Beringer Vineyards
Knights Valley Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
Sonoma County, California, USA
First vintage of this wine, and it might be the best!
First vintage of this wine, and it might be the best!
Oct 15th, 2016Knights Valley still showing a lot of fruit 34 years later!
Knights Valley still showing a lot of fruit 34 years later!
Dec 26th, 2014
Kicking off my birthday week with this, the first of several 1981 wines to celebrate my 40th birthday. Back then, Myron Nightingale was still making the wines but Ed Sbragia was already at Beringer by then so I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he has his hands on this wine. The capsule spun freely so that was a good sign. I didn’t have a Durand so I used a normal wine key but I was able to pull the cork intact…though I took it very nice and slow. The cork was saturated a little over halfway. No decanter used. Very light ruby color with a slight orange-ish rim indicating there was age but otherwise, the color was good! On the nose, this was quite a bit more youthful and open for business from the pour. Tart red rope cherry licorice, bell pepper, tobacco, leather and earth. The tannins were completely integrated and the acid was medium +, no doubt extending the life of this bottle. The finish was long and quite zippy. At sub-13% ABV, you could hardly compare it to the California Cabernet Sauvignons of today. This was opened along with the 1981 Silver Oak and this bottle showed better tonight than its fancier Napa counterpart, drinking well for several hours. FWIW, I acquired this wine from a private collection; provenance was excellent.
Kicking off my birthday week with this, the first of several 1981 wines to celebrate my 40th birthday. Back then, Myron Nightingale was still making the wines but Ed Sbragia was already at Beringer by then so I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he has his hands on this wine. The capsule spun freely so that was a good sign. I didn’t have a Durand so I used a normal wine key but I was able to pull the cork intact…though I took it very nice and slow. The cork was saturated a little over halfway. No decanter used. Very light ruby color with a slight orange-ish rim indicating there was age but otherwise, the color was good! On the nose, this was quite a bit more youthful and open for business from the pour. Tart red rope cherry licorice, bell pepper, tobacco, leather and earth. The tannins were completely integrated and the acid was medium +, no doubt extending the life of this bottle. The finish was long and quite zippy. At sub-13% ABV, you could hardly compare it to the California Cabernet Sauvignons of today. This was opened along with the 1981 Silver Oak and this bottle showed better tonight than its fancier Napa counterpart, drinking well for several hours. FWIW, I acquired this wine from a private collection; provenance was excellent.
May 4th, 2021
v19. Very good! Distinct smoked meat nose. Rich, juicy, black currant juice. Sharp, bright, long, plum finish. Well done!
v19. Very good! Distinct smoked meat nose. Rich, juicy, black currant juice. Sharp, bright, long, plum finish. Well done!
Dec 22nd, 2023Back in the Dells delivering deer stands. Guys weekend steak/venison dinner. Great all around.
Back in the Dells delivering deer stands. Guys weekend steak/venison dinner. Great all around.
Sep 16th, 2023
found a 44 yr old bottle. still alive!
found a 44 yr old bottle. still alive!
Dec 28th, 2021
Decent cab. Dark fruit on palate. Medium finish.
Decent cab. Dark fruit on palate. Medium finish.
Feb 11th, 2017
Still very youthful and needed an hour decant to integrate, it reminds me of those Russian chocolate-covered plum candies, but finishes with dusty dried dill. My preference is for less American wood, but the juice was/is solid.
Still very youthful and needed an hour decant to integrate, it reminds me of those Russian chocolate-covered plum candies, but finishes with dusty dried dill. My preference is for less American wood, but the juice was/is solid.
Apr 24th, 2016