2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve

(14.2% alcohol; 2% Chabot, 23% St. Helena, 7% Bancroft, 8% Marston, 5% Rancho del Oso, 48% Steinhauer and 7% Cabernet Franc): Good deep red. Very ripe, slightly roasted aromas of sweet fruit pastry and coffee liqueur. Huge and sweet if still a bit monolithic, with a wave of plush berry fruit washing over the palate. Finishes with substantial granular tannins and serious palate-staining length. This wine appears to be going through a closed stage today and still needs time in the cellar.

Good deep red. Very ripe, slightly roasted aromas of sweet fruit pastry and coffee liqueur. Huge and sweet if still a bit monolithic, with a wave of plush berry fruit washing over the palate. Finishes with substantial granular tannins and serious palate-staining length. This wine appears to be going through a closed stage today and still needs time in the cellar. (ST) 93+

Put them all together and you have the 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve, a sensational 14,000-case cuvee that is one of the benchmarks for what Napa Valley is capable of achieving. Its dense purple color is followed by copious notes of smoky barbecue, creme de cassis, white chocolate, blackberries, charcoal and truffles. Full-bodied, fleshy and succulent, with sweet tannins in the finish, this 2002 has not yet hit full maturity. Give it another 2-4 years of cellaring, and drink it over the following two decades. I asked the winemaking team what the final blend was for the 2002 Private Reserve, and to the best of their recollection, the largest component was from Steinhauer Ranch (50%), followed by St. Helena Home Ranch (23%) and tiny percentages of Bancroft, Rancho del Oso, Chabot, Marston, and some Cabernet Franc from Howell Mountain. As longtime readers know, the Beringer winery blends all their top single vineyards into their flagship wine, the Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. At the same time, for members of their private club, they offer several hundred cases of these same vineyards bottled separately as an educational journey through different Napa Valley terroirs considered to be the finest in their program. Interestingly, the Private Reserve blend always seems to eclipse the component parts, as evidenced by the following tasting notes. Tel. (866) 708-9463