2016 Benessere Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, St. Helena, Napa Valley
Tasting Notes
The wine displays great aromatic complexity to match its beautiful crimson to dark garnet color. Blackberry, blackcurrant, and black cherry aromas are complemented by cedar, sage, and thyme notes. These flavors carry through on the palate, supported by substantial but soft, supple tannins. Notes of espresso, dark chocolate, and a hint of tobacco develop on the lingering finish. This is a wine of great length and complexity that will continue to evolve in the glass and cellar.
Vintage
Despite the ongoing statewide drought, Napa Valley received close to average rainfall in 2015-16. More than 12" fell in March 2016, ensuring that the vines had ample water as they emerged from dormancy. The growing season was considerably cooler than in the previous two vintages, allowing us to harvest beautifully ripened grapes at the end of a long growing season.
Winemaking
Our Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of clones 6, 30, and 337, which bring depth to the finished wine. In the winery, we handle the fruit gently, destemming without crushing the berries. We adjust our cap management techniquesāpunchdowns and pumpoversāto get the desired structure and color without over extraction.
This Cabernet Sauvignon is irresistible now but will reward cellaring for a decade or more.
Pairings
This versatile wine would be wonderful with grilled meats (pork, skirt steak, leg of lamb, lamb chops) and a wild mushroom risotto.
Specs
Vintage: 2016
Appellation: St. Helena, California
Varietal: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Harvest Date: September 28 ā 30
Alcohol by volume: 14.3%
Finished pH: 3.66
Finished TA: 6.5 g/L
Production: 281 cases
Winemaker: Matt Reid
2017 Benessere Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, St. Helena, Napa Valley
Tasting Notes
A striking dark garnet color, this wine displays beautiful aromas to match. Black cherry, blackberry, and blackcurrant aromas are complemented by hints of mocha and dark chocolate. On the palate, the wine is silky in texture, but it has a delightfully surprising tannic grip. Notes of espresso and dark chocolate-covered cherries stand out against a background of lush fruit flavors. The lingering, complex finish promises a great future for this wine.
Vintage
We had a wet start to 2017, so welcome after 5 years of drought. The bulk of the rain fell in January and February, but rains continued into April, ensuring that the vines would have ample water throughout the growing season. The harvest started more or less on time with average to slightly low yields. What started in water ended in fire. Fortunately, we had harvested most of our fruit before the October fires. We did not use any fruit harvested after the fires.
Winemaking
Our Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of clones 6, 30, and 337, which bring depth to the finished wine. In the winery, we handle the fruit gently, destemming without crushing the berries. We adjust our cap management techniquesāpunchdowns and pumpoversāto get the desired structure and color without over extraction.
This Cabernet Sauvignon is irresistible now but will reward cellaring for a decade or more.
Pairings
This versatile wine will pair beautifully with rigatoni with salsiccia and ricotta, grilled baby back ribs, a slab of thick-cut bacon, or your favorite pasta in Bolognese sauce.
Specs
Vintage: 2017
Blend Composition: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Harvest Date: September 28 ā October 6
Alcohol by volume: 14.5%
Finished TA: 5.8 g/L
Finished pH | 3.82
Production: 298 cases
Winemaker: Matt Reid
Whatās Included
2-bottles:
1x 2016 Benessere Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, St. Helena, Napa Valley
1x 2017 Benessere Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, St. Helena, Napa Valley Case:
6x 2016 Benessere Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, St. Helena, Napa Valley
6x 2017 Benessere Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, St. Helena, Napa Valley
In 1994, John and Ellen Benish founded Benessere Vineyards with a vision to celebrate the joy of wine, family, and friends. Deeply inspired by the classic varietals of Italy and the rich terroir of Napa Valley, Benessere has built a legacy of crafting elegant, expressive wines with a strong sense of place. With a steadfast commitment to authenticity and craftsmanship, Benessere Vineyards remains dedicated to producing wines of character and distinctionāwines that honor both tradition and the land from which they come.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, PA, TX, VA, WA, WI, WY
Benessere Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley
2 bottles for $67.99 $34/bottle + $4/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $299.99 $25/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
Ideal timing for Motherās Day weekend with the arrival of a surprise Casemates/Alice bottle incoming. We really were looking forward to a Benessere, as weād not had any of their wines until now.
