2012 Beringer "Private Reserve" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
SKU #1218094
96 points
Wine Advocate
Revealing the great blending skills of Beringer’s winemaking team, the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve is a winner. Having purchased Private Reserves for many years, I can attest that they age incredibly well. The 1991, one of the great successes of that vintage, is still aging beautifully at nearly 25 years of age. The sensational 2012 (10,000 cases) boasts an opaque purple color along with abundant aromas of charcoal, burning embers, creme de cassis, chocolate, blackberries and licorice. The long, complex, compelling, full-bodied texture along with terrific purity and a savory, rich mouthfeel result in a classic, quintessential Napa Cabernet Sauvignon to drink now and over the next 20-25 years. (RP)
(10/2014)
95 points
James Suckling
This is powerful with super polished tannins and a wonderful balance of fruit and acidity. Lots of blackberry, sweet tobacco and fresh mushroom undertones. Layered and structured. Needs at least three to four years to come around but already great. Exciting, harking back to the great vintages of this wine.
(7/2015)
93 points
Vinous
Saturated ruby to the rim. Still slightly stunted by the bottling last September, showing mostly cedar and oak spice on the nose, plus hints of primary dark fruits. Plush, fleshy and deep but youthfully monolithic for all its sweetness. Shows a strong chocolatey ripeness but this very generous wine needs at least several years in the cellar to burn off some of its baby fat and assume its adult shape. Finishes with serious but noble tannins, a note of licorice and strong lingering sweetness. (ST) 93+
(7/2015)
93 points
Wine Spectator
A classy style that combines firm, ripe, dusty blackberry, currant and wild berry flavors with dried herb, cedar and tobacco notes. On the finish, the tannins are fine-grained and the flavors flow through in an elegant manner. (JL)
(8/2015)