulberries, olive tapenade, blueberry compote, dark chocolate and mahogany. A blend of 80% cabernet sauvignon, 10% cabernet franc, 8% petit verdot, 1% merlot and 1% malbec. Drink or hold.

About James Suckling

92 / 100 Wine Enthusiast

2021 Vintage Tasted: Nov 2024

Generous, full bodied and lush, this wine tastes of black plum, dark cocoa and sweet spices, with impressive persistence and palate-filling presence. Powdery-fine tannins coat the mouth and carry into a lengthy finish.

About Wine Enthusiast

98 / 100 Owen Bargreen

2021 Vintage Tasted: Apr 2024

When to drink: 2024 to 2044

The 2021 Beringer ‘Private Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon is an outstanding new bottling that comes from this exciting vintage in the Napa Valley. Coming from a range of sites throughout the Napa Valley, this Cabernet was stored for 20 months in new French oak (65% new). The nose is very alluring with creme de violette, tar, tobacco leaf and cocoa powder notes. The palate is smooth and silky, as this refined wine glides throughout the drinking experience. Showing plenty of power, yet not coming off overly heavy, enjoy this stunning effort now and over the next twenty years to come.

About Owen Bargreen

PRO Jancis Robinson

2021 Vintage Tasted: Apr 2024

See score for this and 2 more vintages with a PRO subscription.

About Jancis Robinson

94 / 100 Owen Bargreen

2020 Vintage Tasted: Jan 2024

When to drink: 2024 to 2032

The 2020 Beringer ‘Private Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon is an outstanding new bottling that comes from this challenging vintage in the Napa Valley. The wine mainly comes from Oakville’s Borrow Pit Vineyard (49%) as well as Mt. Veeder’s Lampyridae Vineyard (47%).This 100% varietal wine that was stored for 20 months in new French oak (65% new). It comes off rich and refined with big tannins that frame a big core of blackberry, black cherry and black tea flavors. Generous and delicious, consume now and over the next eight plus years to come.

About Owen Bargreen

97 / 100 Wine Enthusiast

2020 Vintage Tasted: Dec 2023

What a velvety, intricate and layered performance this exceptional wine puts on. Ripe fruits, subtle oak spices and a silky mouthfeel combine for instant pleasure with each sip. Behind the black cherries, blueberries, vanilla and cinnamon touches are moderate tannins that will help it age nicely. Tempting to drink now, it will be best from 2027–2040.

About Wine Enthusiast

? / 100 James Suckling

2021 Vintage Tasted: Nov 2023

So much dark berry, dried berry, matchstick and iodine here. Plus intense aromas of black currants and black berries. So floral. Full-bodied with firm and compacted tannins that are super polished and balanced. Very long and linear. The tightness, focus and complexity harks back to the 1990s but the purity and transparency is today. September 2024 release. 80% cabernet sauvignon, 12% cabernet franc, 6% merlot, and 2% malbec. Best after 2026.

About James Suckling

16.5 / 20 Vinum Wine Magazine

2016 Vintage Tasted: Sep 2023

When to drink: 2023 to 2028

Schwarze Johannisbeere, Lakritze, Liebstöckel, reife Brombeere, getrocknete Gräser. Ein Anflug von Rumtopf. Am Gaumen schwungvoll und reif, viel Konzentration, die Säure schliesst sich daran an und verleiht Saftigkeit. Solide gebaut; das Tannin ist griffig und bleibt lange haften.

About Vinum Wine Magazine

96 / 100 Wine Enthusiast

2019 Vintage Tasted: Apr 2023

Tempting aromas of violets and black currants lead to delicious black fruit and oak-spice flavors wrapped in fine-grained tannins. This full-bodied yet elegant and nuanced wine has the structure and long track record to indicate it will continue to improve with time. Best from 2027–2037.

About Wine Enthusiast

? / 100 James Suckling

2020 Vintage Tasted: Feb 2023

Intense aromas of blueberries, blackcurrants, ink pot and iron. Rose petal, too. Full-bodied, very layered and velvety with a chewy finish. Remains savory at the same time. The tannins are more spread out here, suggesting excellent potential for the cellar. This is the smallest amount ever made of this wine, from grapes grown in Gamble Ranch in Oakville and Lampyridae Vineyard in Mount Veeder. 847 cases made. Best after 2027.