The wine arrived safely and had some resting time before our planned Thursday tasting dinner. Quick summary- this is a very nice Napa Cabernet Sauvignon which doesnāt need any additional aging, but may be even nicer over the next several years.
First tasting: Bottle was chilled and opened to breathe for about a half hour. Serving temp was just shy of 64Ā°. Cork showed dark staining commensurate with the wine color, with little penetration of the natural cork. Color is a very dark ruby to burgundy at the edge. The nose has loads of black fruit/blackberry with some light oak. Mrs. Rat confirmed the berry and some vanilla. Our son was home for this one, and with his younger olfactory picked up dark cherry and licorice/cola. Swirling the glass showed some viscosity and moderate legs.
The tastes were in line with aroma- lots of berry, some tobacco/cedar with tannins very present, but not overwhelming- right in line with expectations. Nice dryness with vanilla showing up and lingering for a nice finish. The 14.5 ABV is there with some mild heat. Mrs. Rat noted the berry and oak were clear and balanced.
Food was a key prep item for this wine, and were based on numerous references to āribeyeā with this wine. They were not wrong. Mrs. Ratt grilled up some wonderful ribeye from a local butcher with compound basil Gorgonzola butter and polenta with cherry tomatoes. The pairing advice was spot on with this wine. Excellent! Mrs. Rat noted that the wine stood up to the Gorgonzola sharpness. Final note on this with dinner from her āI really like how the food brings the wine forward and the fruit really blooms.ā If you pick up this offer, itās a highly recommended pairing. Seriously!
After dinner were a selection of Seeās chocolates brought back from the west coast- the dark chocolates were very good. I do have to say that the āDark Chocolate Coconut Specialā may not have been ideal. (I still liked it, but maybe itās an acquired taste for some).
With this being a Friday only offer, donāt miss out if you are tempted or low on reds that work very well with grilled meats and strong flavors. Weāll try to get a pre-lunch follow up in for āDay 2ā before noon central time.
@benguin986Day 2 update
After storing in the refrigerator overnight, and then letting it warm back up to 64Ā°, flavor profile was nearly the same. The biggest difference was the heat from the alcohol was down quite a bit from the overnight stay. Tannins were right about the same.
Tried with a couple of very sharp cheeses, where it really shines (along with the meat recommendations).
Sorry to see that @bent80 had such a different experience.
We are very happy rats! Benessere 2017 Napa Valley, Estate St Helena Vinyard Cabernet Sauvignon arrived in plenty of time for us to plan a couple of meals for our tasting. The vintnerās website recommended pairing with a Bolognese ā we love Bolognese, so why not! Pop-N-Pour: this is packaged with a synthetic cork; color is a deep plum. On the nose this presented with notes of dark fruit (plum) minerality, and subtle pepper. There was no sedimentation.
Initial taste: We served this cab in varietal specific Riedel glasses. This is fairly fruit forward , dry , with dark/black berries notes prominent. Mr. Rat picked up slight chalky notes. ABV= 14.5 without any notable āheat.ā We observed substantial legs and significant tannins. The wine was clearly tight/ in need of some breathing room.
One hour after opening, we sat down with our Bolognese and a Ceasar salad.
The hour of letting it breathe allowed this wine to open-up nicely. The tannins mellowed quickly. Notes of cherry predominated with hints of cocoa (Mrs. Rat picked-up āmochaā) while DH still noted a slight pleasant chalkiness. A lovely level of acidity paired nicely with the richness of the Bolognese. For comparison, we poured a little into a generic wine glass ā it tasted more acerbic. The varietal specific glass made a notable difference.
We saved Ā½ the bottle (corked, but not vacuumed) for day 2. The Benessere continued to open-up nicely and improve, with a subtle fruit forward (bramble fruits) with notes of mocha, tobacco, smooth tannins and a nice acidity. We paired with pan seared rib eye, baked potato, and a tomato/cucumber/basil/feta/red onion salad. The pairing with the steak was even better than the pairing with the Bolognese.
