Beringer Cabernet Priv Reserve Rp 2002

Deep ruby. Lively aromas of cassis, licorice and violet. Sweet and lush but juicy, with a strong chocolatey character and excellent underlying backbone. Very densely packed cabernet, with suaver tannins than the Steinhauer or Lampyridae bottlings. Finishes with lingering licorice and bitter chocolate notes. A very successful blend: 70% from Howell Mountain, 14% St. Helena, 8% Mt. Veeder and 8% Spring Mountain.

Firm, intense and vibrant, featuring a complex, focused core of earthy currant, sage, black licorice and mineral. Full-bodied, yet sleek and trim on the finish, where the flavors are slow to unfold. Best from 2012 through 2022.

A barrel sample of the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve suggests it is as impressive as the great efforts of 2001, 2002, and 2004. Opulent and fleshy with an inky/blue/purple hue, it offers up notes of lead pencil shavings, creme de cassis, blackberries, chocolate, forest floor, and underbrush. It is a dense, voluptuously-textured offering that is both a hedonistic and intellectual turn-on that will drink well for 15 or more years.

Opaque dark reddish purple color. Moderately full-bodied. Highly extracted. Quite tannic. Toasted oak, plums, cassis, pepper. Toasty oak and black fruit aromas. Tons of chewy black Cabernet fruit with solid dry tannins through the finish. Assertive and structured, this should do well in the cellar.

The winersquo;s opaque purple color is followed by a promising sweet, smoky, chocolatey, licorice, and blackcurrent-scented nose, and deep, powerful, full-bodied flavors. Abundant tannin in the finish suggests this is a Private Reserve to lay away for 2ndash;3 years. Normally these Private Reserves possess a precociousness and silky, up-front richness. Aromatically the 1993 Private Reserve is rewarding, but after the initial attack of sweet fruit, the winersquo;s tannin takes precedence. It is an outstanding wine, but more of a long-term prospect. Anticipated maturity: 2000ndash;2015.

Creamy blackberry, cassis, toasty oak and vanilla aromas lead off here. This elegant wine is loaded with additional flavors redolent of licorice, tobacco, spice and dense berries. Itrsquo;s all couched in supple, velvety tannins. Long and lush at the end.

From Beringerrsquo;s impressive line of reserve bottlings. Remarkable for its intensity, richness, depth and concentration, this is a big yet elegant wine stuffed with complex currant, leather, spice, sage and cedar flavors that fan out on the palate. Tempting now, but probably best cellared into 1999 to 2001.