Mission Codename Knights of the Valley
This iconic wine was one of our most popular offers last year. Today we’re coming in hot with the 2019 vintage and once again it’s a certified blockbuster.
As usual, it carries a grip of high scores - topping out with 95 points. At nearly half off this comes in under $40 and drinks like something going for $100+. Heck, if it was a Napa, probably closer to $200… don’t be surprised when you pop the first bottle and think:
“Oh man, I should have bought more!”
Anyone who knows Napa knows Beringer. They’re a pillar of the industry, a longtime fixture with history as rich as any dating back to 1875 when Jacob Beringer bought 200+ acres in St Helena. Next came their first harvest in 1876 and the rest is history (a lot of it). Today their vineyard sites are second to none. And this Reserve, sourced from Knights Valley, has been a longstanding favorite in their lineup for many years. In 2012 it was named the #8 wine of the year by Wine Spectator. As reliable as Cab gets.
It’s Mark Beringer who oversees the wines these days, Jacob’s great-great-grandson. It’s a masculine and rich expression, with the extraction dialed back a bit and the savory, meaty complexity turned up. So, while not a TOTAL jam fest, it still has stacks of blackcurrant, blueberry muffin, and dusty plums, with layers of raw cacao, toasted nuts, turned earth, black licorice, tobacco, and vanilla in the mix. It all flows along on soft, sweet tannins into a Stretch Armstrong finish. We’re thinking the Ultimate Steak Sandwich from Gordon Ramsey and a bottle of this tonight.
Only 5 listings on the world wide web… and did we brag (again, sigh) best price in all of the US of A?
When we sell out, that’s it - no more.
95 Points – James Suckling
“Aromas of black tea, blackberry, and tobacco leaf. Full-bodied with velvety, slightly tense tannins. Lovely, black-fruited palate with dried-flower and herb character. Roses, violets, and sage. Nicely balanced and long. Lovely density in the center-palate. Best after 2025.”
93 Points – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
“Beringer’s 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Knights Valley starts off life as a block selection from the huge vineyard’s rockiest parcel, then gets trimmed down further in the winery by winnowing out lots and barrels that don’t quite make the cut. The result is a wine that boasts lovely Cabernet florals and pretty cassis fruit. It’s bigger, richer, and fuller-bodied than the regular KV bottling, more concentrated, but also smoother, silkier and longer on the finish. Drink 2023-2040.”
What the Winery Says
2019 'KVR' Knights Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
- Consulting winemaker
- Mark Beringer
- Winemaker
- Ryan Rech
- Varietal
- 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
- Vintage
- 2019
- Alcohol
- 14.5%
- Appellation
- Knights Valley, Sonoma County
- pH
- 3.87
- Harvest dates
- October - November, 2019
- Aging
- 21 months
- Barrels
- 50% new French oak