Wine Spectator
Deliciously rich and concentrated, the layers of herb, mint, cherry and plum flavors are tightly wound together and framed by toasty oak and firm tannins. Elegant and stylish, this beautifully proportioned wine echoes fruit and oak.
Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate
My gut feeling is that Beringer's superb 1986 Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon has turned out even better than their 1985. Perhaps it is just that the 1986 tastes more forward, but I also thought the super bouquet of this wine and the creamy, expansive, rich, full-bodied flavors had even more dimension than the wonderful 1985. It has a stunning bouquet of ripe, smoky, oaky, berry-scented fruit, extravagantly rich, luscious flavors, and super length. It would appear to have a more multi-dimensional character and a richer, fuller personality than the 1985. Pleasurable now, this gorgeously made Cabernet Sauvignon should continue to offer superlative drinking for another 10-12 years.
Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate
The fully mature, open-knit 1986 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve is totally delicious. The color is dark garnet with some amber at the edge. The big, sweet, licorice, earthy, jammy, black fruit-scented nose is followed by a full-bodied, sweet, expansive, chewy wine with no hard edges. The acidity and tannin are both well-integrated in this plump, sumptuous Cabernet Sauvignon that should drink well for 5-6 more years.
Wine Spectator
Wine Spectator's Wine of the Year for 1990, now mature and perhaps a shade past its prime. The flavors are ripe and complex plum and currant, with hints of anise and spice, but it turns dry and tannic on the finish. Quite consistent through several tastings. Drink soon.--1986 California Cabernet horizontal.
Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate
Drink: 2011 - 2016 - Alcohol: 13.7% Blend: 96% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Cabernet Franc; Harvest Dates: September 23 to October 19. Composed of 52% Tre Colline fruit, 27% from Bancroft Ranch and the balance from the St. Helena Home Vineyard and Chabot Vineyard, this vintage was characterized by high heat spikes in August that complicated things after intermittent rain had caused flowering issues in May. Fortunately, September cooled off and gave most vineyards a chance to ripen more evenly. The wine reveals ragged tannins as well as a more overt herbaceous character, medium to full body, and a more angular, austere personality that lacks the charm, fat, sweetness and unctuosity of the top vintages. The 1996 is a very good Private Reserve and on its own may show slightly better, but it is clearly the weakest link in the first eight vintages of the nineties. It is fully mature and is unlikely to get any better. In fact there is a danger of desiccation with further aging, so drink it over the next 4-5 years.
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