Steinhauer Ranch Vineyard Cabernet Franc
⏳ Drinking Window
Typically best enjoyed 5 to 15 years from the vintage release, though exceptional vintages can cellar beautifully for up to 20 years.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted rack of lamb with rosemary, pan-seared duck breast, or hearty wild mushroom risotto.
✨ Technical Specifications
Hailing from the rugged, high-elevation slopes of Howell Mountain in Napa Valley, Beringer's Steinhauer Ranch Vineyard Cabernet Franc is a testament to mountain viticulture. Named in honor of Beringer's legendary long-time vineyard manager, Bob Steinhauer, this vineyard sits at an elevation of nearly 1,800 feet, safely above the fog line. Here, vines struggle in nutrient-poor, volcanic soils rich in iron and tufa, forcing them to produce small, concentrated berries. The resulting wine is a powerful, deeply structured expression of Cabernet Franc, characterized by intense dark fruit, crushed stone minerality, signature graphite notes, and savory dried herbs. Beringer, founded in 1876 as one of Napa's pioneering estates, utilizes traditional French oak aging to refine the robust mountain tannins, creating a wine of remarkable depth and historical resonance.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1876 by brothers Jacob and Frederick Beringer, Beringer Vineyards holds the distinction of being California's oldest continuously operating winery, situated in the heart of St. Helena in Napa Valley. Pioneers of early Napa winemaking, the Beringer brothers engineered hand-dug limestone caves and gravity-fed cellars to craft refined, ageworthy wines. Today, owned by Treasury Wine Estates, the historic estate maintains an uncompromising dedication to site-specific viticulture across prime Napa Valley and Knights Valley terroirs. Beringer is internationally celebrated for its flagship Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, alongside complex single-vineyard expressions and botrytized dessert wines like Nightingale.