Saturday night – A very good Knight! Part 2

Click here for part 1

Mick for the main course decided to use up the rest of the crab topping to top beef tenderloin with Béarnaise sauce. A side of grilled vegetables completed the menu. Mick opened a bottle of 1999 Beringer’s Knight’s Valley Cabernet Sauvignon to pair with this course.

I was looking forward to this wine as this was an old favourite. At one point in my life I would have said that 1999 Beringer’s Knight’s Valley Cabernet Sauvignon would have been my absolute favourite wine period. We hadn’t had it 2 to 3 years so it will be interesting to see what it is like.

"Not as magical but still damn good!"

This wine has a strong nose of sour cherry, dark berry, loam, green pepper, and cocoa with a bit of earthiness to it. Upon tasting the wine you get nice fruit, good acidity, fine tannins and a smooth finish; a very nicely balanced wine. The mouth feel on it was a bit thin and it just didn’t have that “wow” factor to it to take it to the next level. It was a great pairing with the beef and a good paring with the grilled vegetables.

There is a line in a Bob Seger song that goes “I wish I didn’t know now what I didn’t know then…” and that is how I feel about the 1999 Beringer’s Knight’s Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. At one time I would have described this wine as stunning, amazing, legendary, and now I’d describe it a good value for money and a solid Cab. It isn’t as magical as it once was as since then I have tried a number of higher end Cabs that are superior to this one.

Here is the group rating for the wine -Mick - 91, Mark - 91, Kathy – 90, Amy - 90, Overall – 90.5.

Here is what the Wine Spectator had to say about this wine –

Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon Knights Valley Appellation Collection 1999

Vanilla, cedar, cassis and roasted plum flavors have very good intensity, with tart, gripping oak tannins that firm up in the finish. Drink now through 2008. 43,000 cases made.

Price - $26 US, Score – 86

Here is the LCBO information on this wine –

Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon

Vintages 352583
750 mL bottle
Price: $ 39.95
Wine, Red Wine,
13.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Sugar Content : XD
Made in: California, United States
By: Beringer Vineyards
Release Date: May 10, 2008

Description - This sensual Cab from the Knights Valley appellation in Sonoma County displays aromas of plums, cocoa, blackcurrant, sweet cherry and cedar. Creamy textured and loaded with sweet fruit flavours and a nice backbone of acidity, it is medium full-bodied with a long fruity/gently tannic finish. An excellent companion for barbecued leg of lamb.

* Note the wine listed above is probably a 2005 and not the 1999 reviewed here on the blog.

For dessert we did cheese and crackers with a bottle of Yalumba Antique Tawny. I have covered this port a couple of times and decided not to write it up again (see the Wine List and click on the links for previous write-ups).

Cheers!

Mark