2005 Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon Marston Ranch Napa Valley
Beringer is a very large winery that produces everything from <$10 value wines you can find at the supermarket to ultra-premium >$100 wines that compete with the best cult classics Napa has to offer. Founded in 1875, this winery has seen a lot of action in its day - including survival through Prohibition! Beringer may not be the trendiest winery in Napa, but it is a landmark producer with a rich history (and one of the more charming large wineries to visit)!
The 2005 Marston Ranch is one of Beringer's premium single vineyard offerings from a vineyard a few miles from its original estate. It is not widely distributed, so interested drinkers may need to search around to find a bottle. But before they do, let's review what this has to offer.
Inky purple, this wine has good concentration with a nose of currant, blackberry, and oak. It is full bodied, with chewy tannins and good complexity delivering some earthy flavors. All in all, a solid effort that screams California.
Before anyone goes off on a treasure hunt tracking a bottle down, however, let me pass on my advice - skip this '05 and throw in a few extra dollars to get the outstanding 2007 Private Reserve! I tasted through a wide range of vintages at a recent visit to the winery, and the '07 was the standout and is worthy of the high scores it has received.