Sonoma’s really faring rather above Napa in the 2012 sweepstakes. The first thing hitting you on this classic little cheapie is an intense green briary spice on the nose. Fresh-cut weeds–tall ones–wild lettuce and Canadian thistle: spraying sappy goodness over a green, peaty foundation minty and Fernet-y but never going eucalyptus. It’s soggy and non-stop and beautiful, but is kinda the ONLY note out of the bouquet… so….
Tasting it shows a wine I hope I have several more of, but doubt it. Yes it’s big and rich and sweet, but the amount of structure blasting in around the minty, licorice goodness takes the chubby patina off easily, settling everything down easily into a rather-balanced finish. The fruit a thick cinnamon-infused tincture lollygagging around in a rather thin body: supermodel curves with 0 fat. This is a gorgeous wine, one I would proudly serve to geeks and n00bs alike. Ber KV does it again! They’ve surprised me numerous times in the past and here we go again.
2012 BERINGER ‘Knight’s Valley’ (yes, Knight’s Valley is a trademark on this label, so I am putting it before the variety rather than after) Cabernet Sauvignon (Knight’s Valley)??? Sonoma (NOWHERE ON THE ENTIRE LABEL does the word “Sonoma” appear) 14.3
Stephen McConnell 