Since we were not familiar with Benessere wines (and frankly, since we knew we would need to limit ourselves to 1/2 bottle per meal), we opened a 2017 Laura Michaels Cab Sauv for a side-by-side comparison. The Benessere was more fruit forward, in a very pleasant way. The Laura Michael tasted a bit more mature. Both are very good wines. With the pairings we had, we preferred the Benessere. We had a friend join us the 2nd night. Her wine appreciation is much less sophisticated, but developing. She had a strong preference for the Benessere.
We think the Benessere 2017 Cab Sauv is an excellent wine. Please let it breathe for at least an hour before pouring, and 24 hours of breathing is great if you can do it. For a wine of this caliber, a varietlal specific glass does make a notable difference. This is delicious now, but we suspect it will continue to improve and cellar well for a number of years. We anticipate this will come in on the higher end of the CaseMates price range, but is well worth it. Our only problem now is, where are we going to store yet another case of wine?
@ttboy23 Iām not even back from Italy yetā¦but just like thatā¦! Any of my SE MI casematers want in? Just let me know
/giphy bizarre-descriptive-toffee
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
Benessere Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley $108 = 26.46%
Well now, Iām guessing some words of wisdom out in the nether-sphere, might as well take a look around whilst the machine warms upā¦
Ok, nothing particularly recent but a few words of wisdomā¦
Enthusiast on the 2016:
85 points. A 100% varietal wine, this is herbal and thick in tannināa full-bodied exploration of oak, cedar and mild red fruit. ā Virginie Boone 9/1/20
A short note on the '16 from The Nittany Epicurean:
The wine showed a dark ruby color. Blackberry, raspberry, cherry, currant, vanilla and oak all arrived on the nose. Blackberry, cherry, raspberry, vanilla, plum and oak followed on a palate brimming with ripe berries. The wine exhibited great structure and length, along with moderate tannins. This wine would be a good pair with a seared dry-aged ribeye steak. 11/27/18
Grape Experiences, Cindy Rynning, the '16:
Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 can be found on my table with rich pasta and succulent meat dishes. Although you could cellar this beauty for ten or more years, you wonāt want to! Intense notes of dark cherries, chocolate, and cassis prevailed on the nose. With bright acidity and satin-like tannins, flavors of chocolate covered cherries, blueberries, dark plums, ripe red fruit, and vanilla led to a lingering finishā¦ all were intriguing and delicious. My favorite takeaway was that this beautiful wine was just as memorable sipped with or without food. 2/18/19
Mr Dunnuck:
86 points. The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is a lifted, perfumed, attractive effort that has plenty of spiced red and black fruits, incense, and exotic floral notes in its medium-bodied, charming, layered style. Itās not terribly deep or profound, yet itās nicely balanced and charming. 1/31/19
Vinous, the '16 again:
87 points. The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is soft, fruity and forward, all qualities that make it a good choice
for drinking now and over the next few years.
Drink 2018 - 2024. Antonio Galloni 9/18
On to the '17:
Vinous:
88 points. Benessereās 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon is an attractive wine done in a very ripe, forward style. I
would prefer to drink it sooner rather than later, as the fruit and mid-palate are beginning to
fade a bit. Super-ripe red cherry, wild flowers, mint and sweet spice are all pushed forward in this pretty, mid-weight, exotic Cabernet. Drink 2020 - 2029. Antonio Galloni. 9/19
After seeing the price point and reading the other rats, I feel like Iām on Punked!
I mustāve gotten a bad bottle.
Dark purple with ruby perimeter, a few short legs
Nose: blackberry with a hint of strawberry
Palate
Very jammy, raspberry, itās so fruit forward it FEELS sweet without actually BEING sweet, and has a tangy not-quite-sour finish.
No noticeable tannins
Alcohol feels lower than advertised, no taste or smell of it
Itās one dimensional, but goes down fastā¦
Day 2
This is a 1 day drinker (if that)
The ātangyā finish has turned fully sour and vinegary.
