Beringer, Founders' Estate Merlot, California
Beringer · California › United States of America
Critics Average score from professional wine critics and publications.
85
/100
Reviews
22
professional
Vintages
No vintages
NV
Community Reviews
2828
Reviews
84.5
Avg Score
93
Highest
Taster #7508
· Dec 24, 2020
90/100
One of several older cabs drank with leg of lamb dinner prepared by my son on my 70th birthday at a log cabin at the Wisp ski area in western Maryland. Stood up well against other Napa cabs.
1998 vintage
Taster #9565
· May 9, 2016
92/100
Stunning,,,and deli ish ous! Just goes to show ya, it ain't all about the $$$ or pedigree. Drank a 1.5L- straight out of the gun. Tasted more like a right bank Bordeaux, A good right bank.. That said drink up, it's ripe mean and ready! Lucky I have 1 more mag-)
1998 vintage
Taster #7086
· Dec 2, 2015
82/100
Very, very basic Merlot. It's fine, drinkable, but nothing special. Lacking body, it did open up after a while and, though still fruit forward to say the least, then boasted sone nice smoky, oaky notes
2012 vintage
Taster #1221
· Oct 16, 2015
86/100
cherries, ripe berries & a touch of licorice on the nose plum, oak, alcohol heat on the palate medium body, good amount of fruit, a touch of acidity, medium+ finish as good as it gets for it's price
2012 vintage
Taster #5534
· May 30, 2015
85/100
Super value. Much better than expected.
2012 vintage
Taster #4686
· Apr 16, 2015
88/100
Clean fruit and a surprising layer of minerality with a long but cloying finish. Incredible value.
2012 vintage
Taster #5276
· Mar 20, 2015
87/100
As $9 grocery store Merlot goes, this is really pretty good. Just enough of those mildly vegetative, flinty earth meets mocha flavors for us to easily identify this as authentic to the varietal. Solid, close to full bodied mouth feel. Surprisingly expressive blueberry and boysenberry fruit profile. Very well balanced and integrated oak, acid and alcohol. Appropriate, enhancing gritty little tannins. Well done.
2012 vintage
Taster #8123
· Dec 31, 2014
Smooth
2012 vintage
Taster #8171
· Sep 27, 2014
85/100
some blueberry notes, light body, no particular finish
2012 vintage
Taster #7449
· Jul 27, 2014
93/100
Cellared very well. Cassis, leather, licorice. Still has a couple years.
1998 vintage
Taster #0598
· Jun 10, 2012
Weak nose, good round body but lack of strengh, passed his peak years ago probably
1996 vintage
Taster #3397
· Aug 28, 2010
85/100
Even, predictable, round. Oaky, good dark fruit, not a whole lot going on. Certainly not as juicy as a more recent release.
1998 vintage
Taster #0334
· Aug 15, 2010
88/100
A pleasant surprise! Cherry and cassis, not overwhelmingly complex but still a very nice drink.
1998 vintage
Taster #1468
· Jun 26, 2010
88/100
Smooth even taste
1998 vintage
Taster #2137
· Dec 24, 2009
88/100
This bottle seems to have aged better than other reviewers, perhaps due to cellar storage since new. Not as musty on opening as others have reported, more flat and gasping for air. After one hour it opened up to reveal mature fruit and fully integrated tannins. All were suprised at how well it had aged. Probably has passed it's peak. If you have any left, drink it now.
1998 vintage
Taster #0475
· May 10, 2009
87/100
rated best value at 2002 yapa tasting. Bottle from Specs was also very good Very fruity, with some tobacco and straw dry, but with a soft finish< >good acidity and balance. < >A great value< >
1998 vintage
Taster #2137
· Mar 20, 2009
waited too long, this bottles best days have long since passed. can't rate
1996 vintage
Taster #7345
· Jan 6, 2008
87/100
This was a peppery wine with good flavor and a complement to the Thai meal we ate (so good with spicy food)
1998 vintage
Taster #0529
· Dec 16, 2007
50/100
Yech...needed be drunk years ago.
1998 vintage
Taster #0529
· Nov 11, 2007
75/100
Not much flavor left, more like a barely-there pinot.
1998 vintage
Taster #2187
· Aug 20, 2007
86/100
Agreed that it was quite musty at first but that quickly dissipated. Still somewhat earthy but the fruit is there too. Not a bad wine for the cheap price. I was surprised it had held up this well since it kinda got buried in my cellar. I remember originally buying a case when it was a best value from WSJ.
1998 vintage
Taster #0346
· Jan 2, 2007
82/100
Decanted for 2 hours - wine never developed. Most likely my fault... drank it way past it's prime. Good color, but was sharp on the palate, never really mellowed.
1998 vintage
Taster #4559
· Aug 9, 2006
85/100
Fair
1998 vintage
Taster #4510
· May 25, 2006
86/100
light to medium garnet hue. quite musty at first but blew off after about 15 minutes to reveal a nice fruit and tobacco bouquet. medium to light body, tasted just like a cotes du rhone villages! what a surprise. probably past its peak but i have to say, not bad at all for the price and certainly better than i expected.
1998 vintage
Taster #0333
· Nov 27, 2004
Had Mom & Dad over for pizza and calzone... had this bottle of Beringer with dinner. At first, I was a little concerned with what I smelled upon uncorking the bottle. But I asked people to let it breath, even just for 10 minutes, and it seemed fine. Nice flavor, although not smooth. Fruity. Not a personal favorite, but Dad and Deb seemed to enjoy it.
1998 vintage
Taster #5845
· Jun 7, 2004
NobleRottersSydney - NOT Oz/NZ/France/Italy (Lucio's, Paddington) : Mid red. Shows some minty, spearmint aromas. Mild on the palate – the flavours are as vague as the constituent information on the label. Pleasant enough in a simple way. Probably better some years ago. (I'm guessing Merlot here...)
1998 vintage
Taster #6627
· Feb 5, 2003
84/100
Restrained nose and taste. Not bad, but needs more intensity
1998 vintage
Taster #0079
· Dec 21, 2001
black cherry; mild, diluted
1998 vintage