There were close to 10,000 cases produced of the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve, which is an incredible wine any way you look at it. Based all on Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from a number of vineyards (mostly Bancroft Ranch and Steinhauer), it’s still deep purple-hued and has a stunning bouquet of crème de cassis, white truffle, damp earth, flowers, and bouquet garni that develops beautifully with time in the glass. While it still has plenty of baby fat and opulence, it’s at the early stages of maturity and has full-bodied richness, a layered, elegant texture, sweet tannins, and flawless balance. This is a brilliant, brilliant Napa Cabernet Sauvignon that’s going to continue drinking well for another two decades. Hats off to Berninger for delivering a wine at this quantity of this quality!

Production: 9,008 cases; Alcohol: 14.6%; Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon; Harvest Dates: September 10 to October 24. The 2007 Private Reserve is composed of 34% Bancroft Ranch, 33% Steinhauer Ranch, 8% Chabot Vineyard, 8% Lampyridae, and the remainder from St. Helena Home Vineyard, Marston Ranch and Rancho del Oso fruit. A mild spring and summer with only a handful of heat spikes was followed by beautiful weather in September and October. One of the finest Private Reserves made over the last two decades, this phenomenal wine is obviously still an infant in terms of development, but it exhibits a dense purple color as well as an extraordinary nose of blackberries, white chocolate, licorice, tobacco leaf, smoky barbecue, charcoal and a burning ember-like note reminiscent of a Graves from Bordeaux. A dense, luscious, full-bodied, opulent style, with sweet tannin, this locked and loaded, intense, full throttle Private Reserve should be accessible in 5-6 years and last for 25-30. - Robert Parker

Insistent, very precise Cabernet fruit is the bearing by which this well-made wine steers, and its deep theme of optimally ripened cassis shines through its ample blanket of rich oak and powers on past the youthful tannins that presently rough up its finish. There is even now a sense of precision and style that sets this one apart, and, if never an especially big wine in build, it is very well-stuffed and exudes real varietal confidence from beginning to lasting finish.