I drank half a glass while trying to find some redemption, wife spit out her first mouthful and dumped it.
I seem to recall Benessere from the way back days? Almost want to order a pair because of that. But Iāve just got too many good Cabs. I just bought a Coravin so I could start drinking glasses of different bottles.
I got the golden ticket for the 2017 Benessere Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
Sorry for the later response, I had coaching duties and fell asleep prior to the release of this sale. On to the report!
On opening I noticed the cork was artificial, while I get the benefits I donāt like it. Iād prefer a screw cap if weāre not going natural cork. On pour did not notice any sediment. Aroma was heavily of dark fruits, primarily of black berry with something else? maybe brambles like you could also smell the vines the blackberries were attached to. Initial taste was very different. Very earthy, maybe dust or chalk also? no fruit. There were some fine tannins that provided some grip, made me salivate slightly but not the lip tightening pucker of a young tannic wine. Wine had a medium finish, nothing to lingering but it was there. My wife whoās not a big wine drinker did not like the wine at all on the initial pour. The wine was a deep dark purple that was quite opaque and the wine had slow heavy legs.
With some various foods at opening: Babybel the wine cut through the fat nicely and things seemed in balance. A few slices of New York strip steak the wine went well with it, the earthy flavor was still there and it held up well with it.
After an hour the fruit showed up. Starting to taste the dark fruits of the nose. The earthy flavor has dropped back and rounds out the taste. I much prefer it now then on initial opening. Saving the 2/3rd bottle for day 2.
Day 2: reopened and noticed the strong smell of blackberries has faded a bit and is more muted though it is still present. The fruit that showed up later was still there, maybe edging towards a stewed fruit note. The earthiness isnāt as pronounced but Iām noticing that chalkiness/dust more. The tannins are gone and it still has that medium finish. The wine is much more balanced today and I prefer it. My wife agreed to retry it and said it was much better then the initial impression.
Iām not sure about pricing, on a blind rating Iād say $25 would be fair. If I had ran this through an aerator or decanted i may have liked it more. But straight from the bottle it was to closed off for me. Thanks for the opportunity!
I know I have a difficult job, but Benessere had a team meeting today at which we tasted the 2016 and 2017 Cabernets on offer. Iām really happy with how both wines have evolved. The 2016 tannins were formidable on release, but have mellowed. Tertiary aromas are beginning to emerge. Pace Antonio Galloni but the 2016 is beautiful at present and should have at least 4 years of development to go.
The 2017? Another beast entirely. Tannins are not yet fully tamed and there is a kaleidoscope of flavors going on here. This wine has an even longer future ahead of it.
I am very much on the fence with this offer. Someone push me over. I am a big fan of Benessere and have been for some time dating back to the Woot! Days and have even visited the tasting room a couple of times. My wine spreadsheet shows I have consumed 73 bottles of their juice, but not a single one of Cabernet. Love their Sangio, Zins, and all the blends Iāve tried. Donāt really need any Cab (racks are full), but it sure is tempting. Anyone in SF or nearby Bay Area care to split? I can easily be swayed at the case price for a 2 or 3 way split. Anyone?
@davidj94112 My experiences are similar, has been more than awhile but visited more than a few times, Chicago area ties and allā¦but never had the cab. Bought more than a bit of Black Glass zin and sangiovese. Not a lot of super high scores necessarily but always enjoyable
Iām on the fence also, last Rat report was not good? Iām on Bay Area, but that would be Tampa Bay. If anyone in Tampa would like to split a case I would do that.
Thanks for your past and continued support of our winery. The Italian varieties have always been our focus, and Zin has been too fun to ignore along the way. We continue to produce the Holystone Vineyard Zinfandel from our neighbors, but we have replanted the Black Glass Zinfandel to Black Glass Primitivo. Yes, Zinfandel and Primitivo are the same thing, but the gov doesnāt know that, and we were replanting anyway. I just finalized the blend on the 2023 Black Glass Primitivo and itās amazing!
