Composed of lots from Gamble Ranch and Borrow Pit, plus Lampyridae, the 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve features a slightly lifted, herbal note set against a backdrop of ripe cherries and dusty earth. It's medium to full-bodied and crisp, with dusty tannins and hints of cassis on the finish. Without its usual Howell Mountain component, it's an atypical Private Reserve, tarter and more red-fruited than other vintages. Volume suffered as well, with just 847 cases produced instead of a few thousand.

Beringer's 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve is greater than the sum of (most of) its parts. Lovely floral and cassis shadings combine with the merest whisper of green herbs, just enough to keep things interesting and varietally distinct. It's medium to full-bodied and strongly tannic, so it needs time in the cellar, maybe even more so than the individual components.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve is a blend of 98% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it opens with subtle notes of fresh blackberries, mulberries and crushed blackcurrants, plus emerging hints of redcurrant jelly, bay leaves, unsmoked cigars and cedar chest. Full-bodied, rich and plush, it delivers mouth-coating black fruits and loads of savory layers with plenty of freshness and great length.

Composed of 96% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Cabernet Franc, the deep garnet-purple colored 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve springs from the glass with notions of red and black currant jelly, baker's chocolate, menthol and spice cake plus hints of violets, cedar and kirsch in the undercurrent. Medium to full-bodied, the palate reveals a firm, finely grained texture with tons of freshness backing up the generous fruit, finishing long and perfumed. 9,644 cases were made.

Composed of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot aged for 20 months in 83% new French oak, the deep garnet-purple colored 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve sings of crème de cassis, kirsch, blackberry preserves and blueberry pie, with loads of chocolate box, floral and baking spices hints. Full-bodied with a firm, chewy frame and loads of savory accents, it delivers a long, multilayered finish. 13,304 cases produced, to be released in January of 2020.