wine: Beringer 2006 St. Helena Cabernet Sauvignon

This bottle of wine has been sitting in our wine frig for a few years.  We've been giving it a quarter turn every month as we do with all of our wine just dying for the "special" day that we can open this and enjoy it.  We've passed up on other occasions like "We just got a puppy" day or "It's a Tuesday!" or "Mike just got into an MBA program!"  None of those seemed quite right for that special day to enjoy this bottle.  When, oh, when would we finally open this?!?

[ENTER] Our 5th Wedding Anniversary! Yahoo! A perfect opportunity to open this bottle.  We brought this bottle with us to the Ritz Carlton in Half Moon Bay, where we were staying for our anniversary.  We enjoyed it in the Ritz Carlton's wine glasses, which were a bit smaller than normal wine glass size.  Can I just tell you that the wine glasses were a bit smaller than normal size Cabernet glasses so it was like we got to enjoy this bottle for twice as long.  Score! I am pretty sure that if could taste heaven, heaven would taste like 2006 Beringer Single Vineyard St. Helena Cabernet Sauvignon.  It was delicious.  So smooth, so good, and yet again, I did not take any specific notes, so you are just going to have to believe me that heaven-in-wine-form tastes delightful.  

The end.

all time favorite

I have a favorite grape.  No, not to eat (although I am particular to a good crisp, sweet, red grape) but rather to drink.  I absolutely love the cabernet franc grape. It makes heavenly wine.  I love it.  I think it might have to be an early 2012 resolution to seek out every winery in Napa and Sonoma that make 100% cab franc wine.  So far, we've found Beringer's Cab Franc.   It is perhaps one of my most favorite bottles of wine ever.  It's like stepping into a cedar lined closet and licking the walls.  Yep, I said licking. 

This wine is fantastic.  It is woodsy, spicy and has a hint of blueberry.  (OK, so I got the woodsy and spicy part but I didn't capture that blueberry hint on my tongue.  I probably would have just said "berry".  And that, my friends is why we are always thankful that wine companies write something on the back label of the bottle.) I can't get enough of it. But at $50 per bottle, I do have to call it quits at some point. 

(just another reason to win

 the lottery)

One of our favorite things to do while in Napa, is to buy a bottle and sit outside of the Beringer home (also their reserve tasting room) and watch the world go by.  It almost feels as if time stands still while on the porch at Beringer. The grounds are serene and the wine is amazing. 

Also worth mentioning - this is a 2006 bottle.  2006 wasn't known for it's rock star harvest. 2007 on the other hand was a fantastic year in Napa.  I think I might need to go back and stock up on some of that 2007 Cab Franc when it's available.  Pretty sure it's going to blow my mind. 

Beringer, St. Helena

Beringer Vineyard left a bad taste in our mouth the last time we visited last May.  The 105 degree heat, the fact that we needed lunch terribly bad and the poor service didn't help. 

This time however, the weather was perfect, we had chex mix in the car and the service was fantastic.  Definitely a great time.  Beringer has both the regular tasting room and the reserve room, however both times we've visited, we've gone to the reserve room.  Partly because the regular tasting room is a ZOO and the reserve room is in the beautifully restored home and because you know us - we like to pay more for the tasting and get the good stuff. 

Next time we visit, I'll have to wander around and take pictures of the Beringer home.  Bob Vila would be so proud.  The way they restored this home is amazing.  The word impressive is an understatement, they found an original stencil in the attic and used it to paint a border in the tasting room. 

Or so I'm told.  I'm a bit gullible.

Side note: During my spring break to Florida in 3rd grade we drove past a parking lot with a few police cars and my sister told me it must have been a drug bust - so I wrote back to my 3rd grade class that I just witnessed a drug bust. (True story...and yes, pretty sure that was NOT a drug bust...although I'm still just as gullible so I'm sure if my big sister were to confirm it, I'd still believe it.)

The wine was impressive too.  We scored again with the girl that was pouring our wine because we proved that we enjoy a good Cab and she poured us a few extras.  One of those was the St. Helena (pronounced He-leen-a just in case you want to act like a local) 2006 Cab.  This Cab was wonderful.  We actually decided that rather than putting our first unborn child through private school (just kidding, it isn't THAT expensive) we'd buy a bottle to take home.  It was delish. We'll let you know when we actually open it.  It might be in 7 years, so stay tuned. 

Beringer is one of those wineries that makes me absolutely adore Napa. I adore Sonoma too, but there's a history to Napa, and we like history.  Beringer is located next to the Culinary Institute which is another exquisite building you should take a gander at if you are in the area.  And while I'm at it, St. Helena is a cute little town full of boutiques, restaurants and wineries in every direction.