But back to Cabernetāwe didnāt produce one forever because of our Italian focus, but when in Napaā¦ I began my winemaking career at Seavey Vineyard (2004-2008), making big and beautiful hillside Cabernets. The terroir at Benessere is very different, and naturally the wines are as well. Iām not saying they taste like Tignanello, but I do think they have a likeness to our Italian varieties. Higher acid, lower tannin than what I produced at Seavey. I do hope you all get together for a case or two, and I hope you all come back to the winery to tell me about your experience with the wines!
@BenessereMatt Thanks for the insight. Grabbed a case and look forward to giving it a try. Iāve had a couple of Seaveyās from those years when you were there and they were delicious. If these are anywhere near that quality, I am sure I will be satisfied. Now if you can just get some Phenomenon or the Primitivo (or Zin, or Sangio) over here on Casemates one of these daysā¦ā¦
Just arrived in Half Moon Bay where Iāll be pouring tomorrow at the Wine & Jazz Festival. Friday night is hopping at the HMB Cantina! [Wish me luck!]
2016 Benessere Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, St. Helena, Napa Valley
Tasting Notes
Vintage
Winemaking
Pairings
Specs
2017 Benessere Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, St. Helena, Napa Valley
Tasting Notes
Vintage
Winemaking
Pairings
Specs
Whatās Included
2-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$1,170/Case for 6x 2016 Benessere Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, St. Helena, Napa Valley + 6x 2017 Benessere Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, St. Helena, Napa Valley at Benessere Vineyards
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, PA, TX, VA, WA, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Jun 2 - Tuesday, Jun 3
Benessere Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley
2 bottles for $67.99 $34/bottle + $4/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $299.99 $25/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2016
2017
2016 Benessere Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
Ideal timing for Motherās Day weekend with the arrival of a surprise Casemates/Alice bottle incoming. We really were looking forward to a Benessere, as weād not had any of their wines until now.
The wine arrived safely and had some resting time before our planned Thursday tasting dinner. Quick summary- this is a very nice Napa Cabernet Sauvignon which doesnāt need any additional aging, but may be even nicer over the next several years.
First tasting: Bottle was chilled and opened to breathe for about a half hour. Serving temp was just shy of 64Ā°. Cork showed dark staining commensurate with the wine color, with little penetration of the natural cork. Color is a very dark ruby to burgundy at the edge. The nose has loads of black fruit/blackberry with some light oak. Mrs. Rat confirmed the berry and some vanilla. Our son was home for this one, and with his younger olfactory picked up dark cherry and licorice/cola. Swirling the glass showed some viscosity and moderate legs.
The tastes were in line with aroma- lots of berry, some tobacco/cedar with tannins very present, but not overwhelming- right in line with expectations. Nice dryness with vanilla showing up and lingering for a nice finish. The 14.5 ABV is there with some mild heat. Mrs. Rat noted the berry and oak were clear and balanced.
Food was a key prep item for this wine, and were based on numerous references to āribeyeā with this wine. They were not wrong. Mrs. Ratt grilled up some wonderful ribeye from a local butcher with compound basil Gorgonzola butter and polenta with cherry tomatoes. The pairing advice was spot on with this wine. Excellent! Mrs. Rat noted that the wine stood up to the Gorgonzola sharpness. Final note on this with dinner from her āI really like how the food brings the wine forward and the fruit really blooms.ā If you pick up this offer, itās a highly recommended pairing. Seriously!
After dinner were a selection of Seeās chocolates brought back from the west coast- the dark chocolates were very good. I do have to say that the āDark Chocolate Coconut Specialā may not have been ideal.
(I still liked it, but maybe itās an acquired taste for some).
With this being a Friday only offer, donāt miss out if you are tempted or low on reds that work very well with grilled meats and strong flavors. Weāll try to get a pre-lunch follow up in for āDay 2ā before noon central time.
Thank you Casemates and Benessere Vineyards!
@benguin986 Bravo, awesome rattage! Well done on the food pairing, totally nailed it!
KRULL! A SKULL! BRETT HULL! AWESOME!
