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 techniquesâpunchdowns and pumpoversâto 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 â 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 techniquesâpunchdowns and pumpoversâto 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 â October 6
Alcohol by volume: 14.5%
Finished TA: 5.8 g/L
Finished pH | 3.82
Production: 298 cases
Winemaker: Matt Reid
Whatâs 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 distinctionâwines 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 Motherâs Day weekend with the arrival of a surprise Casemates/Alice bottle incoming. We really were looking forward to a Benessere, as weâd 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 doesnât 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 64°. 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 âribeyeâ 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 âI really like how the food brings the wine forward and the fruit really blooms.â If you pick up this offer, itâs a highly recommended pairing. Seriously!
After dinner were a selection of Seeâs chocolates brought back from the west coast- the dark chocolates were very good. I do have to say that the âDark Chocolate Coconut Specialâ may not have been ideal. (I still liked it, but maybe itâs an acquired taste for some).
With this being a Friday only offer, donât miss out if you are tempted or low on reds that work very well with grilled meats and strong flavors. Weâll try to get a pre-lunch follow up in for âDay 2â before noon central time.
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 vintnerâs website recommended pairing with a Bolognese â 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 âheat.â 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 âmochaâ) 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 â it tasted more acerbic. The varietal specific glass made a notable difference.
We saved œ 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 Iâm not even back from Italy yetâŠbut just like thatâŠ! 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, Iâm guessing some words of wisdom out in the nether-sphere, might as well take a look around whilst the machine warms upâŠ
Ok, nothing particularly recent but a few words of wisdomâŠ
Enthusiast on the 2016:
85 points. A 100% varietal wine, this is herbal and thick in tanninâa full-bodied exploration of oak, cedar and mild red fruit. â 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 wonât 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 finish⊠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. Itâs not terribly deep or profound, yet itâs 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. Benessereâs 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 Iâm on Punked!
I mustâve gotten a bad bottle.
Dark purple with ruby perimeter, a few short legs
Nose: blackberry with a hint of strawberry
Palate
Very jammy, raspberry, itâs 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
Itâs one dimensional, but goes down fastâŠ
Day 2
This is a 1 day drinker (if that)
The âtangyâ 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 Iâve just got too many good Cabs. I just bought a Coravin so I could start drinking glasses of different bottles.
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
Whatâs 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 Motherâs Day weekend with the arrival of a surprise Casemates/Alice bottle incoming. We really were looking forward to a Benessere, as weâd 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 doesnât 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 64°. 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 âribeyeâ 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 âI really like how the food brings the wine forward and the fruit really blooms.â If you pick up this offer, itâs a highly recommended pairing. Seriously!
After dinner were a selection of Seeâs chocolates brought back from the west coast- the dark chocolates were very good. I do have to say that the âDark Chocolate Coconut Specialâ may not have been ideal.
(I still liked it, but maybe itâs an acquired taste for some).
With this being a Friday only offer, donât miss out if you are tempted or low on reds that work very well with grilled meats and strong flavors. Weâll try to get a pre-lunch follow up in for âDay 2â 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!
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 âheat.â 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 âmochaâ) 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 â it tasted more acerbic. The varietal specific glass made a notable difference.
We saved œ 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 Iâm not even back from Italy yetâŠbut just like thatâŠ! Any of my SE MI casematers want in? Just let me know
/giphy bizarre-descriptive-toffee
Hunh. Possibly the first offering Iâve seen since I moved out here where New Mexico wasnât 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. SighâŠanother case incoming.
/giphy talented-playful-jackal
Well now, Iâm guessing some words of wisdom out in the nether-sphere, might as well take a look around whilst the machine warms upâŠ
Ok, nothing particularly recent but a few words of wisdomâŠ
Enthusiast on the 2016:
85 points. A 100% varietal wine, this is herbal and thick in tanninâa full-bodied exploration of oak, cedar and mild red fruit. â 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 wonât 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 finish⊠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. Itâs not terribly deep or profound, yet itâs 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. Benessereâs 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
2016 Benessere Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
After seeing the price point and reading the other rats, I feel like Iâm on Punked!
I mustâve gotten a bad bottle.
Dark purple with ruby perimeter, a few short legs
Nose: blackberry with a hint of strawberry
Palate
Very jammy, raspberry, itâs 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
Itâs one dimensional, but goes down fastâŠ
Day 2
This is a 1 day drinker (if that)
The âtangyâ 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 Iâve just got too many good Cabs. I just bought a Coravin so I could start drinking glasses of different bottles.
Hello, Gang! Iâm Matt, Benessereâs winemaker. Iâll b checking in throughout the day. Happy to answer any questions and all that. Cheers!