Beringer Founders’ Estate winemaker, Ron Schrieve, believes in “getting his boots dirty” and walking the vineyards daily during harvest to determine just the right time to pick. “I wish we got frequent-driver miles, because I’d have a million of them from running up and down the state,” he says. “But tasting grapes is the only way I can be sure I’m getting as much flavor as possible.” As each vineyard block reached the peak of maturity, the Cabernet was harvested and rushed to the winery, and Ron kept each lot separate until he assembled the final blend. After vinification, Ron aged the wines in French and American oak barrels for 12 months, helping the flavors come together and imparting sweet oak and brown spice nuances. The resulting wine has a deep color with bright cassis, green tea, black olive and sweet vanilla spice aromas that lead into a fleshy mouth that has, as Ron says, “A big Cab flavor.” Black fruit, cassis, and spice flavors are supported into a long finish by fine-grained, assertive tannins.