@benguin986 Day 2 update
After storing in the refrigerator overnight, and then letting it warm back up to 64Ā°, flavor profile was nearly the same. The biggest difference was the heat from the alcohol was down quite a bit from the overnight stay. Tannins were right about the same.
Tried with a couple of very sharp cheeses, where it really shines (along with the meat recommendations).
Sorry to see that @bent80 had such a different experience.
Initial taste: We served this cab in varietal specific Riedel glasses. This is fairly fruit forward , dry , with dark/black berries notes prominent. Mr. Rat picked up slight chalky notes. ABV= 14.5 without any notable āheat.ā We observed substantial legs and significant tannins. The wine was clearly tight/ in need of some breathing room.
One hour after opening, we sat down with our Bolognese and a Ceasar salad.
The hour of letting it breathe allowed this wine to open-up nicely. The tannins mellowed quickly. Notes of cherry predominated with hints of cocoa (Mrs. Rat picked-up āmochaā) while DH still noted a slight pleasant chalkiness. A lovely level of acidity paired nicely with the richness of the Bolognese. For comparison, we poured a little into a generic wine glass ā it tasted more acerbic. The varietal specific glass made a notable difference.
We saved Ā½ the bottle (corked, but not vacuumed) for day 2. The Benessere continued to open-up nicely and improve, with a subtle fruit forward (bramble fruits) with notes of mocha, tobacco, smooth tannins and a nice acidity. We paired with pan seared rib eye, baked potato, and a tomato/cucumber/basil/feta/red onion salad. The pairing with the steak was even better than the pairing with the Bolognese.
Since we were not familiar with Benessere wines (and frankly, since we knew we would need to limit ourselves to 1/2 bottle per meal), we opened a 2017 Laura Michaels Cab Sauv for a side-by-side comparison. The Benessere was more fruit forward, in a very pleasant way. The Laura Michael tasted a bit more mature. Both are very good wines. With the pairings we had, we preferred the Benessere. We had a friend join us the 2nd night. Her wine appreciation is much less sophisticated, but developing. She had a strong preference for the Benessere.
We think the Benessere 2017 Cab Sauv is an excellent wine. Please let it breathe for at least an hour before pouring, and 24 hours of breathing is great if you can do it. For a wine of this caliber, a varietlal specific glass does make a notable difference. This is delicious now, but we suspect it will continue to improve and cellar well for a number of years. We anticipate this will come in on the higher end of the CaseMates price range, but is well worth it. Our only problem now is, where are we going to store yet another case of wine?
Yep!
/giphy therapeutic-fundamental-yam
@ttboy23 Iām not even back from Italy yetā¦but just like thatā¦! Any of my SE MI casematers want in? Just let me know
/giphy bizarre-descriptive-toffee
Hunh. Possibly the first offering Iāve seen since I moved out here where New Mexico wasnāt on the list.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
Benessere Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley $108 = 26.46%
/giphy cagey-dense-stream
Swear this site is intent on bleeding me dry. Sighā¦another case incoming.
/giphy talented-playful-jackal
Well now, Iām guessing some words of wisdom out in the nether-sphere, might as well take a look around whilst the machine warms upā¦
Ok, nothing particularly recent but a few words of wisdomā¦
Enthusiast on the 2016:
85 points. A 100% varietal wine, this is herbal and thick in tannināa full-bodied exploration of oak, cedar and mild red fruit. ā Virginie Boone 9/1/20
A short note on the '16 from The Nittany Epicurean:
The wine showed a dark ruby color. Blackberry, raspberry, cherry, currant, vanilla and oak all arrived on the nose. Blackberry, cherry, raspberry, vanilla, plum and oak followed on a palate brimming with ripe berries. The wine exhibited great structure and length, along with moderate tannins. This wine would be a good pair with a seared dry-aged ribeye steak. 11/27/18
Grape Experiences, Cindy Rynning, the '16:
Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 can be found on my table with rich pasta and succulent meat dishes. Although you could cellar this beauty for ten or more years, you wonāt want to! Intense notes of dark cherries, chocolate, and cassis prevailed on the nose. With bright acidity and satin-like tannins, flavors of chocolate covered cherries, blueberries, dark plums, ripe red fruit, and vanilla led to a lingering finishā¦ all were intriguing and delicious. My favorite takeaway was that this beautiful wine was just as memorable sipped with or without food. 2/18/19
Mr Dunnuck:
86 points. The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is a lifted, perfumed, attractive effort that has plenty of spiced red and black fruits, incense, and exotic floral notes in its medium-bodied, charming, layered style. Itās not terribly deep or profound, yet itās nicely balanced and charming. 1/31/19
Vinous, the '16 again:
87 points. The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is soft, fruity and forward, all qualities that make it a good choice
for drinking now and over the next few years.
