2001 Beringer Private Reserve

Beringer's top bottling, a blend of fruit from six different Napa vineyards, has been a benchmark for California Cabernet since "winemaster" Ed Sbragia made its inaugural vintage, back in 1977. The black currant–packed '01 effortlessly carries on that tradition, and should age gracefully in a cellar for many years to come.

With Cabernet of this quality, Ed and his winemaking partner, Laurie Hook, take a minimalist approach to winemaking. Vinifying the fruit from each vineyard separately, they use gentle pump-over techniques for optimal extraction, and then age the wines in hand-selected, custom-toasted barrels of new French Nevers oak from coopers with whom Ed has long-established relationships. “I buy barrels from several coopers for these wines,” Ed explains. “Oak can be as individual as grapes, and different coopers bring out different nuances just as winemakers do. Some barrels are spicier, some have more caramel and vanilla notes.” The winemakers put the wines through 100-percent malolactic fermentation for added complexity and softness, and age them for nearly two years before Ed selects the blend that he feels layers the personalities of the vineyards into a harmonious whole.