About James Suckling

? / 100 James Suckling

2019 Vintage Tasted: Jan 2022

Blackberries, blackcurrants and black cherries with some flowers. Full-bodied, yet tight with ripe tannins and polish and intensity. Long and linear with richness. Fresh acidity. Shows tension, too. Subtle mint and stone at the end. Really fresh and racy. Best after 2025, but attractive now.

About James Suckling

90 / 100 Wine Enthusiast

2018 Vintage Tasted: Dec 2021

Thick and tannic on the palate in its youth, this wine shows a great deal of structure and integration, having spent 18 months aging in 90% new French oak. Red fruit shines in the form of currant, cassis and cranberry, with leathery texture and accents of dried herb and sage. Enjoy best from 2028 through 2033. Virginie Boone

About Wine Enthusiast

95 / 100 Wine Enthusiast

2017 Vintage Tasted: Mar 2021

Thick and concentrated in dense layers of cedar, pencil shaving and currant, this reserve-worthy wine is substantial in body wight and power, with considerable oak impact, as it was aged 20 months in 80% new French oak. Still, it shows remarkable underlying beauty, complexity and structure. It is a blockbuster that will do well in the cellar. Enjoy best from 2027 through 2037. Virginie Boone

About Wine Enthusiast

? / 100 James Suckling

2018 Vintage Tasted: Jan 2021

Wild blackberry, cassis, dark chocolate, tobacco and dark spice on the nose. Dried violets, too. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, powdery tannins and a creamy texture. Intense, yet restrained and refined, with a solid core of dark berries and bitter chocolate. Really focused and crafted with exemplary Napa cabernet character. Try from 2024.

About James Suckling

96 / 100 Owen Bargreen

2017 Vintage Tasted: Nov 2020

When to drink: 2022 to 2045

Beringer began this legendary program back in 1977. Aged for twenty months in 80% new French oak (Nevers), the 2017 ‘Private Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon shows anise and creme de cassis aromatics that combine with chocolate covered espresso bean, graphite and blueberry compote, showing an exotic edge. The palate is impeccably balanced, showing both depth, concentration, verve and power. Layers of creosote, blueberry compote, mocha and creme de cassis, with silky tannins all sing in unison. Gorgeous in its youth, this beautiful wine really needs a few more years of bottle age before enjoyment.

About Owen Bargreen

98 / 100 Falstaff

2013 Vintage Tasted: Mar 2020

Deep dark ruby garnet colour with deep core, purple reflections, subtle brightening on the rim. Intense notes of cassis, a hint of mint, concentrated black fruit, fresh tobacco leaves, blackberry confit and a delicate hint of liquorice, very multi-faceted bouquet. Extremely powerful and complex, pronounced fruit, ripe tannins, nuances of mocha on the finish, great length, chocolaty and silky aftertaste, lingers for minutes.

About Falstaff

90 / 100 Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider

1987 Vintage Tasted: Feb 2020

Easy to drink, the wine is soft, full-bodied, and quickly provides a juicy sweet mouthful of ripe, dark red fruit. But there is not much complexity. It is basically one nice note. I like the note, but the wine seems to be fading. Drink up if you are sitting on any as it is only going to continue declining from here. 90 Points

About Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider

? / 100 James Suckling

2017 Vintage Tasted: Jan 2020

This shows really beautiful purity of fruit with polish and sophistication. The currant and cassis aromas are so enticing and really reflect the name of the wine. Medium to full body. Extremely fine tannins. Shows a level of freshness and agility that caresses the palate. Delicate and beautiful. Mostly Howell Mountain. Drink or hold.

About James Suckling

75 / 100 Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider

1978 Vintage Tasted: Dec 2019

This bottle had a perfect fill. The cork looked great and it came out in one piece. The wine showed a good color for its age. But it fell apart in the glass in perhaps 5 minutes. Those initial moments were fine, showing a medium-bodied, round, bright red cherry core of fruits. But a few minutes later, the wine rapidly began falling apart, quickly turning into a stewed, oxidized mess.

About Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider

95 / 100 Wine Enthusiast

2016 Vintage Tasted: Nov 2019

Dust and sage color this bold, powerful wine, which is layered and complex in its ripeness and structure. Weighty in oak and tannin, it shows an expanse of rich red fruit, from cassis to current, with seasonings of cocoa dust, espresso and cigar. Enjoy best after cellaring 2026–2031. Virginie Boone

About Wine Enthusiast

95 / 100 Owen Bargreen

2015 Vintage Tasted: Apr 2019

When to drink: 2022 to 2045

- The 2015 ‘Private Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon by Beringer excites with its serious richness and range. This sensational wine shows off a remarkable bouquet with blueberry compote, ripe huckleberry, Arabica coffee bean and blackberry compote. The palate shows serious viscosity and richness showing beautiful mocha, anise and creme de cassis that build as the wine breathes. Intense and showing an exceedingly long life this beautiful wine needs quite a bit of air to show the most prominently. If enjoying in its youth, be sure to give this at least a two hour decant.

About Owen Bargreen

? / 100 James Suckling

2016 Vintage Tasted: Feb 2019

Breathtaking. Exceptional integration of super ripe blackberries and the very finest oak. The tannins build up beautifully, forming wave upon wave as the wine flows across the palate. Then the wave breaks on your palate and shoots way out at the finish, so that you wonder where it will end and normal life begin again. Needs time to soften, but this is so, so good. Give it two or three years.

About James Suckling

90 / 100 Wine Enthusiast

2014 Vintage Tasted: Aug 2018

The reserve-worthy wine is made from vineyards across the valley, with the majority coming from Howell Mountain and St. Helena. It reflects the power of mountain fruit with dense sweet tannins, black-inky color and swathes of toasted oak, the big body accented in sanguine currant and cassis. Virginie Boone

About Wine Enthusiast

? / 100 James Suckling

2015 Vintage Tasted: Mar 2018

The spice and walnut aromas are so enticing. Undertones of blackberries and black truffles. Full-bodied, dense and layered with fantastic tension and seamless tannins. It goes on for minutes. All about classic structure and beauty. Try in 2021.

About James Suckling

Where more than 24 Critics scores exist, only the first 24 are displayed.

For completeness we may include critic scores in our aggregation that we do not display.

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User Ratings

(300)

300 ratings

108

160

Beringer Vineyards Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, USA

Fair

2018 Vintage Saved: 19-Jun-2025

Way overhyped for the price. Not bad, but not that different that many under $100 wines.

Excellent

2015 Vintage Saved: 15-Sep-2023

Val 大班樓

Excellent

2013 Vintage Saved: 26-Aug-2023

聚興 Wilson

Excellent

2016 Vintage Saved: 2-Apr-2023

Super stuff - at KK house

Excellent

2013 Vintage Saved: 24-Mar-2023

very very good

Excellent

2012 Vintage Saved: 24-Sep-2022

Devi mit Mardy Brokering fein Rote und dunkle Beeren , 150er tannin Bestes Preis Leistung

Good

2012 Vintage Saved: 25-Jun-2022

Not bad

Excellent

2015 Vintage Saved: 31-Dec-2021

Very nice smooth

Excellent

1994 Vintage Saved: 20-Dec-2021

Perfectly balanced. Subtle hints of chocolate. Pairs with steak tartare just fine.

Fair

Saved: 12-Jun-2021

Napa-good red

Compare vintages

Vintage Critics Score Avg. Price (ex-tax)

All 94 / 100 $ 165 2022 97 / 100 $ 175 2021 94 / 100 $ 175 2020 94 / 100 $ 175 2019 96 / 100 $ 175 2018 93 / 100 $ 160 2017 94 / 100 $ 165 2016 94 / 100 $ 179 2015 94 / 100 $ 173 See moreSee less

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USA average retail price per 750ml, ex tax USD $ from Nov 2023 to Oct 2025

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Beringer Vineyards Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, USA

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Current Product

Beringer Vineyards Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, USA

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Also from 'Beringer Vineyards' (20+) Learn more

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Beringer Vineyards Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

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Details

Awards

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Also from 'Beringer Vineyards' (20+) Learn more

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French Wines

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Vintage Chart

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Beringer Vineyards Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

You may also like

Prices

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Reviews

Vintages

Analytics

See all 199 results

Highlights

Details

Awards

Suggested Dishes to Pair With This Wine

Details

Awards

Related News

Big Names, Big Bottles for Napa Auction

Rekindling a Family Tradition at Beringer

Magnum Farce – Beyond the Bigger Bottle

Wine-buying Guide Hits the Right Note

Critics Scores & Reviews

User Ratings

Compare vintages

Price History

Availability Over Time

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