Drink 2018 - 2024. Antonio Galloni 9/18
On to the '17:
Vinous:
88 points. Benessereās 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon is an attractive wine done in a very ripe, forward style. I
would prefer to drink it sooner rather than later, as the fruit and mid-palate are beginning to
fade a bit. Super-ripe red cherry, wild flowers, mint and sweet spice are all pushed forward in this pretty, mid-weight, exotic Cabernet. Drink 2020 - 2029. Antonio Galloni. 9/19
fwiw
@kaolis Gosh I donāt think Iāve ever seen Virginia Boone give such a low score. Such a cutting comment too.
@user48745965 Maybe she tasted on a Root or Leaf day?
@kaolis @user48745965
@kaolis Ouch. For $25 I would like to see an 89-91 please
2016 Benessere Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
After seeing the price point and reading the other rats, I feel like Iām on Punked!
I mustāve gotten a bad bottle.
Dark purple with ruby perimeter, a few short legs
Nose: blackberry with a hint of strawberry
Palate
Very jammy, raspberry, itās so fruit forward it FEELS sweet without actually BEING sweet, and has a tangy not-quite-sour finish.
No noticeable tannins
Alcohol feels lower than advertised, no taste or smell of it
Itās one dimensional, but goes down fastā¦
Day 2
This is a 1 day drinker (if that)
The ātangyā finish has turned fully sour and vinegary.
I drank half a glass while trying to find some redemption, wife spit out her first mouthful and dumped it.
@bent80
Curious as to how you stored this overnightā¦
@bent80 Possible heat issue?? I was a bit concerned with temps in the 80s here. The time on the truck may not have done it any favors.
@rjquillin sorry for the delay, work has not been conducive to the rest of life todayā¦
Corked, no vacuum, no gas
I seem to recall Benessere from the way back days? Almost want to order a pair because of that. But Iāve just got too many good Cabs. I just bought a Coravin so I could start drinking glasses of different bottles.
@WkdPanda Hi! Yep, weāve had some Casemates offers in the past. Sorry youāll miss this oneā¦
@BenessereMatt good to see you on here Matt
Love all your projects
@kitkat34 Aw, thank you!
Hello, Gang! Iām Matt, Benessereās winemaker. Iāll be checking in throughout the day. Happy to answer any questions and all that. Cheers!
I got the golden ticket for the 2017 Benessere Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
Sorry for the later response, I had coaching duties and fell asleep prior to the release of this sale. On to the report!
On opening I noticed the cork was artificial, while I get the benefits I donāt like it. Iād prefer a screw cap if weāre not going natural cork. On pour did not notice any sediment. Aroma was heavily of dark fruits, primarily of black berry with something else? maybe brambles like you could also smell the vines the blackberries were attached to. Initial taste was very different. Very earthy, maybe dust or chalk also? no fruit. There were some fine tannins that provided some grip, made me salivate slightly but not the lip tightening pucker of a young tannic wine. Wine had a medium finish, nothing to lingering but it was there. My wife whoās not a big wine drinker did not like the wine at all on the initial pour. The wine was a deep dark purple that was quite opaque and the wine had slow heavy legs.
With some various foods at opening: Babybel the wine cut through the fat nicely and things seemed in balance. A few slices of New York strip steak the wine went well with it, the earthy flavor was still there and it held up well with it.
