"Founded in 1875, St. Helena's Beringer Vineyards is the oldest continuously operating winery in Napa Valley and a member of the National Register for Historic Places. "As you drive over the mountain from St. Helena," winemaker Laurie Hook begins, "the valley opens up before your eyes and you immediately feel transported to another time, where things are slower and more rustic." In an effort to preserve the nuances of particular areas of Knights Valley, Hook vinifies and ages each group of berries individually. She then extends the maceration period, providing a lushness on the palate supported by enhanced tannins. This lengthened maceration also accounts for the wine's insanely deep purple hue and chunky nose of dark fruit and candied apples. Hook ages her wines in French Nevers oak for 13 months before blending with a touch of Merlot and Cab Franc to lift the mid-palate and refine the finish. Her efforts pay off in a flawless Cabernet bursting with dark berries and leather as a touch of smoke gently wafts over the top. The quality of this wine and the fact that we are nearly $6 below the national average makes this incredible California value a no brainer." 90 points, Shawn Reynolds
"Several other great values emerge from Beringer, including the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Knight’s Valley. A major sleeper of the vintage, this $27 wine will probably be marked down at discounters, making it a terrific value. This sexy North Coast Cabernet offers copious quantities of black cherry and black currant fruit intermixed with smoky barbecue, roasted herb, sweet cassis, and blackberry scents. Round and gentle with silky tannins, this is a plush red to drink over the next 5-8 years.
As I have written in the past, Beringer offers between 200-250 cases of each of their single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons that go into their Private Reserve program. Interestingly, as good as the single vineyard cuvees tend to be, and they’re all very different, the Private Reserve blend is as good or better than the finest single vineyard, demonstrating that the blending process is essential and important." 88 points, Wine Advocate # 186 Dec 2009 | 
