Beringer winemaker emeritus, Laurie Hook, who has been making wine at Beringer since 1986, shows off the strength and finesse of her skilled, guiding hand in today’s impressive, elegant wine.

Be prepared, Operative!

Today’s Beringer Vineyards 2012 Knights Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is one remarkable, delicious and downright impressive wine.

Our 40% off price makes this 93 point (Wine Spectator) wine a no-brainer.

Deeply fragrant, with nose-filling aromas of black cherry, spiced cherry candy, dried fall leaves, chocolate covered cherry, sweet tobacco, cassis, braised fig, dried violets, cedar, vanilla and black pepper.

Dark flavors coat the palate in a cascade of blackberry, plum preserve, baker’s chocolate, spice box, dried violets, cassis, black licorice, grilled fig, espresso bean, black tea leaf, spice and black pepper.

The Knights Valley AVA (American Viticultural Area), in Sonoma County, California, is one of Sonoma County’s initial five American Viticultural Areas. Formally designated an American Viticultural Area on October 21, 1983, the area includes approximately 38,000 acres, 2000 of which are planted to wine grapes.

The region is the easternmost AVA and it enjoys the warmest climate in the county. The Knights Valley lies between the Alexander Valley AVA and Chalk Hill AVA wine regions to the west and the Mayacamas Mountains to the east. The appellation separates the rest of Sonoma County from the Napa Valley AVA - which lies to the east.

If you’ve never had the pleasure, Beringer’s Reserve tier wines are some of the most elegant and delicious wines that Beringer makes. Winemaker Laurie Hook chose the finest blocks from the winery’s Knight’s Valley vineyard, which gives this wine a distinct leg up over their non-reserve wines which, as they are, are really quite good.

This wine is just leaps and bounds better.

James Laube, Senior Editor of Wine Spectator Magazine, awarded this wine 93 points, and Robert Parker calls the wine “Top-notch stuff”. Wine critic Wilfred Wong calls this wine “One of the most solid wines of the vintage.”

We just call it great!

~

Here’s what the wine press has to say:

93 points - James Laube, Wine Spectator, July 2015 - “Delicate aromas of crushed dark berry, wilted rose, cedar and graphite fold over to the palate, where they are trim and structured. The firm acidity and tannins are complemented by a hint of fresh-crushed rock.”

~

92 points - Wilfred Wong, May 9, 2016 - “Chief Winemaker Laurie Hook says that the 2012 vintage began with textbook conditions that continued through much of the harvest. From my tasting notes, I find those comments quite accurate. The 2012 Beringer Knights Valley Reserve Cabernet is one of the most solid wines of the vintage— it shows excellent concentration of blue and black fruits, with just a touch of sweet oak. This wine would be a beautiful match with grilled beef. Drinking quite well now.”

~

90 points - Robert Parker, Wine Advocate - “Even better than the regular Knights Valley cuvée is the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve from Knight’s Valley. It reveals more fudge, toast, licorice, blackberry and blackcurrant fruit, a medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, impressive purity as well as a long finish. This is top-notch stuff that should drink well for 10-12 years.”