After an hour the fruit showed up. Starting to taste the dark fruits of the nose. The earthy flavor has dropped back and rounds out the taste. I much prefer it now then on initial opening. Saving the 2/3rd bottle for day 2.
Day 2: reopened and noticed the strong smell of blackberries has faded a bit and is more muted though it is still present. The fruit that showed up later was still there, maybe edging towards a stewed fruit note. The earthiness isnāt as pronounced but Iām noticing that chalkiness/dust more. The tannins are gone and it still has that medium finish. The wine is much more balanced today and I prefer it. My wife agreed to retry it and said it was much better then the initial impression.
Iām not sure about pricing, on a blind rating Iād say $25 would be fair. If I had ran this through an aerator or decanted i may have liked it more. But straight from the bottle it was to closed off for me. Thanks for the opportunity!
@sdfreedive as with the earlier day 2 rat;
curious how you stored this overnight?
@rjquillin just recorked no other treatments.
I know I have a difficult job, but Benessere had a team meeting today at which we tasted the 2016 and 2017 Cabernets on offer. Iām really happy with how both wines have evolved. The 2016 tannins were formidable on release, but have mellowed. Tertiary aromas are beginning to emerge. Pace Antonio Galloni but the 2016 is beautiful at present and should have at least 4 years of development to go.
The 2017? Another beast entirely. Tannins are not yet fully tamed and there is a kaleidoscope of flavors going on here. This wine has an even longer future ahead of it.
I am very much on the fence with this offer. Someone push me over. I am a big fan of Benessere and have been for some time dating back to the Woot! Days and have even visited the tasting room a couple of times. My wine spreadsheet shows I have consumed 73 bottles of their juice, but not a single one of Cabernet. Love their Sangio, Zins, and all the blends Iāve tried. Donāt really need any Cab (racks are full), but it sure is tempting. Anyone in SF or nearby Bay Area care to split? I can easily be swayed at the case price for a 2 or 3 way split. Anyone?
@davidj94112 My experiences are similar, has been more than awhile but visited more than a few times, Chicago area ties and allā¦but never had the cab. Bought more than a bit of Black Glass zin and sangiovese. Not a lot of super high scores necessarily but always enjoyable
@davidj94112 of course
I am 2 or 3 way.
@Tassadar Thought I might hear from you
@davidj94112 Case purchased. If anyone else would like in on the split let me know.
Iām on the fence also, last Rat report was not good? Iām on Bay Area, but that would be Tampa Bay. If anyone in Tampa would like to split a case I would do that.
HI David, Kaolis, and Tassadar,
Thanks for your past and continued support of our winery. The Italian varieties have always been our focus, and Zin has been too fun to ignore along the way. We continue to produce the Holystone Vineyard Zinfandel from our neighbors, but we have replanted the Black Glass Zinfandel to Black Glass Primitivo. Yes, Zinfandel and Primitivo are the same thing, but the gov doesnāt know that, and we were replanting anyway. I just finalized the blend on the 2023 Black Glass Primitivo and itās amazing!
But back to Cabernetāwe didnāt produce one forever because of our Italian focus, but when in Napaā¦ I began my winemaking career at Seavey Vineyard (2004-2008), making big and beautiful hillside Cabernets. The terroir at Benessere is very different, and naturally the wines are as well. Iām not saying they taste like Tignanello, but I do think they have a likeness to our Italian varieties. Higher acid, lower tannin than what I produced at Seavey. I do hope you all get together for a case or two, and I hope you all come back to the winery to tell me about your experience with the wines!
@BenessereMatt Thanks for the insight. Grabbed a case and look forward to giving it a try. Iāve had a couple of Seaveyās from those years when you were there and they were delicious. If these are anywhere near that quality, I am sure I will be satisfied. Now if you can just get some Phenomenon or the Primitivo (or Zin, or Sangio) over here on Casemates one of these daysā¦ā¦
@davidj94112 stay tunedā¦ It might just happen
Just arrived in Half Moon Bay where Iāll be pouring tomorrow at the Wine & Jazz Festival. Friday night is hopping at the HMB Cantina! [Wish me luck!]