Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve 2007

Production: 9,008 cases; Alcohol: 14.6%; Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon; Harvest Dates: September 10 to October 24. The 2007 Private Reserve is composed of 34% Bancroft Ranch, 33% Steinhauer Ranch, 8% Chabot Vineyard, 8% Lampyridae, and the remainder from St. Helena Home Vineyard, Marston Ranch and Rancho del Oso fruit. A mild spring and summer with only a handful of heat spikes was followed by beautiful weather in September and October. One of the finest Private Reserves made over the last two decades, this phenomenal wine is obviously still an infant in terms of development, but it exhibits a dense purple color as well as an extraordinary nose of blackberries, white chocolate, licorice, tobacco leaf, smoky barbecue, charcoal and a burning ember-like note reminiscent of a Graves from Bordeaux. A dense, luscious, full-bodied, opulent style, with sweet tannin, this locked and loaded, intense, full throttle Private Reserve should be accessible in 5andndash;6 years and last for 25andndash;30.

Ruby-red. Highly nuanced nose combines currant, plum, smoky oak, minerals, licorice and mint. Wonderfully sweet, sappy and dense. The most complex of these '99 cabernets, with enticing flavors of currant, minerals and brown spices. Very long, slow-building finish features big but sweet and fine tannins. Suave and impressive.

The 2007 Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon offers aromas of black currant, star anise and wild mint. Plush flavors of blackberry, cardamom and bittersweet cocoa are accented by mouth-coating tannins and a luscious finish.

Production: 9,008 cases; Alcohol: 14.6%; Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon; Harvest Dates: September 10 to October 24. The 2007 Private Reserve is composed of 34% Bancroft Ranch, 33% Steinhauer Ranch, 8% Chabot Vineyard, 8% Lampyridae, and the remainder from St. Helena Home Vineyard, Marston Ranch and Rancho del Oso fruit. A mild spring and summer with only a handful of heat spikes was followed by beautiful weather in September and October. One of the finest Private Reserves made over the last two decades, this phenomenal wine is obviously still an infant in terms of development, but it exhibits a dense purple color as well as an extraordinary nose of blackberries, white chocolate, licorice, tobacco leaf, smoky barbecue, charcoal and a burning ember-like note reminiscent of a Graves from Bordeaux. A dense, luscious, full-bodied, opulent style, with sweet tannin, this locked and loaded, intense, full throttle Private Reserve should be accessible in 5-6 years and last for 25-30.

Production: 14,200 cases; Alcohol: 14.2%; Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon; Harvest Dates: September 21 to October 16. A gorgeous growing season was mild until the end of September when temperatures soared. The results are powerful, concentrated, flamboyant 2002s in Napa. The 2002 Private Reserve is a blend of fruit from Steinhauer Ranch (48%), St. Helena Home Vineyard (23%), Marston Ranch (8%), Bancroft Ranch (7%), Rancho del Oso (6%) and the balance Chabot Vineyard. This exuberant, powerful wine exhibits a dense purple color as well as a wonderful, sexy, earthy, flamboyant bouquet and sweet, fat, fleshy flavors. This is a succulent, classic California fruit bomb offering up spice box, licorice, tobacco leaf, seductive smoky oak, and abundant creme de cassis and blackberry fruit. Viscous, thick and juicy, it appears to be on a relatively fast evolutionary track and can be drunk now or cellared for another 10-15 years.

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. It's all couched in supple, velvety tannins. Long and lush at the end.

The 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve may not equal the fabulous concentration and intensity of the 2001, but itrsquo;s not far off the mark. It is a fruit-forward, softer, more flamboyant, already seductive effort displaying gorgeous notes of chocolaty creme de cassis, some spicy, high-quality, toasty oak, a rich, plush, savory, expansive mid-palate, and a long, heady finish with elevated glycerin and plenty of sweet tannin and fruit. This wine is delicious yet promises to age gorgeously for 15ndash;20 years. Ed Sbragia compares it to the 1992 which, by the way, is drinking superbly in 2005, but is one of those rare vintages that has never gone through a closed period. Itrsquo;s always a fascinating education to taste through these component parts, but the resulting blend that Ed Sbragia puts together, the extraordinary Private Reserve, is one of the great Cabernet Sauvignons of California and he has fashioned a succession of beauties since 1991.